In recent years, weight-loss coffees marketed as effortless slimming aids have proliferated in the market, attracting a large number of consumers hoping to lose weight quickly. However, a recent investigative report by CCTV has exposed a worrying truth behind these products: some weight-loss coffees illegally contain drug ingredients that have long been banned in China, and long-term consumption not only fails to achieve healthy weight loss but may also cause serious harm to the body. This article will sort through the ins and outs of this incident, including consumers' personal experiences, the detailed process of the police's cross-provincial investigation, and experts' professional warnings about such products, aiming to help coffee lovers recognize the real risks of weight-loss coffee and make wiser consumer choices. [more…]

After specialty coffee became popular, the claim that coffee helps with fat loss spread widely, but the real prerequisite for it to be effective is drinking black coffee with no sugar and no milk, along with a sensible diet and moderate exercise. However, many people can neither control their eating nor get themselves to move, so weight-loss coffees swooped in under slogans like "no exercise, no dieting, no injections or pills, one cup a day and you'll lose over ten jin in thirty days." These products often have no ingredient list, no production information, and no Chinese labeling, yet they sell briskly through channels such as WeChat resellers and Xiaohongshu. After drinking them, consumers commonly experience thirst, nausea, palpitations, and other reactions, and some have even tested positive for the banned drug sibutramine. This article reviews related cases and court rulings to remind everyone to be wary of weight-loss coffees of unknown origin and to view the relationship between coffee and fat loss scientifically. [more…]

Ordering a milk tea now, pudding, pearls, and grass jelly are already standard options. Thirty years ago, the earliest milk teas were far less elaborate. Starting from 1987, when Taiwan's Chun Shui Tang dropped tapioca pearls into milk tea, the matter of adding toppings has gone through a long process of being banned, recombined, cross-industry experimentation, and a rotating lineup of niche fruits. CoCo都可 combined pearls, pudding, and grass jelly into one drink, giving rise to the now-familiar "Milk Tea Three Brothers." Nowadays the direction of toppings has shifted again—lemon tea is actually more popular without toppings, and new faces like Yashixiang, bergamot, turmeric, and peach gum have appeared one after another. This piece reviews the key milestones in milk tea toppings and also shares some observations from Front Street Coffee on current tea beverage trends. [more…]

Recently, Starbucks Korea introduced a new rule that has drawn attention: all stores nationwide have completely banned customers from consuming outside food. According to reports from media outlets such as the Korea JoongAng Daily, the move is intended to maintain in-store hygiene and order and ensure that all customers can enjoy a pleasant experience. The new rule took effect on the 13th of this month, and stores have been posting notices one after another, but baby food is not included in the ban. Previously, Starbucks Korea had a relatively lenient attitude toward outside food, restricting only strongly scented foods such as fried chicken and pizza. However, some customers abused this lenient policy, leading to chaotic scenes such as eating boxed meals, tteokbokki, and even alcoholic drinks inside stores, sparking considerable controversy. Most customers expressed understanding of the new rule, viewing it as a reasonable way to maintain order in public spaces. Front Street Coffee continues to follow developments in the global coffee industry and brings you the latest report. [more…]

In recent years, themed cafes that use cute animals as a selling point have sprung up all over the world. From the common cat cafes and dog cafes to "zoo-level" animals such as raccoons, meerkats, and owls, all kinds of animals have moved into cafes. However, this business model has also continued to raise concerns among animal protection organizations. South Korea recently passed an amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, explicitly banning cafes featuring wild animals such as raccoons from continuing to operate, and setting a transition period until 2027. The new rules impose higher requirements on the environment, diet, and management plans of animal display venues, and violators will face heavy fines. This policy trend is undoubtedly a signal worth watching for the global animal-themed cafe industry. [more…]

Chain coffee brands often attract loyal customers with membership discounts, and Mstand's black gold card 50% off benefit was once a reason for many consumers to keep spending. However, some members have discovered that to maintain their status, they need to accumulate spending of 6,000 yuan within a year, which translates to buying 316 discounted drinks to meet the threshold, while scalpers offering proxy orders on second-hand platforms can provide discounts as low as 15% off, and they have not been banned. What confuses members even more is that when they helped friends place proxy orders, they were banned by the system. When official membership discounts are far inferior to scalper prices, the appeal of the membership system is being tested. If the brand tacitly allows proxy orders to exist, will it lose more loyal users? [more…]

