Many friends who know nothing about coffee have toyed with the idea of becoming an apprentice at a café as a way into the coffee industry. Is this path really viable? Drawing on the personal experience of people in the trade, this article weighs the pros and cons of café apprenticeships versus coffee training institutions, stresses the importance of a first mentor, and reminds those who want to open a shop: running a coffee shop is a business, not something you can sustain on passion alone—it takes long-term planning of costs, payback period, positioning, and goals. Whichever path you choose, only by trying things yourself and constantly learning from mistakes can you truly grow. [more…]

In recent years, more and more Gen Z college students have started opening cafés in their dormitories, earning living expenses or even nearly ten thousand yuan a month by selling coffee. A large number of dorm coffee startup stories have appeared on platforms like Xiaohongshu, and some people even charge tuition to run classes teaching it. However, these dorm cafés generally use instant coffee yet sell it for a dozen yuan a cup, and they also involve issues such as operating without a license and unguaranteed food safety. This article takes you through the controversy and hidden risks behind this dorm coffee startup trend, while also providing a professional coffee knowledge exchange channel for friends who truly love coffee. [more…]

2022 has passed in the blink of an eye, yet the coffee industry's momentum keeps rising, and many professionals are beginning to consider whether they should jump in. The backend has received a large number of inquiries about switching careers to coffee, and the writer has sorted out the three most frequently asked questions: Should you go be a coffee apprentice? Should you get certified before entering the industry? Should you quit your current job and step into the coffee track? This article combines the current state of the industry to analyze, one by one, the many sides of the barista profession—from the two paths of an apprentice, to the real value of certificates, to the financial and opportunity costs that a career change requires—helping you see the real threshold beyond your enthusiasm. At the same time, the article also retains related recommendation information for brands such as Front Street Coffee, for coffee lovers' reference. [more…]

Cotti Coffee (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. recently completed a change of its legal representative, with Luckin Coffee founder Qian Zhiya replacing Wang Baiyin in the role, while also serving as executive director and manager. The mentor-apprentice relationship between Qian Zhiya and Lu Zhengyao can be traced back to the CAR Inc. period. She single-handedly founded Luckin Coffee and drove its lightning-fast listing in 18 months, later leaving amid a financial fraud scandal. Now the two have once again joined forces to charge back into the coffee track. Facing an increasingly fierce competitive market environment, whether Cotti can replicate Luckin-style growth is worth continued attention. [more…]

Many people are drawn to the profession of barista, yet others complain about low pay and a grab-bag of chores. In fact, the barrier to entry for baristas is not high, but the ceiling can be very high. The key to determining income level does not depend entirely on the shop where you work—it is in your own hands. This article explores how baristas can break through career bottlenecks and find broader room for growth from multiple angles: learning mindset, industry-added value, shop and roastery development, and coffee cultivation research. Whether you are an apprentice just entering the field or a practitioner seeking a breakthrough, you can draw inspiration from it. [more…]

Want to learn coffee roasting? Why is the first step not touching a roasting pan but practicing cupping? Starting from the apprenticeship experience of a seasoned roaster, this article sorts out the key role of cupping in green bean purchasing, roasting curve setting, and flavor judgment, while reviewing the shifts in China's roasting market over more than two decades and how the concept of specialty coffee has slowly seeped into consumers' awareness. The article also weaves in the philosophy of consistent output and real data on customer cultivation, and includes product recommendations from Front Street Coffee, making it suitable reading for every enthusiast who takes coffee beans seriously. [more…]

Training new hires is a routine part of daily life at a coffee shop, but for some veteran Starbucks employees, this experience can feel like a nightmare. Recently, an employee shared their ordeal of training part-time new hires during the Spring Festival peak period:违规操作被检查老师抓包、升杯不收钱自掏腰包补差价、牛奶有效期写成1月32号……Each incident was both absurd and amusing. Many peers resonated with this, saying that training is physically and mentally exhausting, and called on Starbucks to give trainers a raise. At the same time, some voices pointed out that letting new hires with only a week on the job work at the bar itself deviates from the training process, and the problem shouldn't be entirely blamed on the newcomers. This discussion about training reflects the current reality of staff shortages in some stores. [more…]

Starbucks' legendary founder Howard Schultz recently made it clear that he will completely step away from the CEO role, will not return, and fully supports the new leader, Laxman Narasimhan. Narasimhan will officially take office on October 1, and he candidly described the process as a "structured immersion" that gave him a valuable learning opportunity. Schultz, meanwhile, will remain on the board and serve as a long-term advisor, helping to safeguard Starbucks' future. At the same time, Starbucks is facing multiple challenges, including rising global costs, a sharp decline in same-store sales in China, and intense competition from local brands. How the new chief will lead the world's largest coffee chain in responding to these changes is worth watching. [more…]

