A rice noodle roll shop in Dongguan, Guangdong, has blended espresso into rice batter to make the rolls, pairing them with beef and lettuce to create a "sun-tanned" version of Cantonese rice noodle rolls, which netizens have jokingly dubbed the "dark cuisine" of the rice noodle roll world. This specialty snack quickly went viral, drawing crowds of curious diners eager to give it a try. Reviews are sharply divided: those who can stomach it get hooked after one bite and are happy to buy it again, while those who can't flatly say they were put off. At the same time, food-savvy netizens have let their imaginations run wild, adding ingredients like milk tea, matcha, yogurt, and dragon fruit to rice noodle rolls, exploring a new-style approach where anything can be mixed in. This mixing trend even calls to mind the "Maillard rice noodle roll" born from combining coffee and rice noodle rolls, which has become the shop's eye-catching signature. [more…]

Tims Coffee's 500th store in China has officially landed in Dongguan, just days away from its upcoming listing on Nasdaq. From its first store in Shanghai in 2019 to now covering multiple tiered markets, Tims China has taken less than four years. Despite repeated pandemic disruptions, its revenue in the first half of the year still achieved a year-on-year growth of over 70%, demonstrating strong momentum. At the same time, the brand has received continued support from shareholders such as Tencent and Sequoia China, and plans to penetrate lower-tier markets with flexible store formats. This article will review Tims China's expansion trajectory, performance, store features, and future strategies, along with relevant information from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, food safety incidents in the tea beverage industry have occurred frequently, from Tea Baidao's "real spider" milk tea to the use of expired ingredients, and every so often they trend on social media. However, a news report by Guangzhou Daily on October 12 was entirely different: a 23-year-old man, using his work experience at "a certain tea brand," colluded with his girlfriend and friends to deliberately plant insects in stores in Hangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and other locations, extorting money under the pretext of food safety, with demands ranging from a thousand yuan to two hundred thousand yuan, and was ultimately prosecuted on suspicion of extortion. This incident not only exposed some milk tea shops' negligence in operations management but also sparked public discussion about the authenticity of food safety complaints. What consumers truly need is a hygienic and tasty drink, not a vicious cycle of deception. This article compiles the ins and outs of the incident and includes related information about Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Pacific Coffee, once backed by China Resources and having opened nearly 500 stores, is now experiencing a significant contraction in the mainland market. Recently, some netizens reported that five stores in downtown Dongguan have been closed one after another, and with the withdrawal of the Link store, the brand has completely exited the Dongguan market. From being second in the industry in 2017 to now having only just over a hundred stores left, Pacific Coffee's decline has drawn sighs from many coffee lovers. This article will review its development history, analyze the reasons for its lagging behind, and present observations and reflections from netizens across the country on its current situation. [more…]

Recently, an Mstand store in Dongguan, Guangdong, was forced to operate as a temporary stall in an outdoor walkway due to adjustments in the mall's business layout, drawing widespread attention online. This "shabbiest" Mstand, with no glass curtain wall around it, unexpectedly took on a unique camping-style vibe. Some found it cool and atmospheric, while others felt sorry for the staff working long hours in the 12°C cold wind. The incident reflects the impact of commercial adjustments on store operations and also draws attention to the real situation of coffee workers. Front Street Coffee has always followed developments in the coffee industry and brings you frontline observations. [more…]

The overalls-shaped cup sleeve launched by Good Me quickly went viral on social platforms. This double-pack cup sleeve can both hold drinks and dress up dolls, sparking a frenzy among young people. The campaign covered some stores in Hunan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Hangzhou, and Shandong. Many consumers outside the campaign areas placed cross-city orders through the mini-program or contacted stores to arrange mail delivery. Although there are practical issues such as thin material and shallow pant legs, Good Me's creative marketing on peripheral cup sleeves once again proves the brand's precise grasp of young consumers' psychology. This article will walk you through the rise to fame of this overalls cup sleeve, real consumer feedback, and Good Me's continued exploration in cup sleeve marketing. [more…]