Recently, a notice in Yanjiao, Sanhe, Hebei regarding the color rectification of merchant signs has drawn attention. The local urban management department verbally notified merchants that red, blue, and black storefront signs must be changed to other colors, and the costs of removal and replacement must be borne by the merchants themselves. Signboards of brand stores such as Mixue Bingcheng were forced to change to green or gray-black, and the incident quickly topped Weibo's trending searches. The Sanhe City Urban Management Bureau responded that this move was one step ahead in accordance with urban planning, but the relevant documents had not yet been issued. The similar phenomenon of "unified store signs" is not an isolated case, and this time targeting only common basic commercial color schemes not only lacks sufficient justification but also weakens brand recognition, sparking widespread controversy. [more…]

After the pandemic, remote work has become the norm, and cafés, with their free Wi-Fi and power outlets, have become a "second office" for many. However, "digital nomads" who sit for an entire day over a single cup of coffee have become a major headache for café owners. Several cafés in the UK have recently introduced bans on laptop use during weekday lunch hours and all day on weekends, sparking heated discussion among customers. Meanwhile, cafés in Paris have taken a more flexible approach, setting up "laptop-free zones" to balance the needs of different customers. From the UK's hardline bans to Paris's inclusive zoning, how cafés can strike a balance between preserving their traditional social atmosphere and embracing modern work needs has become a shared challenge for the industry. Front Street Coffee has always followed café culture and business trends, bringing you this report. [more…]

Under the recurring pandemic, many universities have implemented closed management, cutting off the connection between post-00s college students and off-campus cafes. However, this has not dampened their enthusiasm for coffee; instead, it has spawned a wave of "dormitory cafes" entrepreneurship. From instant coffee powder to coconut lattes and iced orange Americanos, these simple yet creative drink-making shares have gained a lot of attention on social platforms. But behind the excitement, the issue of unlicensed operation involving monetary transactions has also emerged. This article will take you through the ins and outs of this campus coffee craze and remind you of the things to pay attention to when stockpiling coffee in your dorm. [more…]

Recently, news circulated from the Guatemalan exporters' alliance that China has banned the entry of the country's coffee and macadamia nuts. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded to this at a regular press conference, neither directly confirming nor denying it. The background of the incident is that the Guatemalan president held a video meeting with the leader of the Taiwan region, and the foreign minister traveled to Taiwan, severely undermining the One-China principle, putting China-Guatemala economic and trade relations to the test. Guatemalan coffee has only recently formally entered the Chinese market, and China is currently its eighth-largest export destination. If bilateral relations continue to be tense, Guatemalan coffee beans may lose their share of the Chinese market, and domestic traders and roasters will also be affected. This article will review the course of the incident, trade data, and the impact on the coffee industry, and include relevant observations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

In South Korea, iced Americano has become an almost national daily drink, but recently it has encountered a series of changes. Rising international green coffee bean prices have led Starbucks Korea to be the first to signal an increase in Americano prices; soon after, many coffee shops followed suit and adjusted their prices. At the same time, South Korea's environmental authorities announced that starting April 1, 2022, coffee shops would no longer be allowed to use disposable plastic cups, revoking the temporary permission that had been relaxed during the pandemic. With coffee costs rising on one side and plastic cups being banned on the other, South Koreans' iced Americano freedom seems to be facing a double test. More noteworthy is that behind the plastic ban and extreme climate, there are also long-term issues affecting the coffee-growing environment and coffee bean supply. [more…]

Over 1.3 billion people worldwide start their morning with a cup of coffee every day, but the history of coffee's spread is far less straightforward than one might imagine. Originally, people did not treat it as a beverage; instead, they mixed coffee cherries with animal fat to make energy balls to chew on. In the Middle Ages, it was used as a medicinal herb, and later on the Arabian Peninsula, it evolved into a stimulating drink called Gahwa. Upon entering Europe, coffee was once boycotted or even banned for religious and political reasons—Sweden once prohibited the sale of coffee along with cups and saucers, and the Ottoman Empire imposed capital punishment on those who drank it publicly. Meanwhile, anecdotes such as the predecessor of instant coffee and Brazil sending athletes to competitions with coffee beans abound. This article, through 15 fun facts, traces coffee's long journey from being misunderstood to being sought after, while retaining relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee for coffee enthusiasts to refer to and exchange ideas. [more…]

Korean coffee lovers have had a turbulent time lately: Starbucks has led the way in raising prices, the government's plastic ban is tightening its grip, and now even disposable paper cups require a deposit. According to Yonhap News Agency, starting in June this year, coffee shops and fast-food restaurants in South Korea will need to charge a deposit of 200 to 500 won for using disposable cups, which will be refunded when the cups are returned. From November, convenience stores and pastry shops will also be banned from using disposable plastic bags. Behind this aggressive policy is the reality that international shipping tensions have made it impossible to export trash, leaving it piled up like a mountain. Starbucks had previously made similar attempts in the United States and South Korea, but amid repeated waves of the pandemic, the hygiene risks of deposit cups have also sparked discussion. If it were you, would you pay a deposit for a disposable cup? [more…]

