Why did Luckin take the Orange C Americano off the menu?

Luckin Coffee removed its Orange C Americano from the ordering platform after customers complained that the orange jam had turned thick and overly sweet and no longer blended with the coffee. Stores were instructed to thaw and discard the affected batches of orange jam overnight, and most outlets cannot sell the drink in the short term.

The fruit cold brew had built a loyal following for its light, sweet profile, so the change drew strong reaction online, with some customers comparing it to discontinued flavored coffees. Employees said the orange jam will be replaced. The episode is a reminder that when weighing iced americano or hot americano which is better, ingredient quality matters as much as temperature.

Luckin's Orange C Americano has always been a favorite among many coffee lovers, winning a large number of loyal fans with its refreshing and sweet taste. However, recently this popular drink has received negative reviews due to the orange jam becoming thicker in texture and the taste being too sweet and cloying. Luckin responded quickly, requiring stores to thaw overnight and destroy the problematic batches of orange jam, while also urgently removing Orange C Americano from the ordering platform. This move sparked heated discussions among netizens: some worry that this drink will disappear for good like previously discontinued flavored coffees, while others feel it is a pity to destroy large quantities of raw materials. Luckin employees revealed that the orange jam will be replaced, and most stores may not be able to sell Orange C Americano in the short term. Whether this adjustment can bring the "white moonlight" back to its original taste remains to be seen.

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For many Luckin fans who love fruit cold brew, Orange C Americano is an irreplaceable "white moonlight" in their hearts. Its sweet yet not cloying, refreshing flavor has conquered countless palates, and many people fell in love with it at first sip. Recommendation posts about Orange C Americano can be seen everywhere on social platforms, and it is no exaggeration to call it Luckin's entry-level signature drink.

However, recently this Orange C Americano, which had always enjoyed a good reputation, has received quite a few negative reviews. Some consumers pointed out that the orange juice used in recent batches has become viscous in texture and difficult to fully blend with the coffee liquid, making it feel like drinking syrup, not only cloyingly sweet but also leaving a coarse sensation in the throat. "It's completely different from what I used to drink!" Fans of Orange C Americano have been voicing their concerns to Luckin, hoping the brand will make adjustments as soon as possible so that this drink, which carries fond memories for so many people, can return to its former taste.

Luckin clearly noticed the feedback from netizens and required stores to carry out corrective measures overnight. So last night, while completing their daily work, Luckin employees had an additional emergency task — to thaw and discard all the quick-frozen orange jam used to make Orange C Americano.

Each store had a different amount of orange jam in stock, so the time needed for destruction varied. Stores with less stock only needed to put the orange jam in a sink to thaw and then pour it out, while stores with large inventories had to process it in batches.

From photos posted by Luckin employees on social platforms, this operation was quite large in scale. The brand urgently destroyed the orange jam used in stores across a wide area and simultaneously removed Orange C Americano from ordering channels such as its mini program. This series of actions instantly alarmed Luckin fans who could no longer buy the drink, worrying whether this removal meant Orange C Americano would permanently leave the menu.

Luckin had previously discontinued several flavored coffees, and even when netizens strongly called for their return, the brand never took action. Because of this, everyone's concerns about Orange C Americano being removed this time are not unfounded.

In response to various comments from netizens in the comment section, a Luckin employee with inside information offered an explanation: that batch of orange jam had excessively high viscosity, causing recent deviations in the taste of Orange C Americano and leading to continuous negative reviews from consumers. Luckin likely found the root of the problem, which is why it decisively required stores to destroy raw materials on a large scale and urgently remove the product for adjustment.

According to Luckin employees, the orange jam used in Orange C Americano will have its supplier or formula changed, and most stores may not be able to sell this drink in the short term. Those who want to drink Orange C Americano can only wait patiently for a while.

Seeing Luckin employees destroy raw materials regardless of cost, many netizens felt it was somewhat wasteful and suggested that even if these orange jams were not used for normal sales, they could still be consumed internally by employees, which would be better than simply throwing them away.

But Luckin employees said helplessly that this was not feasible. While handling them, they also felt heartache over those unopened jars of orange jam, thawing bottle after bottle and pouring them down the drain, a strong sense of waste arose. However, company procedures required all destruction work to be completed under store surveillance cameras, so they had no choice but to comply.

Objectively speaking, Luckin's attitude toward product quality control is still quite serious and responsible. Netizens expressed understanding of this and also look forward to Orange C Americano regaining its original taste after being relisted.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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