The first time I heard the story of Coffee Commune, it quietly touched something deep inside me.

Eric Baden, a German had spent over a decade in China, helping coffee farmers in Yunnan build a better life. His identity and choices made me curious: what makes someone leave everything behind, cross oceans, and devote themselves to something that seemingly “doesn’t make money”?
It reminded me of a dream I once had while studying in the UK — to start a social enterprise offering work opportunities to the homeless, helping them slowly return to society. Unfortunately, the pandemic ended that plan before it began. I returned home, and it became one of my unfinished stories.

So, when I learnt that Mr Eric had stayed true to his original vision and persevered for ten years, I felt something stir again.

“If he can hold on for a decade,” I thought, “then when he needs support, I must step up.”

01 Mr Eric and the Coffee Commune

Eric Baden – affectionately known as“Coffee Laolin”in China. He was once a senior executive in Germany. Yet he chose to move to the coffee fields of Yunnan, founding the Coffee Commune with the hope of improving the lives of farmers through fair trade.

Frankly, I deeply admire his decision. It also made me reflect on something I often think about as an entrepreneur:

Beyond profit, what is a company’s true value?

Eric and his friend

02 A New Direction for AcTour

I founded AcTour, a cross-border marketing consultancy. We help overseas brands enter China, and support Chinese companies in expanding abroad — from market research and social media management to channel building.

These projects, of course, have commercial value. But I often found myself asking: what about their social value?

This collaboration with the Coffee Commune was the first time I decided to turn a consulting project into something public-spirited. By offering professional expertise, we hoped to indirectly help Yunnan coffee farmers improve their income and livelihoods.

Through my CEIBS MBA classes and forums, I’ve listened to many discussions on ESG. Gradually, I realised that social value and commercial value are not opposites. When done right, they can support and amplify each other.

03 The Power of CEIBS Alumni

I wasn' t alone in this journey.

✨ Tynnie Gao

A true coffee enthusiast, with a natural instinct for flavour, origin and industry trends. She also brought together a community of passionate coffee lovers and F&B experts, giving us a priceless pool of real and honest consumer insights.

With her background in architecture, she offered fresh perspectives from the angle of rural tourism and space experience design — every presentation and deck she created looked like artwork, infused with care, love, and relentless dedication.

✨ Daniel Song

With a consulting background and serving as Vice President of the CEIBS MBA Consulting Club, he still found time in his busy schedule to help us sharpen our strategy. With a smile, he’d say, “I’m so busy lately, but somehow, I actually enjoy looking at PPTs.”

Their willingness to help was simple and pure. When I said it was a pro bono project, Tynnie agreed without hesitation:

“If there’s anything I can do, just reach out.”

To me, this is what’s most precious about the CEIBS MBA network — people who give their time and talent not for material gain, but because they want to make something meaningful happen together.

04 Delivering the Strategy

The key challenge for Coffee Commune was: with limited resources, should they focus on B2B or B2C?

Our team ultimately developed a “Three-Pillar Strategy”:

a. B2B Collaboration: Strengthen core revenue through corporate partnerships.

b. B2C Experience: Introduce Yunnan coffee to more people through travel, tasting events, and community engagement.

c. Brand Storytelling: Share farmers’ hard work by embedding culture and authentic stories into the products.

The plan is only the beginning — but in the short term, it gives this social enterprise a clear direction. In the long run, it can help them move beyond just selling coffee to offering meaningful experiences and sustainable income for farmers.

05 Why This Project Feels Different

As the founder of AcTour, I used to be accustomed to regarding profits and market share as core pursuits.

But this project showed me another side of consulting — one that quietly improves the lives of families far away, one that lights a different kind of spark.

Before my MBA, I thought profitability was a company’s only goal, and ESG was merely a PR front for big corporations. But at CEIBS, through both learning and real-world collaboration, I’ve come to see:

Social value can itself be a unique form of competitive advantage. And more importantly — it allows you to build something that lasts.

06 A Journey That Changed Me

If I hadn’t joined the CEIBS MBA, I might never have met Mr Eric. Without the support of fellow alumni, this project would never have come to life.

For me, this collaboration is far more than a consulting project. It’s a powerful, hands-on MBA lesson. It redefined what entrepreneurship means to me and reaffirmed something I now firmly believe: Purpose-driven business isn’t just a slogan — it’s a path worth walking.