New tea beverage brand Guming has recently launched a second-hand equipment trading platform within the DingTalk system, open to all franchisees, providing matchmaking services only and not directly participating in buying or selling. The platform offers valuation and inspection services for sellers, and price comparison and anti-fraud protections for buyers. According to Guming's prospectus, equipment sales account for approximately 4.5% of revenue, while franchisees' initial equipment investment is about 100,000 yuan. As competition in the new tea beverage industry intensifies, a wave of store closures once led to a backlog of unsold second-hand equipment, with recyclers even disposing of it as scrap metal. Whether Guming's move can provide franchisees with a safer and more convenient transfer channel is worth watching. Front Street Coffee has long monitored trends in the coffee and tea beverage industries and will continue to track the platform's actual performance. [more…]

520 was a great opportunity for merchants to promote sales through livestreams, yet Good Tea's Douyin livestream room sparked widespread consumer dissatisfaction after orders were automatically refunded by the system following a rush to grab coupons, and the topic quickly trended on Weibo. Although the company issued an apology and promised compensation, many netizens still said they were not buying it. The next day's livestream had to be postponed, and the system recovered slowly. Notably, this was already Good Tea's third brand trust crisis in 2022, after earlier exposures and penalties over food safety and tax evasion. Consumers are still waiting for a satisfactory answer on how the incident will develop further. [more…]

A controversy sparked by a cup of milk tea unexpectedly brought benefits to a competitor. Recently, an employee at a Lelecha store, when responding to a customer's inquiry about non-dairy creamer, inadvertently used Guming as a comparison, which caused customer dissatisfaction and was exposed on social media. Lelecha officially apologized quickly and launched a compensation plan, one part of which offered a 50% discount to Guming employees, prompting netizens to say Guming "won without doing anything." How did this customer complaint turn into a positive case of brand PR? From rapid response to substantive compensation, Lelecha's handling won recognition from many consumers and was even praised as "something other brands could study for a hundred years." This article will recount the entire incident and analyze the PR wisdom and industry lessons within it. [more…]

It is standard practice for tea beverage brands to launch Longjing series new products in spring, but Gu Ming and Nayuki sparked heated discussion by choosing the same West Lake Longjing intangible cultural heritage inheritor, Fan Shenghua. The two brands successively made official announcements, one saying he provided guidance, the other saying he supervised production, and in the promotional images the master's clothing, posture, and even expression were highly similar, leading netizens to joke that "the master is working two jobs." Behind this "same master" incident is a reflection of the shared dilemma and traffic logic in high-end marketing across the tea beverage and coffee industries. [more…]

Tea beverage brand Gu Ming recently launched a regional limited-edition new product, "Freshly Stewed Two Pears," made by stewing six ingredients including white fungus, fragrant pears, and red dates, with a focus on the concept of health and wellness, attracting many consumers to try it. However, what drew more attention than the drink itself was the gaiwan-style takeaway cup paired with the new product. Some customers posted on social media, pointing out that after the brown cup lid was inserted with a white straw, the overall appearance closely resembled a toilet plunger, triggering a large amount of onlookers and ridicule. Some netizens believed that the unreasonable color scheme and design were the main cause of the negative association, while others said that brands such as Nayuki had used similar cup shapes before without producing this impression. In addition, some consumers reported that they were unaware of the straw opening design on the cup lid, which caused inconvenience in use. Around this controversy, this article compiles feedback and discussion from various parties. [more…]

"Ne Zha 2" has surpassed 1.49 billion yuan at the box office, becoming the biggest winner of the Spring Festival season, with Cotti Coffee, Chagee, and Good Me securing co-branding rights from among numerous competitors. Cotti was the first to announce its collaboration details, launching 12 combo packages, each containing one voucher for any drink on the menu and one limited-edition merchandise item, with no cap on merchandise quantities, no need to rush-buy, and drink vouchers valid nationwide within three months. This unconventional move was praised by netizens as "treating consumers like human beings," standing in sharp contrast to the previous co-branding model of limited quantities, bundled sales, and two-cup minimums, and putting pressure on Chagee and Good Me, which have yet to announce their own terms. [more…]

Cramming before an exam is a scene you might not expect to see in a milk tea shop. Recently, netizens captured a ChaPanda employee hunched over a stack of color-printed materials at the counter, muttering to themselves and occasionally looking up to memorize things silently. Upon investigation, it turned out this was tied to ChaPanda's soon-to-be-officially-announced global premium brand ambassador, Cheng Yi. It's not unusual for a brand to have employees familiarize themselves with ambassador information in advance, but at the same time, they strictly prohibit any early leaks. Material control is so tight that stores must send back photos of unopened watermarked materials every night, and violating stores even face financial penalties and contract termination. Many interpret this as having learned from the disastrous Gu Ming x Love and Deepspace collaboration. However, some consumers believe that rather than spending so much effort memorizing materials, it would be better to thoroughly study the recipes and techniques—after all, drink quality is the foundation of repeat business. [more…]

Recently, news about a gecko found in a cup of GoodMe milk tea rapidly went viral on social media, drawing widespread attention. According to Southern Metropolis Daily, a consumer at the Shaxi store in Chaozhou, Guangdong discovered a foreign object while drinking, and surveillance video captured the moment they sprang from their seat in shock. The GoodMe store involved immediately suspended operations for self-inspection, and the headquarters responded that the sealing process reaches temperatures as high as 180 degrees Celsius, making it extremely unlikely for a gecko to enter. The store has now been taken offline on the Meituan delivery platform. The truth of the incident is still under investigation, and netizens are discussing it widely. As coffee enthusiasts, we are equally concerned about food safety in the beverage industry, and Front Street Coffee has always advocated for quality and peace of mind in drinking. [more…]

Over the past year, the tea beverage market has undergone a dramatic reshuffle. According to Zhanmen Canyan data, the total number of stores in the milk tea beverage industry reached 412,600, with 142,300 new openings, but the net growth was -17,700, meaning that more than 160,000 stores exited the market in the fierce competition. Although leading brands such as Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, Guming, Shanghai Auntie, and ChaPanda still saw growth, their pace of store expansion has clearly slowed. Nayuki's stock price plummeted 93%, wiping out nearly HK$27 billion in market value. Product homogenization is severe, consumers are experiencing aesthetic fatigue with similar drinks, and the industry is accelerating into a harsh winter during the off-season of autumn and winter. [more…]

A hit drink from Nayuki, the "Nayuki Slim Little Green Bottle," sparked discussion due to a line of small print in its product details. In the official explanation, "slim, light" refers to the new square bottle shape being slimmer and more portable, not to the drink having any functional benefits. Many consumers had assumed it was a fruit-and-vegetable tea suitable for people trying to lose weight, and were taken aback after learning the truth. This kind of situation is not an isolated case—fruit-and-vegetable drinks from brands such as Good-meh and Luckin also often use "body-slimming" and "light-body" as selling points, then add clarifying small print. How many calories are actually in a cup of kale drink? The gap between merchants' marketing and consumers' understanding deserves the attention of every coffee and tea lover. [more…]

Milk tea has once again become a hot topic, this time because Guangdong's milk tea consumption has jumped to first place nationwide. Alipay's spring report shows that warmer weather has driven an overall 10% increase in milk tea consumption, with online orders from middle-aged and elderly groups surging by 25%. From the fact that southern provinces account for 80% of consumption to Guangdong residents drinking 2.5 more cups per week per person than those in the Northeast, the data behind this reflects the deep penetration of milk tea culture. This article will trace the thousand-year evolution of milk tea from Mongolian butter tea to Hong Kong-style and Taiwanese-style, and then to new-style tea drinks, analyze the capital layout and brand echelons under a market scale of hundreds of billions, and remind readers: although milk tea is good, do not be greedy. [more…]

The first Heytea store in Chongqing's Beicheng district has suddenly closed. This store, which had been highly popular since opening in 2018, was once regarded as a landmark presence for the brand in the Chongqing market. The closure surprised many loyal customers, and Heytea's subsequent internal email announcing the suspension of business partnership applications caused even more waves in the tea beverage industry. From the end of its first Chongqing store to the successive closures or suspensions of stores in Zibo, Xuecheng, Binhu and other places, and then to the company's proactive halt of franchise expansion, Heytea's series of moves have sparked widespread discussion about brand strategy adjustment, store quality control, and the competitive landscape of the industry. [more…]

After 397 days since the opening of its first store, Cotti Coffee has officially announced the launch of its second brand—Tea Cat, a brand-new tea beverage brand focused on healthy milk tea. Its first store has landed in Pingnan County, Ningde, Fujian, and is currently in the internal testing stage. According to Li Yingbo, Chief Strategy Officer of Cotti, Tea Cat focuses on the whole-leaf milk tea segment, with products covering pure tea, fresh fruit tea, and more. At the same time, Tea Cat continues Cotti's low-price approach, launching a promotional offer of 6.9 yuan per cup, which has sparked heated discussion online. Some industry insiders believe that Cotti's move may be aimed at easing the competitive pressure in the coffee sector and leveraging its existing franchisee resources and supply chain advantages to develop new business. Whether Tea Cat can set off a new price war in the tea beverage industry is worth watching. [more…]

The "Crazy Saturday" that just passed once again saw major chain beverage brands flooded with free redemption orders. Yet after the revelry ended, store counters were piled high with sealed drinks that no one came to collect, with some stores pouring out nearly a hundred cups in a single night. Staff members felt both heartache and helplessness, while onlooking netizens bluntly said, "If you're not going to drink it, don't order it." What problems does this waste phenomenon, fueled by platform subsidies, actually reflect? How should consumers, merchants, and platforms find a balance among themselves? This article takes you through the full picture of the incident, and you're also welcome to follow Front Street Coffee to chat together about the things behind beverage consumption. [more…]

