Chinese coffee chain Grid Coffee has launched the third edition of a program that invites world-class guest roasters to collaborate with it, as domestic demand for specialty coffee continues to rise and international exchanges become more frequent.
The latest installment brings Australia's ONA Coffee to China for a series of limited-time events in Beijing, Chengdu in Sichuan province, and Shenzhen in Guangdong, introducing competition-level beans and brewing standards to local consumers.
"This is a long-term initiative for Grid Coffee," says Chen Ziyu, founder of the brand. "By inviting leading global coffee roasters to China, we aim to let consumers experience the same products and standards they would find at origin."
He added that the program follows a "same price as overseas" principle, meaning identical beans and drinks are priced in line with their original markets.
Grid Coffee previously hosted Manhattan Coffee Roasters from Rotterdam in May 2025 and Spain's Nomad Coffee in November the same year.
The program also reflects Grid Coffee's broader strategy to position specialty coffee within everyday consumption. Chen said they focus on improving familiar drinks such as Americanos and lattes through higher-quality beans and more controlled extraction, while offering alternatives such as batch brew-style coffee to make premium beans more accessible.
ONA Coffee was established in Canberra in 2008 by Sasa Sestic, the 2015 World Barista Champion, who helped introduce carbonic maceration techniques into specialty coffee processing.
The company works with producers across multiple origins and maintains quality control from cultivation to brewing. "Coffee is already perfect when it grows on the tree," Sestic says. "Everything we do from harvest to brewing is about expressing and honoring that inherent quality."
As part of the collaboration, ONA barista Hugh Kelly, who placed third at the 2021 World Barista Championship, led a bar takeover at Grid Coffee PRO in Beijing's WF CENTRAL between May 1 and 5.
The menu featured a selection of ONA's signature beans, including Raspberry Candy — used in Sestic's 2015 championship routine — alongside milk-based drinks and batch brew-style offerings.
The program will continue in Chengdu from May 8 to 11 and Shenzhen from May 14 to 17.
