Is a single-product store worth the cost to open a coffee shop?

7FenTian opened its first Mango Pomelo Sago specialty store on September 30 at Shanghai Changning Longemont, selling only three products priced at 15-20 yuan. Sales passed 10,000 cups in the first week, with daily revenue above 25,000 yuan. The minimalist wood-toned store stresses fresh handcrafting, but reviews are mixed over sago quantity, jam flavor, and layering.

The brand built its name on cup-format Mango Pomelo Sago, a Cantonese dessert of pomelo, mango, sago, and coconut milk. Founder Xie Huancheng adapted the recipe for takeout: smaller mango dice that pass through a straw, capacity raised from 360ml to 500ml, and a lighter texture. The chain now has over 1,500 stores nationwide, which frames the cost question for anyone weighing a similar single-product shop.

Mango Pomelo Sago evolved from a Cantonese sweet soup into a cup-based drink, and with this single product, 7FenTian opened over 1,500 stores nationwide. On September 30, the brand launched its first Mango Pomelo Sago specialty store in Shanghai Changning Longemont, selling only three products priced at 15-20 yuan. In the first week of opening, sales exceeded 10,000 cups and daily revenue surpassed 25,000 yuan. The store features a minimalist wood-toned design, emphasizing fresh handcrafting. However, consumer reviews are mixed—some praise it as the best Mango Pomelo Sago, while others criticize it for having too much sago, a heavy jam flavor, and insufficient layering. Whether the specialty store model can sustain the hit product's vitality is worth watching.

In the past, saving up pocket money and going with classmates to a roadside drink stall to order a cup of Mango Pomelo Sago was a warm scene cherished by many.

Mango Pomelo Sago is a Cantonese dessert, with core ingredients including pomelo, mango, sago, and coconut milk, primarily made by boiling. Both mango and pomelo are rich in vitamins, giving this dessert nutritional value as well.

Driven by the sugar-reduction trend, Mango Pomelo Sago, originally classified as a sweet soup dessert, was transformed into a cup format by emerging tea beverage brands and quickly became a hit in the market, with the brand 7FenTian being particularly noteworthy.

Brand founder Xie Huancheng once revealed in a media interview that, in order to avoid the competitive pressure of the dine-in model of Hong Kong-style dessert shops, he referenced the delivery and takeout approach of Taiwanese milk tea and specifically developed a Mango Pomelo Sago recipe suited for cup format.

7FenTian changed the large chunks of mango in the bowl version to small diced pieces, making it easier to suck through a straw, and increased the capacity from 360ml to 500ml, which is more suitable for drinking. In terms of mouthfeel, the recipe was adjusted to shift the product from thick to refreshing.

Public data shows that 7FenTian, which started with Mango Pomelo Sago and calls itself the "pioneer of cup-based Mango Pomelo Sago," now has over 1,500 stores nationwide.

On September 30, 7FenTian's official Weibo announced the official opening of its first "Mango Pomelo Sago specialty store," located in Shanghai Changning Longemont Shopping Center.

It is understood that the specialty store offers only three Mango Pomelo Sago-related drinks: 1987 Classic Mango Pomelo Sago, 2007 Fresh Mango Mango Pomelo Sago, and Mango Pomelo Sago Gelato, priced between 15 and 20 yuan.

The brand explained the logic behind selecting these three products: 1987 represents the year the Mango Pomelo Sago category was born, paying tribute to the traditional Cantonese flavor and craftsmanship with the bowl version; 2007 corresponds to the time when 7FenTian launched its cup-based Mango Pomelo Sago; and Gelato, as its name suggests, is a drink that blends ice cream, glutinous rice, and Mango Pomelo Sago.

The store covers about 20 square meters, with a wood-toned decor and a minimalist style, intended to convey the business philosophy of "fresh handcrafted, natural and healthy."

It is worth noting that the fresh fruit display area in the store showcases coconuts, mangoes, pomelos, and other fruit ingredients, and customers can watch through a transparent preparation area as staff process mangoes and replenish toppings in real time.

For consumers who love Mango Pomelo Sago as a single product, the opening of the specialty store undoubtedly provides a great opportunity to check in and relive a classic. It is reported that in the first week of opening, the 7FenTian specialty store sold over 10,000 cups, with daily revenue exceeding 25,000 yuan.

On social platforms, some netizens reported long queues on site, as the nearly 50% off storewide discount indeed attracted a large number of customers.

As for the taste, opinions vary. Some netizens believe that among all Mango Pomelo Sago products, 7FenTian's is the best, bar none.

But some netizens complained that after a few sips of this Mango Pomelo Sago, it was all sago, with a watery feel, and the toppings lacked layering; the mango and pomelo pieces were cut too small, so they do not recommend it. It can be seen that to adapt to the cup format, dicing the mango does indeed affect the mouthfeel.

Others pointed out that 7FenTian's Mango Pomelo Sago uses too much mango jam, giving it a mouthful of jam flavor, and with too much pomelo added, the taste is somewhat sour, making people question why the merchant would make it a signature item.

Some even lamented that Mango Pomelo Sago was originally a traditional Cantonese snack without ice, with large chunks of mango and a must-have pairing of pomelo. Now, with declining standards, adding some mango jam and ice cubes is enough to call it Mango Pomelo Sago, much like the situation with Lanzhou beef noodles.

In response, some analysts believe that even though Mango Pomelo Sago is a major single product that has been tested by the market, it should still be continuously improved and innovated based on consumer feedback. After all, in today's increasingly fierce competition in new tea beverages, relying on one trick to win everywhere is clearly far from enough.

Image source: Internet

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.