Why is luckin coffee retiring the Apple C americano?

Luckin Coffee has announced that the Apple C Americano will be removed from stores nationwide. The fruit coffee drink, part of the Fruit Coffee C Series launched last October, gained a steady following for its refreshing taste. The company cited a shortage of apple juice concentrate and the drink's seasonal limited-edition status. The Apple C Fruit Tea, which shares the ingredient, will also be discontinued.

The drink had already vanished from menus for a stretch in mid-January before returning, so regulars expected another comeback. Some observers read the move as clearing space for the spring Cherry Blossom Latte. For fans who want the flavor at home, an alternative such as KFC's Apple Sparkling Americano offers a similar fruit-and-espresso combination.

Luckin Coffee recently issued an official notice announcing that the Apple C Americano will be gradually removed from stores nationwide, sparking dissatisfaction and regret among many fans. This fruit coffee C-series drink, launched last October, has accumulated a loyal following with its refreshing taste, but it had already experienced a brief disappearance before. This time it is officially saying goodbye, with the company citing a shortage of apple juice concentrate and its nature as a seasonal limited edition; the Apple C Fruit Tea, which uses the same ingredient, will also be discontinued at the same time. Some speculate this is to make way for the return of the spring Cherry Blossom Latte. For consumers who love this drink, Front Street suggests trying to make it at home or finding an alternative, such as KFC's Apple Sparkling Americano.

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Recently, Luckin posted a discontinuation notice on social media, announcing that the Apple C Americano sold in stores nationwide will be gradually removed from menus, and said, "This time we really have to say goodbye."

It is reported that the Apple C Americano is a drink in Luckin's "Fruit Coffee C Series," launched in late October last year. The drink has a refreshing taste and became a favorite of some netizens as soon as it appeared on the menu, with some even ordering a cup almost every day to satisfy their cravings.

Therefore, when this widely loved drink was suddenly announced by the brand to be discontinued, many fans were astonished. After learning the news, they left comments under the post expressing dissatisfaction with the notice: "You're foolish to discontinue the Apple Americano," "Give us back our Apple C!!!", "Which product manager at your company made the decision to discontinue it? Fire them."

However, some regular Luckin customers said that in mid-January this year, the Apple C Americano had actually disappeared from store menus for a period, prompting fans to post on social media asking others whether the product would never be available again.

But then one day, when consumers opened the official mini-program to place an order, they noticed that the Apple C Americano, absent for several days, had reappeared on the menu. Given that previous experience, many longtime users recently assumed that when the Apple C Americano was sold out and removed from nearby stores, it would return to normal after a while once stores replenished the ingredients, and they could buy it as usual. Unexpectedly, this time Luckin was serious and even issued an official notice to spread the word, catching fans off guard.

Many netizens said that although this fruit coffee did not have the same high profile as the flagship Coconut Latte, its popularity and store sales were still decent. Suddenly discontinuing it inevitably made people feel it was a pity and sad.

A Luckin employee revealed that this drink itself is a seasonal limited-edition beverage, and the apple juice concentrate needed to make it is currently out of stock. Once stores still selling the drink use up their inventory of ingredients, they can only remove it from the menu, and another drink using the same ingredient, the "Apple C Fruit Tea," will also be discontinued along with it. As for the reason for the discontinuation, they speculated, "The ingredient is seasonal; once the season passes and there's no stock, it gets discontinued."

But some also noticed various rumors online and believed that the brand's adjustment of store menus and removal of some existing products may be to better promote the spring hit Cherry Blossom Latte, which will return next week.

Even so, seeing the Apple C Americano exit, some fans still felt somewhat regretful, believing that Luckin should listen to consumer feedback and calls, keep these drinks that have already gained market recognition, and turn them into permanent menu items, rather than launching certain hard-to-describe co-branded limited editions .

In addition, some people said that although Luckin's discontinuation of the Apple C Americano is indeed disappointing, "If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain." Consumers who are partial to this taste can try buying the ingredients and making it at home themselves, or go next door to KFC to buy a cup of the "budget alternative" Apple Sparkling Americano to satisfy their craving.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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