[Roaster] Removing Defects, Keeping Warmth, Every Cup is Mr. Zhu’s Commitment | Ijing Café

Ijing Café | Removing Defects, Keeping Warmth, Every Cup is Mr. Zhu’s Commitment

“You opened a café? Come on, you must be kidding!” — This was the reaction Ijing Café founder Mr. Zhu often heard from his basketball friends. When he told them he had opened a café, they thought it was a joke—until they saw his stall in person and realized it was true. One friend even teased loudly: “You look more like a gangster than a barista!” That nickname, “the gangster barista,” stuck with him. But step into Ijing Café, and what you will feel is a warm, home-like atmosphere, as if you’ve returned home to enjoy a safe and comforting cup of coffee.

A Nostalgic Café with Warmth

Influenced by his father’s collection of vintage items, Mr. Zhu has always been fond of nostalgic styles. He built Ijing Café as a space filled with old objects and a touch of retro charm. Here, coffee is not just a drink but a lifestyle experience—an opportunity to relax, chat with friends, and enjoy the romance of a café that feels like home.

“For me, a café should be a place where everyone can relax—warm and welcoming, just like home.” — Mr. Zhu, Ijing Café

The Pursuit of a Good Cup

Ijing Café is best known for its hand-brewed coffee, including a unique Italian-inspired version served with a slice of lemon. With more than 30 brewing options, customers can explore a wide range of flavors. Mr. Zhu believes that a good cup of coffee should never taste bitter or unpleasant—it must be smooth, comfortable, and worthy of being called specialty coffee.

Why are defective beans a key concern?

Mr. Zhu insists on bean sorting because defective beans such as insect-damaged, moldy, or broken beans can ruin flavor and may harm health if consumed over time. Whether at the green bean stage or after roasting, he carefully removes defects to ensure that every cup served at Ijing Café is both safe and of the highest quality.

What are the limits of hand sorting?

In the past, Mr. Zhu relied on hand sorting. While detailed, it was slow and exhausting, with accuracy easily compromised by fatigue. Traditional coffee color sorting machines offered only partial help, as they mainly identified beans by color but struggled with defect detection. For Mr. Zhu, it was clear that manual sorting alone could not guarantee consistency.

How has the AI coffee bean sorter changed the process?

At a coffee expo last year, Mr. Zhu discovered the AI coffee bean sorter. The machine can run continuously, quickly removing defective beans and saving significant labor time. Users simply load the beans, and the system automatically sorts them. This intelligent sorting solution has transformed bean selection from a burden into a reliable safeguard for stable coffee quality.

• Processes large volumes quickly, saving valuable time
• Accurately removes insect-damaged and moldy beans
• Touchscreen interface makes operation simple and intuitive
• Ensures stable specialty coffee quality with consistent performance

The Spirit of Ijing Café

Mr. Zhu emphasizes that AI sorting machines are not meant to replace people, but to free baristas to focus on more meaningful tasks—like flavor development and customer interaction. This is the spirit of Ijing Café: removing defects, keeping warmth, and ensuring that every cup of coffee reflects care and dedication.