Recently, some consumers have reported that when ordering at Guming stores, the signature product "Uncle Milk Tea" is no longer available for purchase, while the milk tea category on the menu has noticeably shrunk, replaced by a variety of coffee drinks. This change quickly sparked discussions on social media, with many longtime customers saying that milk tea options are becoming fewer and fewer, and that the brand's focus seems to be shifting toward coffee. Although it was verified that "Uncle Milk Tea" has not been removed from sale nationwide, it is indeed the case that some stores have stopped selling it due to a shortage of ingredients. Consumers have become doubtful about Guming's transformation direction of "turning a milk tea shop into a coffee shop," worrying that classic tea drinks are gradually disappearing. This article sorts out the course of the incident and feedback from netizens, explores how chain tea beverage brands can balance the expectations of their original customer base when expanding into the coffee business, and includes related observations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]