Chinese Roaster DTS8 Relocating Headquarters to Vancouver from Shanghai

DTS8 Coffee Co. Ltd.

Chinese green coffee importer and roaster DTS8 Coffee Company today announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from Shanghai to Vancouver, British Colombia, citing plans to capitalize on the growing North American specialty coffee market.

DTS8’s Chinese roasting operations, based in Huzhou, and sales operations in Shanghai will be unaffected by the move, and the six-year-old company plans to open its new corporate offices Aug. 1 of this year.

“The relocation will strengthen DTS8 by hedging the country risk associated with doing business exclusively in China,” the publicly traded company said in today’s announcement. “It will allow DTS8 to pursue new revenue opportunities in the North American green bean coffee market.”

DTS8 currently roasts markets and wholesales coffees for numerous private label partners, while its own brands include DTS8 Premium, Single Origin Premium and Don Manuel, an all Colombian blend. The Don Manuel brand represents a licensing agreement for branded Colombian coffee with New York-based Coffee Holding Company.

“This relocation is focused on implementing necessary measures with a view towards improving our operations in China, increasing revenues for the benefit of our shareholders, and to minimize the negative perceptions associated with being a solely China based company,” DTS8 Chairman Alex Liang said in a statement. “DTS8 plans to expand its footprint with a steady flow of roasted and green bean coffee products targeted at the growing North American gourmet coffee market and allowing us to be well-positioned for future growth opportunities in China and North America.”