In recent years, competition in the tea beverage industry has extended from product innovation to capital operations. As a leading brand, Mixue Bingcheng has not only accelerated regional layout and supply chain development, but also further expanded its business territory by establishing Xuewang Investment Co., Ltd. and taking a stake in Guangdong Huicha Catering Management Co., Ltd. Guangdong Huicha has secured a firm foothold in the market with its original golden-burnt pearl milk tea, and this investment is also Xuewang Investment's first external investment. Meanwhile, brands such as Heytea and Chayan Yuese have also embarked on the capital path one after another, seeking richer business models through investment and mergers and acquisitions. This article sorts out the brand dynamics, investment details, and industry trends of Mixue Bingcheng's subsidiary brands, providing in-depth observations for coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts. [more…]

In a fast-paced life, instant coffee has regained the attention of coffee lovers thanks to its convenience and continuously improving quality. This article reviews ten instant coffee brands, including Nescafé, Maxwell House, Moccona, Colombian, G7, UCC, Klaes, Old Ipoh White Coffee, Ming Coffee, and Damnini, introducing each one by one from historical origins and raw material sources to flavor characteristics, helping readers build a basic understanding of instant coffee. At the same time, for the highly popular domestic freeze-dried instant coffee brands Saturnbird and Yongpu, the article also provides an objective description based on their product characteristics. Whether you are seeking a rich, mellow taste or a daily pick-me-up, this collection can provide valuable reference. What is shared is not only the flavor of coffee, but also a relaxed and pleasant drinking experience. [more…]

Typhoon "Ragasa" approached Guangdong with Category 17 intensity, prompting Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other cities to successively activate "five suspensions" measures, forcing residents to pause going out for a day. As the typhoon made landfall in Yangjiang's Hailing Island and weakened, the "five suspensions" were lifted across various areas, and demand for tea beverage consumption was instantly unleashed. Orders on delivery platforms surged at one point, with stores of Starbucks, Heytea, Nayuki, 1 Dian Dian, Chagee and others generally experiencing order explosions, some stores briefly receiving two to three hundred orders, leaving milk tea workers overwhelmed. Insufficient staffing and material preparation led to slow order fulfillment and frequent mistakes, with consumers waiting over an hour. This post-typhoon tea beverage consumption wave not only reflects the high-frequency rigid demand for drinks in daily life but also makes frontline workers the most direct "bearers" of the pressure. [more…]

Recently, Mixue Bingcheng made trending news due to an employee's sudden death. According to media reports, a female employee in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, suddenly collapsed after working only three hours on her first day on the job and tragically passed away despite rescue efforts. Mixue Bingcheng responded that they are negotiating with the family, and the incident is still under investigation. This tragedy is not only lamentable but has also sparked widespread discussion on legal issues such as employer liability, work-related injury determination, and social insurance contributions. At the same time, Mixue Bingcheng's previous fine for employing child labor has been brought up again. The health and rights protection of workers has once again become a focal point. [more…]

Pacific Coffee has once again become the focus of industry attention. Recently, reports have emerged that multiple stores in Zhuhai will close in mid-October due to business adjustments, including the Huafa Waterfront Store, Haitian Station Store, and City Balcony Store, all distinctive locations along the Couple's Road. After this round of adjustments, Pacific Coffee's directly operated stores in Zhuhai will all be withdrawn, leaving only three franchise stores. From a peak of nearly 500 stores to fewer than 100 today, the situation of this former second-largest coffee chain brand in China's coffee market is lamentable. This article will review the specific circumstances of these closures, the brand's contraction trajectory in recent years, and the complex emotions of coffee enthusiasts regarding Pacific Coffee's current situation. [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…]

Yunnan small-bean coffee and Mandheling coffee appear quite frequently in domestic cafes, and both are often considered suitable for medium-dark roasting, but their flavor directions and bitterness expressions are not the same. Yunnan's coffee industry has developed rapidly in recent years, with annual output of green beans already exceeding 30,000 tons, and Catimor has become the main variety. Front Street small-bean coffee presents nutty, herbal, chocolate, and caramel notes, with a slight fruity acidity in the finish. Mandheling comes from Sumatra, Indonesia, and represented by Front Street Mandheling, it is known for being rich and full-bodied, low in acidity, with prominent bitterness and a faint earthy, herbal aroma. This article will compare the differences between the two in bitterness and body from the perspectives of origin background, variety characteristics, roasting performance, and brewed flavor, and explain why they are often used in blended coffee, espresso, and blend beans. [more…]

