An exterior view of the Doante Cafe that offers buns and coffee. [Photo/Tide News]

In Shatan village in Yutou township, Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, a cafe and a bun shop have turned from being a quirky partnership into a thriving business, drawing visitors with their creative blends of Western coffee and traditional Chinese buns.

In May 2024, cafe owner Jin Xin, facing stiff competition as new coffee shops opened nearby, met local young entrepreneur Huang Kunpeng, whose bun shop relied on traditional flavors but struggled to attract younger customers.

They decided to pair coffee with buns, offering joint promotions, bun-themed toys, and creative products. The idea quickly caught on, boosting the cafe's revenue three to four times and increasing the bun shop's popularity.

Huang expanded his offerings from three flavors to more than a dozen and began producing short videos about running a bun shop, with one video attracting more than 10 million views.

Today, his shop sells over 10,000 buns daily, generating nearly 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) in a year. He has also invested more than 500,000 yuan to build a modern production workshop, employing over 20 residents.

A training program launched in August now teaches bun-making, with plans to provide free lessons for low-income and disabled residents.

The township has since formed a cluster of 15 bun-related shops and workshops with an annual output of over 20 million yuan, creating jobs for nearly 200 residents. The venture shows how traditional foods can be reimagined to spark rural economic growth.