Disclaimer: I didn't take this picture (just this one), I got it from their official site. The reason is simple: I failed to take a clear picture from the outside. It's too crowd and not good as a cover/first picture in the article. But the other pictures in this article are mine.
Another disclaimer: all the information is based on my experience in 2018 AND my [hopefully, trusted] memories.
I recommend you to bring your own coffee while reading this article.
I went to Shanghai in 2018 for a business trip (you can also read my other story in Shanghai here). During my adventure in Shanghai, I went to Starbucks Reserve Roastery in West Nanjing Road, Jingan District, with other's employees from around the world. Let's say, it's like international class-employees "field trip".
It was still broad daylight. I totally forgot that early November is already Autumn in Shanghai. It's cold and windy, and I wear the wrong clothes: a light cotton shirt and cloth pants. Plus it's hard to take good photo's from the outside. So, here is the result:
About this building
The first time I drunk coffee is when I was in kindergarten. So, as a human who lives with coffee as my energy drink, I really excited to visit this place. According to the articles that I read (and the information that I got at that place), this is the second-largest Starbucks Roastery in the world (the number one is in Chicago). I tell you something: it's amazingly huge! I think this building is the size of half the size of a football field (it can be excessive).
It's right in the shopping center/tourism district in Shanghai (that's why it's crowded). The building doesn't look like a coffee shop, it's more like a museum or art gallery (which is true).
The first time you walk inside, you will find this artsy wall on your right side:
If you think that it's just an artsy welcoming wall, ckckck you are wrong. You are totally wrong. Because if you take a look, you will realize that it is formed from neatly arranged cards! The card contains a piece of detailed information about the coffee (or maybe also tea) that they use around the world! So it's like a crazy way to show the coffee catalog.
I'll show you more closer. Anyway if I'm not wrong, you can also buy a card at this place. It can be a collectible item if you called yourself a truly "Starbuck's fan". Sadly, I'm not a big fan of Starbucks yet I can declare myself as a "poor traveler" so I didn't buy it.
Let's move to your left side. On your left side, there is an information table. You can pick one of three experiences in this building [or you can just simply buy a coffee and yeah]. Each experience has a different price, so be sure that you choose the right one (please hear what your wallet says).
Like I said before, I went to this place as a part of my business trip. Alibaba Group is the one who pays and arrange my trip here. So I don't know what kind of plan that I experienced.
Let's Move to The Roastery Section
This is the most amusing part of this place. I never went to a coffee that also show the roastery process in the same building or even THE SAME ROOM!
First, we will see the "green beans station". There are many burlap sacks of green coffee here. In one roasting process, there will only be one type of coffee. I forgot what coffee they were processing at the time. These coffees will later be put in a silo for roasting.
The next process is roastery. They have a huge roastery machine on the first and second floors. According to their site (because I'm not familiar with the machines), they use "Probat N500 roasters that can release coffee beans' potential flavour within after popping twice". I'm sorry, I need to link it to their official site because I really have no idea what is Probat N500.
After that, the beans will be rest and set inside this gigantic copper cask. I heard that this stage and the roastery process is a "critical task that can affect the quality of the taste of the coffee produced". Anyway, this copper cask is really cool and "eye-catching". I think it's iconic. So if you [someday] have an opportunity to visit this place [in real], don't forget to take a picture of it!
Is it cool right? This thing rises from the first floor to (almost) the roof of the second floor. I strongly believe that if you accidentally fall into this cask, it would be hard to find you. Harder than looking for a needle in a haystack.
From this cask, they will send the well-set coffee beans to the package station (you can see a rail on the right side of the cask). Then the coffee beans are ready to send to all coffee-lovers across the world! Or maybe around China.
And if you see a small pipe on the cask? They use it to distribute the coffee beans through the processes. So it's not a magic and they didn't use teleportation.
Take a look, maybe your coffee beans come from this roastery!
Anyway, the most amazing thing is you can follow this step-by-step with your phone! It's very simple. You just need to scan the QR code (and it is available not only in the roastery section, but also in the coffee, tea, and bakery sales section). You can see detailed information about each section. You can even see what's inside the cask!
It's not my hand (of course). Sadly, I can't show you what you'll get when you scan the QR Code because somehow I can't make a screen capture. So I'll show you my friend's phone screen that I took secretly 😜.
The Tea and Coffee Section
This is China! The hometown of the tea. So even though it's Starbucks but their (I think) main drink is tea. Tea is not just a beverage in China, but also a part of their culture.
Because we already walk to the second floor, I'll show you the tea section. Just imagine it as Starbucks but only sell a tea. There are so many kinds of tea in here. And like the coffee, each type has a special card that contains detailed information about them like this one:
But it's kind of useless because I can't read 80% of what they write on the card. Lol. But at least I can imagine how it taste.
Try your own teaventure in this place! To be honest, after coming to this section I became more respectful of the tea. When I grow up, I only know about red tea and green tea. Sometimes I put jasmine or lemon for the extra-aroma. But after coming to this place, now I know there are lots of kinds of tea.
So after flying back to my hometown, I bought several types of tea from tea artisans in Indonesia. I also bought a teapot and learned how to brew tea. That's a good experience.
Anyway, I will show you the photos that I took in this section. Beware of the photobomb.
They also sell alcohol
Well, I know that I don't need to be surprised. But, after living in long-long times in Indonesia, where alcohol is abandoned for (and by) the majority of Indonesian, it's really rare to find alcohol in the coffee shop. We can find alcohol in the bar or crazy party night, but not in the coffee shop. That's why I really surprised they also sell various kinds of alcohol.
Let's back to the first floor, where you can find the coffee section, the bakery, and the souvenir shop. It's near the roastery side.
When you walked to this place (I mean, this building, so far) it feels like you walked to the coffee market or cafeteria. It's like there are lots of shops here.
Each section offers a different experience, menus, and atmosphere I think. You won't be bored even though you come to this place every day (but you will be broke if you do that).
Near the cashier, before you walk to the exit door, you will see the "souvenirs section". I agree that Starbucks items can be precious collectible items. When I told my friend that I'm in Starbucks Reverse Roastery, they asked me to buy a tumbler. Or at least, something from this place that I can bring it home.
But again, it's a business trip and I didn't bring lots of money. I want to buy something, but when I saw the price. I can only exhale-inhale. That's too much. I think it's higher than in Starbucks Indonesia or another Starbucks in the other countries that I ever visited.
So the only thing that I can do is: take photos. It's free, it's collectible, and (not-super-good-but-it's-good-enough-but) you can save it. Here they are!
AND THAT'S IT!
That's our journey! Let's walk to the exit door and come back to reality. I hope you enjoy the short trip with me! Enjoy the coffee!
P.s: I took all these photos with Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018)