(Yicai Global) April 23 -- McDonald’s has doubled the number of McCafe outlets in China to 1,600 over the past six months, focusing on first and second-tier cities, according to an executive.

The smooth expansion relies on the US company's wide network of fast-food restaurants as most of the coffee shops are located inside the existing outlets, said Xu Yingting, general manager of McCafe.

The company also released a series of four new coffee beverages on April 21, including a fruity americano and a latte with a special blend of coffee beans from countries including Brazil and Rwanda.

The Chicago-headquartered firm said last November that it plans to invest CNY2.5 billion (USD385 million) over the next three years in the Chinese mainland to add a McCafe wherever there is a McDonald’s restaurant. The goal is to have 4,000 coffee outlets in the country by December 2023.

Coupling restaurants with cafes means lower setup costs and an expanded menu on the company's mobile application and WeChat mini-program. The advantages show in pricing. McCafe coffees cost around CNY20 (USD3.10) in China, excluding membership discounts, which is much less than Starbucks beverages that generally cost more than CNY30.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi