Domestic high-end beauty retailer HARMAY has taken another cross-industry leap by opening a 700-square-meter, four-story flagship store on Wukang Road in Shanghai. The ground floor features a coffee counter by Marionbar, offering black coffee, milk coffee, chocolate drinks, and draft beer. Meanwhile, its first store on Anfu Road, which opened in 2017, has closed; the original site will be transformed into the national flagship store for its hand-shaken lemon tea brand, introlemons. HARMAY had previously sought to acquire a coffee brand and may further expand into coffee chains in the future. As of now, HARMAY has eight stores nationwide and plans to expand to cities such as Xi'an and Wuhan. Whether this cross-industry move can bring long-term value to the brand remains to be tested by the market. [more…]

Coffee chain giant Starbucks recently announced an unexpected strategic move—formally establishing a fashion and beauty division, and hiring beauty industry veteran Neiv Toledano as head of brand launch. This action is not a spur-of-the-moment decision; previously, Starbucks launched co-branded products with cosmetics brands such as Kylie Cosmetics and Stonebrick, which received a good market response. As soon as the news broke, netizens' imaginations ran wild, offering suggestions for Starbucks' beauty products, from coffee grounds scrubs to mocha eyeliners, sparking lively discussion. At the same time, some voices expressed concern that frontline employees may face more sales tasks in the future. This article will sort out the ins and outs of Starbucks' crossover into beauty and the reactions from all sides. [more…]

Recently, a netizen posted on social media reporting that makeup artists were seen doing makeup for customers inside a Luckin Coffee store, with the smell of hairspray filling the entire space, sparking widespread discussion about food safety and the consumer experience. Many consumers said they had witnessed similar scenes at chain beverage stores such as Starbucks, Peet's, and Heytea, especially at stores near exhibition halls and concert venues. Opponents argue that using spray-type cosmetics in open preparation areas poses a risk of contaminating drinks, while store employees helplessly say that because there are no explicit prohibitions, they fear that intervening would lead to complaints and bad reviews, so they often choose to stay silent. Front Street Coffee has always been concerned about the quality and safety of the coffee consumption environment, and this incident has once again prompted the industry to think about the boundaries of store management. [more…]

Recently, a netizen alleged that they were asked to leave while doing makeup at a Starbucks store in Shenzhen on the day they received their marriage certificate, and the incident quickly sparked discussion. According to the netizen's account, they had called the store in advance to confirm that doing makeup was allowed as long as it did not disturb others, but after making a purchase that day, they were still discouraged by the shift manager during the makeup process and even felt insulted. The store involved responded that if the smell or powder of cosmetics affects other customers, staff will step in to remind them, that the shift manager's voice was indeed somewhat loud at the time, and that afterward the full order was refunded and two tall drink vouchers were given. The regional manager has stepped in to communicate. Netizens have differing views on this. Some believe a coffee shop is not a place for doing makeup, while others think normal touch-ups are harmless and that there may be another reason for the conflict. The incident has once again prompted reflection on the boundaries of using public space in coffee shops. [more…]

The core difference between organic tea and conventional tea lies in whether it has been certified by an authoritative body. EU organic regulations prohibit genetic modification and synthetic inputs, and require animals to be raised in ways that suit their species characteristics, and are regarded as the strictest threshold in the tea industry. Certifications such as Switzerland's IMO, France's Ecocert, the US USDA, Japan's JAS, India's, Canada's, China's, Australia's, and Germany's Naturland each have different emphases, with significant differences in scope of application and difficulty of obtaining them. Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, FDA, and HACCP provide supplementary assurances from the perspectives of sustainable agriculture and food safety. This article systematically sorts out the rules, authority, and market applicability of major certifications, helping coffee and tea lovers accurately identify the true meaning behind labels when making purchases. [more…]

When Italian coffee brand Lavazza meets fellow Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini, a cross-industry collaboration once again ignites consumer enthusiasm. On June 11, Lamborghini's official website announced a partnership with Lavazza, under which the two parties will hold events and offer coffee experiences in Italy and international markets, and visitors to the Lamborghini Automobile Museum can also taste Lavazza coffee while admiring classic car models. Subsequently, Lavazza launched a limited-edition "Shake & Go Series" in China, featuring two flavors, "Summer Mango Coconut" and "Pineapple Sea," priced at 48 yuan for two cups, with accompanying co-branded special shaker bottles and phone lanyards and other merchandise, triggering a buying frenzy among netizens. Front Street Coffee has long followed such cross-industry developments, and this article will sort out the product details and market response of this collaboration and explore how brand collaborations can achieve a communication effect of 1+1>2. [more…]

In the scorching summer, iced drinks are back in the consumer spotlight. To stand out in fierce competition, new tea beverage brands keep reinventing their marketing tactics—from early niche fruits and co-branded limited editions to today's popular milk tea scratch cards, blind box draws, and even giveaways of gold, lottery tickets, and cars. Suguo Fresh Fruit Tea uses its new yellow skin (wampee) product to promote "scratch for real gold," Heytea and Nayuki use puns plus tear-open cards and lottery tickets to grab attention, while Chagee uses high-end lipstick blind boxes to precisely target female customers. Behind these gimmicks is the thrill and sense of participation brought by "eliminating uncertainty." Of course, for those who just want to quietly enjoy a good coffee or milk tea, returning to the product itself may be the lasting way forward, and Front Street Coffee has always advocated focusing on flavor and quality. [more…]