New-style tea beverage brands' attempts to cross over into the coffee track are encountering setbacks. Crow Coffee, invested in by the founder of Heytea, has closed its founding store in Shenzhen Tianli Central Plaza and put it up for rent, leaving the brand with only one store remaining in Dachong. Meanwhile, AOKKA Coffee, invested in by Nayuki, has also announced that it will close all of its Shenzhen stores by the end of August. Looking back at 2022, Heytea and Nayuki quickly entered the coffee market by investing in brands such as Seesaw, Minor Figures, KUDDO, and Monster Drowsy, but these invested brands now generally face the predicament of store closures and contraction. This article reviews the current store status of each brand and analyzes the challenges and industry competitive landscape faced by tea beverage brands crossing over into coffee. [more…]

Heytea's sub-brand Xixiaocha recently closed its last store located in Guangzhou City Investment Building. From the opening of its first store in April 2020 to its complete withdrawal now, only two and a half years have passed. Xixiaocha once deeply cultivated six cities in the Pearl River Delta and opened 22 stores, focusing on affordable drinks priced from 8 to 16 yuan. Before closing, most stores were still profitable. At the same time, Heytea's main brand has continuously lowered prices since the beginning of this year, announcing that it will no longer launch products priced above 29 yuan, and all new products will be priced no higher than 20 yuan. The product positioning and price ranges of the two brands are increasingly overlapping. The last update on Xixiaocha's official WeChat public account remained on July 20, 2022, and its mini-program can no longer be searched. Heytea has not yet responded. This article reviews the rise and fall of Xixiaocha and analyzes its connection with the strategic adjustments of the main brand. [more…]

Kung Fu Coffee, which once made a high-profile debut with the concept of "Eastern tea plus Western coffee," quietly shut down its first national store at Shenzhen's Wongtee Plaza just seven months after opening. Incubated by the team behind "Benlai Buyingyou," the brand's first store was said to have cost over six million yuan to build, and it briefly became an internet-famous check-in spot thanks to its purple interiors and Chinese-element design, reaching an average daily output of 1,200 cups within ten days of opening. Yet consumer reviews were sharply divided, and coupled with the awareness and talent bottlenecks facing the tea-coffee category itself, Kung Fu Coffee's next moves are drawing close attention. [more…]

Shanghai's food and beverage industry is steadily resuming work and reopening, but some stores have neglected food safety, a bottom line, amid the busyness. Recently, law enforcement officers from the Jing'an District Market Supervision Bureau found during an inspection that the Manner Coffee Wujiang Road store had problems such as dirty and messy environmental hygiene and food not being stored according to regulations. Waste was scattered on the floor at the scene, food for sale was placed directly on the ground, and Meiji milk that needed refrigeration was also left casually. Because it is suspected of violating relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law, the store has been officially placed under investigation. The regulatory authorities remind food and beverage units to strictly fulfill their primary responsibilities and ensure the safety of meals served. [more…]

A Luckin Coffee store received a fine of 5,000 yuan from the market supervision authorities simply because a staff member removed the outer packaging of a food item for a customer. Here is what happened: a consumer reported that they had purchased a pack of "mini mochi" pre-packaged food at a Luckin store, but the staff member removed the outer packaging bearing label information before handing it to the customer without obtaining consent. Upon verification, this act was determined to constitute selling pre-packaged food without labels. Although the illegal gains amounted to only 2.67 yuan, it still violated the relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law. Behind this seemingly minor penalty lies the consumer's right to know the source and quality of food. Front Street Coffee also reminds all practitioners that labels on pre-packaged food are not optional but a mandatory legal requirement. [more…]

Recently, the Market Supervision Bureau of Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, investigated and penalized a popular coffee shop. The shop was found using imported coffee beans without Chinese labels and could not provide proof of legal origin. It was also involved in selling coffee equipment without Chinese labels. Ultimately, it was fined 25,000 yuan and the related products were confiscated. This case reveals a common compliance risk in the procurement and use of coffee beans by specialty coffee shops: whether self-roasting or external procurement, coffee bean raw materials require corresponding food business or production licenses and product qualification inspection reports. As market supervision intensifies, coffee operators urgently need to self-check risks to ensure legal and compliant operations. [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…]