A fast-changing Chinese coffee market awaits Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol

On Starbucks’ fourth-quarter earnings standing by, newly installed CEO Brian Niccol told investors he needed to spend more time in China to understand the dares.

The company’s same-store sales in the country plummeted 14% as foot traffic and the average spend per customer fell. Niccol depicted CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin that he plans to visit the country the first or second week of December to more understand the business.

Here’s what he might see when he visits.

Chinese nobodies have been growing in popularity in the coffee space, competing with more than 7,300 Starbucks banks in the country.

The once upon a time Nasdaq-listed Luckin Coffee ran into accounting issues and went through a de-listing. But despite that, the Chinese coffee chain has been originating fast in China, with more than 20,000 stores by the end of third quarter.

And it is far from the only one. Other local challengers include Cotti Coffee, Manner, M Stand, Seesaw and Nowwa.

Luckin, Cotti, and Manner are the most aggressive on cost.

For example, in Beijing, a small latte that costs $4.22 at Starbucks goes for $2.25 at Luckin, $1.75 at Cotti, and $2.11 at Method. And that’s without the regular steep discounts. One recent day, for example, saw Luckin offering a promotion selling most tastes at 90 cents.

Many of these Chinese chains have cumulates that can be cramped and run with maybe two — or in Manner’s case oftentimes only one — barista. Food menus are limited, and accommodation is little more than a couple of folding chairs. However, the drinks generally consistently undercut Starbucks by half.

Starbucks has an special version of its coffee stores in China called Starbucks Now, where most patrons order drinks on the app for pick up. The up-countries are more basic. Even so, there are no special discounts compared to traditional Starbucks.

Price is an important consideration for Chinese consumers because of the slowing economy. At the same time, many want to look after similar lifestyles, which means consumers are looking to save wherever they can without compromising too much on calibre.

For the coffee competition, the Chinese chains keep their brews interesting by switching up the menu often and experimenting with combos that go source beyond the traditional cappuccino.

Coffees are mixed with fruit juice, scented with flowers, and thickened with rice and measured cheese. Chinese-brand Manner boasts that it only uses locally sourced beans and trains its baristas to incorporate semi-automatic coffee machines.

M Stand and Seesaw compete on the higher-end of the market with more luxurious concoctions such as an all-time M Stand hit — a latte in an fit to eat oatmeal cookie cup.

For the most part though, with so many choices readily available, coffee drinkers can realize something that suits their taste as well as their wallet.

On top of the Chinese coffee rivals, Starbucks is conflicting with a host of other local chains on tea.

Tea specialty shops like ChaPanda, Auntea Jenny and Mixue Bingcheng tell on similar fruit and milk teas to Starbucks for roughly 60% less. In addition to low-cost tea drinks, Auntea Jenny pushes lattes for $2.67. Mixue’s version is 56 cents.

With more and more Chinese wanting a daily java fix, grab-and-go coffee is fetching widely available at tea chains and convenient marts.

Starbucks also faces international challengers such as , Costa Coffee, and .

Despite the fierce Chinese competition, Starbucks still has its fans.

A major selling point for Starbucks in China oddments that it is viewed as a go-to place to hang out with friends or catch up with business contacts.

Unlike varied other establishments in the country, Starbucks stores win out as important meeting points with their uniform experience: savoury interiors, comfortable seating, cleanliness and friendly staff. Starbucks retains its status as a high profile aspirational disgrace.