A pink cranberry milk green tea has once again made 1 Dian Dian a hot topic on social media. Thanks to its striking resemblance to a drink featured in a certain female celebrity's advertisement, this beverage was quickly tagged as a "celebrity favorite," attracting a large number of fans to place orders and check in. However, once the photo-taking frenzy subsided, the actual taste experience left many people openly disappointed, with reviews ranging from overly sweet and cloying to medicinal notes and a gritty jam texture. At the same time, 1 Dian Dian's loyal customers welcomed the return of this drink, believing its sweet-and-sour flavor profile has a unique charm of its own. Why would a single cup of milk tea trigger such dramatically different reactions among different consumer groups? This article will analyze the question from the perspectives of product formulation, consumer feedback, and the brand's fan base. [more…]

Black tea and green tea share the same origin yet have vastly different flavors, and the fundamental difference lies in the degree of oxidation during processing. Black tea undergoes complete oxidation, presenting honey, caramel, and ripe fruit aromas; green tea, through fixation (kill-green), retains its fresh green character, with a light flavor carrying bean or nutty notes. The two teas also differ greatly in storage: green tea, due to its high moisture content and tendency to continue oxidizing, is best stored sealed and refrigerated; black tea is dry and stable, and can be kept sealed at room temperature for over a year. This article systematically sorts out the similarities and differences between black and green teas such as Lapsang Souchong and West Lake Longjing from four dimensions—tea plant varieties, production processes, storage key points, and taste characteristics—and includes Front Street Coffee's purchasing and preservation suggestions to help you better understand the tea in your cup. [more…]

Indonesian President Joko Widodo revealed at the 2024 BNI Investor Daily Summit that the government is considering banning the export of unprocessed agricultural products such as coffee and cocoa to advance its resource downstreaming strategy. If implemented, this policy will directly affect the export volume of the world's fourth-largest coffee-producing country, thereby driving up international coffee prices. It is worth noting that Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee had a similar precedent, but it was eventually relaxed due to trade liberalization. Indonesia's domestic consumption is robust, with exports accounting for more than half, and whether the deep-processing policy can be smoothly implemented remains in question. This article reviews the policy background, historical cases, and market impact for the reference of coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

The recently popular drama "The Tale of Rose" has sparked a wave of coffee collaborations. Luckin drew inspiration from the iconic yellow rose in the show and launched a Yellow Rose Latte along with a matching three-piece set of paper bags, cup sleeves, and keychains. Purchasing the double-cup package would earn a limited-edition collaboration keychain, and as soon as the news broke, it ignited a buying frenzy among drama fans and coffee lovers. However, because stock of the merchandise at each store was extremely limited, many consumers came eager but left empty-handed, and social media was filled with cries of lament. Even more dramatically, the keychain posted by lead actress Liu Yifei was actually not produced by Luckin, adding a touch of controversy to this collaboration campaign. This article walks you through the whole story of this buying frenzy. [more…]

White tea is known for its minimalist processing and delicate flavor, but do you know which Fuding white tea ranks number one? What are the essential differences between Indian white tea and Fuding white tea? This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the mysteries of different grades of white tea—Silver Needle, White Peony, Shoumei, and others—from harvesting, yield, and price to chemical composition and flavor performance, and also compares the characteristics of white tea from producing regions such as India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. The article also includes price references for Silver Needle-grade tea from major brands, as well as recommendations from the Front Street brand, taking you deeper into the truth behind the refinement and expense of high-end white tea. [more…]

Front Street Coffee has found that many people new to specialty coffee often start with Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe or Sidamo, and when it comes to Asian beans, their first thought is Indonesia's Mandheling. However, in recent years, with the rise of the local consumption wave, Yunnan coffee has gradually entered the public eye. Some people are skeptical about the quality of domestic products, but in fact Yunnan beans are already capable of rivaling mainstream producing regions. This article will systematically introduce the distribution pattern of China's coffee producing regions, the natural conditions for growing Arabica in Yunnan, the historical origins of the first coffee tree, and the lineage of variety transitions from Typica to Catimor, helping readers gain a comprehensive understanding of Yunnan coffee's past and present. [more…]

Many people throw themselves into starting a coffee shop with nothing but passion, only to end up shutting down in confusion. Through real cases, this article analyzes several common "death modes" for coffee shops: the death by obsession with quality caused by blindly chasing fancy decor and equipment, the death by collapsed confidence from gritting through the early no-profit period, and the death by cost pressure from skyrocketing rent. The article further explores how to improve the odds of success—from systematically learning coffee knowledge and gaining industry experience, to developing solid operational skills and accounting for every single expense. It also keeps relevant recommendations for the "Front Street" brand, for coffee lovers and entrepreneurs to reference. [more…]

Yunnan small-bean coffee has gradually come into the view of specialty coffee enthusiasts in recent years, but many people are still unfamiliar with its variety origins, cultivation history, and flavor characteristics. This article begins with the distribution of China's coffee-producing regions, reviews the historical controversy over Yunnan's first Arabica coffee tree, sorts out the origins and development of the two major varieties Typica and Catimor, and introduces the two beans, Typica and Catimor, grown by Front Street Coffee in Lincang and Baoshan, Yunnan. At the end of the article, the three-stage brewing parameters recommended by Front Street are also included to help you recreate the clean and balanced flavor expression of Yunnan coffee at home. [more…]