Recently, Shuyi Tealicious has faced a backlog of unsold second-hand equipment due to mass store closures, with recyclers even disposing of machines worth tens of thousands of yuan at scrap metal prices. This tea beverage brand, once wildly popular for its "half a cup is all toppings" slogan, has seen its store count shrink by over a thousand compared to its peak after undergoing price reduction strategies and adjustments to franchise thresholds. Meanwhile, the entire new tea beverage sector is facing a reshuffle, with approximately 120,000 stores disappearing in the past year. This article reviews the rise and fall of Shuyi Tealicious, the plight of its franchisees, and the chain reactions of the industry's closure wave, while maintaining Front Street Coffee's ongoing attention to industry dynamics. [more…]

In recent years, coffee and milk tea brands have been rolling out all kinds of merchandise giveaways beyond the drinks themselves—from cup sleeves and paper bags to hair clips, coin purses, and even coffee-scented candles and co-branded perfumes. These seemingly inconspicuous little items are becoming a key factor in attracting consumers. When many customers buy drinks, their focus has shifted from taste to whether they can get limited-edition merch, and some even place repeat orders just to complete a giveaway set. Behind this marketing strategy lies both the consumer psychology of non-monetary promotions and an attempt by the tea beverage industry to break through amid intensifying competition. Starting from this phenomenon, this article will analyze how giveaway promotions influence purchasing decisions, and explore how cases such as Saturnbird's "Return Flight Program" achieve a win-win for brand publicity and environmental image, while also retaining relevant recommendations for Front Street Coffee. [more…]

A new round of subsidy battles on delivery platforms has once again ignited the tea beverage market, with Meituan handing out large numbers of tea drink vouchers, while Ele.me and Taobao Flash Sale fight back with hefty discounts. However, after claiming the vouchers, many consumers found that Goodme stores in Shenzhen, Xi'an, Chengdu, Nanning, and other places showed as "resting/closed" or out of stock on third-party platforms, making it impossible to redeem normally. Interestingly, the same stores were still open on the official mini-program, and products included in the promotion, such as lemonade, could still be ordered. The contradiction between stores actually being overwhelmed with orders and appearing "closed" online has led many to speculate that this is a measure taken by the brand to ease order pressure. Consumers have expressed dissatisfaction over the chaotic promotion, orders being automatically canceled, and no stock upon arrival at stores. Front Street Coffee continues to follow industry developments and brings in-depth observations. [more…]

The collaboration between Goodme and Honkai: Star Rail was supposed to be a fan frenzy, but it turned into a reputational crisis due to severe merchandise shortages. On the first day of the event, the official mini-program queue exceeded 1.2 million people, stores in many locations sold out within 3 hours, and high-priced complete merchandise sets appeared on second-hand platforms. Although the brand claimed to have prepared "the largest inventory in history," compared with the previous Love and Deepspace collaboration, whose stock was only one-third of this amount, it clearly underestimated players' purchasing power. What dissatisfied fans even more was that many stores explicitly stated they would not restock, causing the collaboration to end early. This imbalance between traffic and reputation sounded a warning for co-branded marketing in the coffee and tea beverage industry. [more…]

The food delivery platforms have once again kicked off a subsidy war, with Meituan and Alibaba distributing large numbers of milk tea redemption vouchers to users, triggering a collective surge in orders at chain stores such as Mixue Bingcheng, Chabaidao, Goodme, and Shanghai Auntie. On the night of July 5, orders flooded into tea beverage stores in many places like a tidal wave, receipt printers nearly collapsed, and employees kept busy from the evening shift until the early hours of the morning yet still could not clear the backlog of orders. Some stores urgently called back off-duty employees for support, while delivery riders and customers surrounded the stores so tightly that not a drop could get through. While consumers got milk tea for 0 yuan, the workers behind the counter experienced a night comparable to "doomsday." This game between platforms ultimately shifted the pressure onto the frontline tea beverage workers. [more…]

Recently, a video of a Chagee employee handling tea drinks with bare hands spread rapidly online, sparking widespread public concern about food safety issues at chain tea beverage brands. In the video, the employee, without wearing gloves, directly grabbed ice cubes and lemons and reached into a shaker cup to pound and stir the drink, prompting netizens to exclaim they were "disgusted." Although the poster explained that the footage was filmed after closing hours using damaged inventory to mimic the "Indian milk tea" meme, public opinion did not subside. Subsequently, netizens discovered that employees of several other brands, including Luckin Coffee, Yidian Dian, and Goodme, had also posted similar meme videos. Chagee officially issued an urgent investigation notice, imposing an indefinite suspension and rectification on the store involved, dismissing the employee involved, and demoting managerial personnel. This article will review the sequence of events and responses from all parties, and explore the boundary between food safety and entertainment-oriented marketing in the tea beverage industry. [more…]