A daily cup of coffee has become the standard for many office workers, and some even have more than one a day. But can drinking too much coffee place a burden on the body? Recently, a netizen shared an experience of being banned from coffee after visiting a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, who even said, "If you keep drinking, you'll die." This post sparked a great deal of discussion, with some carefully analyzing the situations in which coffee should not be consumed, and others questioning the TCM doctor's judgment. Should coffee be drunk or not, and how should it be consumed to be healthy? Let's take a look together at the truth behind this discussion. [more…]

Recently, Luckin Coffee halted the viral social media ordering hack known as "all ice, no water, swap to dome lid," sparking heated discussion among consumers. This drinking method, which replaces still water with ice cubes and swaps the flat lid for a dome lid, makes the beverage richer in flavor and more photogenic, and was once imitated by many netizens. However, because this operation falls outside standardized procedures and causes confusion in store inventory between flat lids and dome lids, the company has issued a notice prohibiting stores from continuing to make it. Some consumers believe the brand should adapt its products to meet demand, while others understand the necessity for chain brands to maintain standardized operations. This debate over the balance between personalized customization and store management is worth the attention of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

A recent food safety punitive damages case disclosed by the Supreme People's Court has once again made the topic of coffee for weight loss a focal point. In August 2023, Cui purchased coffee weight-loss products for 2,960 yuan via WeChat. After taking them, he experienced symptoms such as thirst and dizziness. An investigation revealed that the manufacturer indicated on the product had long since had its production license revoked, so he filed a lawsuit in court. The Xiushan County People's Court of Chongqing determined that the merchant sold food knowingly not meeting safety standards and ordered the return of the purchase price plus ten times the compensation, totaling 32,560 yuan. At the same time, discussions on social platforms about coffee for weight loss are sharply divided: some share experiences of drinking coffee during fat-loss periods to boost metabolism, while others expose terrifying experiences of palpitations, cold sweats, and even testing positive for sibutramine after consumption. This article sorts out the case details, legal basis, and the dangers of sibutramine, and retains content related to brands such as Front Street Coffee, reminding consumers to lose weight scientifically. [more…]

A pre-mixed coffee called "Kopi Songkok" contains sildenafil, a prescription ingredient that can be fatal, and has been placed on Malaysia's Ministry of Health ban list, yet it is still circulating on the market. Malaysian doctor Amusankhan posted a warning on social platform X that drinking this coffee may cause headaches, palpitations, a sudden drop in blood pressure, and even death. What is worrying is that many Malaysians continue to buy and drink it. This article reviews the coffee's ban history, health risks, netizens' personal experiences, and a domestic case in which someone was sentenced for selling coffee containing sildenafil, reminding consumers to be more vigilant. [more…]

The EU plans to postpone the deforestation regulation (EUDR) originally scheduled to take effect at the end of 2024, and intends to classify countries by risk level, giving producers and traders more time to adapt. The regulation requires traders to prove that their product supply chains do not involve deforestation after December 30, 2020, otherwise imports will be banned. As an industry closely linked to deforestation, the coffee sector will be significantly affected in producing countries such as Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, and Colombia, with export costs likely to rise substantially. The European Coffee Federation previously wrote to the European Commission requesting a postponement of implementation. The EU is currently discussing classifying exporting countries into three risk levels—low, standard, and high—with high-risk countries facing stricter scrutiny. Industry insiders worry that the classification system lacks flexibility, may unfairly penalize compliant exporters, and that small farms also face the risk of losing market access. Front Street Coffee will continue to monitor the progress of this regulation and its impact on the coffee industry chain. [more…]

Starbucks Korea's "Call My Name" service was originally intended to bring store staff and customers closer together, but on the eve of South Korea's presidential election, some customers turned it into a stage for political jesting. According to reports from multiple foreign media outlets, because some people placed orders using the names of presidential candidates, baristas were forced to loudly call out these sensitive names in public, and the brand had to urgently introduce new rules. Starting before the election on the 3rd of next month, the names of six candidates, including Lee Jae-myung, as well as the name of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, can no longer be used as nicknames on the Starbucks app. Is this rule meant to maintain store order, or is it being overly sensitive? Let's take a look at how the incident unfolded. [more…]

Recently, according to reports from Elmundo in Costa Rica, Costa Rica launched the first batch of "deforestation-free coffee". This batch of coffee beans was harvested after December 2020, ensuring that no forests were cut down to expand the planting [more…]