When making a cappuccino, most people focus only on the espresso extraction while overlooking the decisive influence of milk on flavor. The Nestlé, Bayi, Mengniu, Yili and similar brands commonly used in domestic coffee shops are actually all modified milks, with a thin, bland taste and insufficient milk aroma, which tend to feel disconnected when paired with espresso. WBC competitors often bring their own milk to improve quality. Front Street Coffee noticed that the Vip pure milk produced by Asahi Green Source has a shelf life of only half a month and is a truly unadjusted pure milk. Through actual testing, this article uses Vip milk to make a cappuccino, comparing its performance with other milks in terms of milk foam texture, sweetness, and integration with coffee, and offers advice on whether it is worth switching for shop owners, while also covering practical information such as cost and purchasing channels. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow the WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Drip bag coffee is loved by coffee enthusiasts for its convenience, so many novice coffee lovers who have just started using drip bag coffee ask Front Street Coffee (FrontSt [more…]

With the rise of the specialty coffee trend, coffee culture has been continuously spreading, and sales of both coffee equipment and coffee beans are constantly increasing. As a store focused on specialty coffee, Front Street not only brews a delicious cup of coffee for every guest, but also aims to spread coffee culture. If everyone [more…]

As temperatures gradually rise, cold beverages enter their peak sales season, and cafés are putting all kinds of iced coffee on their menus, including Americano, cold brew, and the rather time-consuming ice drip coffee. Many consumers wonder why ice drip coffee is often priced considerably higher than ordinary iced coffee. In this article, Front Street Coffee will explain ice drip coffee's category classification, extraction principles, complete brewing process, and how it differs in flavor from cold brew coffee, while also introducing ice drip coffee's storage advantages and the people it suits, to help coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of this slow-crafted coffee category. [more…]

With the rise of the specialty coffee trend, coffee culture has been continuously spreading, and sales of both coffee equipment and coffee beans have been steadily increasing. As a shop focused on specialty coffee, Front Street not only brews a delicious cup of coffee for every guest, but also wants to spread coffee culture. If everyone [more…]

Drip bag coffee is a very convenient way to brew coffee. All you need is a drip bag, hot water, and a cup, and you can get a delicious cup of black coffee. You might ask, "Why is drip bag coffee compared to a simplified version of pour-over coffee?" Because drip bag coffee is made by grinding fresh coffee beans into the appropriate coffee [more…]

The flavor code of coffee is often hidden in the land where it grows. From the Andes in South America to the highlands of Africa, from the Caribbean islands to the archipelagos of Asia, each producing region shapes an unrepeatable landscape in the cup through its unique climate, altitude, and processing methods. This article will take you on a visit to twelve globally recognized high-quality coffee origins—Colombia's balanced smoothness, Ethiopia's wild wine-like aroma, Jamaica Blue Mountain's scarce legend, Yemen Mocha's complexity and variability, as well as the distinctive personalities of Kenya, Indonesia, Hawaii, and other places. Whether you are a beginner pour-over enthusiast or a seasoned player looking for your next bag of beans, this origin guide can help you build a clearer flavor coordinate system. Front Street Coffee will also accompany you in understanding the origins while finding the cup that suits you. [more…]

Ethiopia is not only the birthplace of Arabica coffee but also one of the world's major suppliers of high-quality coffee beans. Coffee occupies a central position in Ethiopia's economy, culture, and trade. In 2024-2025, Ethiopia's coffee export volume and export revenue both reached historic highs, marking [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee comes from the Blue Mountains in eastern Jamaica and is globally recognized as one of the finest coffees. This article provides a systematic overview of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee from multiple dimensions, including the growing environment, historical origins, grade classification, quality control, export quotas, and brewing methods. Blue Mountain coffee is known as the "beauty of coffees" because its sweetness, acidity, and bitterness are highly balanced, with almost no bitterness and only a moderate, elegant acidity. The article also explains in detail the differences between Blue Mountain coffee, High Mountain coffee, and Jamaican coffee, as well as the historical background of Japan's long-standing dominance of the Blue Mountain trade, helping coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of this legendary coffee. [more…]

There are quite a few types of coffee. Some people like instant coffee, some like pour-over, and others like cold brew. Coffee made with different methods has its own characteristics—some has a layered mouthfeel with distinct flavors, while some is convenient to brew. You can choose according to your own preferences. Pour-over [more…]

What is the English for pour-over coffee? If translated literally, it could be rendered as "Hand coffee," but that term is definitely incorrect. Next, expressions like "Hand punch" are also common mistranslations. The correct term should be "Pour over coffee." Now, pour-over [more…]

As people pursue health, many drinks marketed as sugar-free and low-fat have appeared in everyone's life. Coffee, as one of the world's three major beverages, is naturally no exception, and low-caffeine coffee has also been introduced, namely the decaf coffee commonly seen in coffee shops today. So what are the characteristics of decaf coffee? Then [more…]