In the height of summer, iced milk tea becomes the go-to beverage for many people looking to beat the heat, but the hidden safety risks cannot be ignored. Recently, a 16-year-old boy in Ziyang, Sichuan, is suspected to have tragically died after choking on bubble tea, and scattered Mixue Bingcheng milk tea appeared in on-site video, sparking widespread attention. Mixue Bingcheng promptly responded, saying there is no evidence that the incident is related to its products. Subsequently, the deceased's family came forward to clarify, stating that hospital feedback showed no foreign objects were found in the esophagus or trachea and that the actual cause of death was cardiac arrest. The incident has once again raised public awareness of the Heimlich maneuver. This article will review the course of events, the responses from all parties, and explain the correct first-aid method for choking on a foreign object, helping everyone stay safe while enjoying tasty drinks. [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…]

Luckin Coffee has gone from its early days of frenzied subsidies to a noticeably reduced level of discounting today, with the price of a single drink generally climbing back into the 15 to 25 yuan range, and some consumers even feeling they are being price-gouged. As its reputation for value for money gradually fades, some netizens have figured out a method of "performative ordering"—repeatedly wavering in the mini-program and ultimately abandoning the purchase, in an attempt to trigger Luckin's retention mechanism and obtain coupons. Does this tactic actually work? And what user behavior analysis logic lies behind it? This article will lay out the full picture of this phenomenon, while also reminding consumers: even when hunting for bargains, one must uphold the bottom line of honesty. [more…]

During the Double Eleven shopping festival, many consumers, in order to use platform coupons, adopt a method of first adding extra items to reach the threshold and then requesting a refund, so as to buy their desired products at a lower price. This practice, known as the "big promotion add-on refund trick," was originally seen mostly on online shopping platforms, but has now quietly appeared in the tea beverage delivery industry. Recently, a milk tea shop employee posted a customer order, with notes requesting that the toppings not be packed separately and intending to request a refund afterward, which left the employee and netizens astonished. The incident sparked widespread discussion, with netizens both curious about the feasibility of the operation and expressing sympathy for the merchants and employees. This article will recount the incident and analyze the platform rules and industry dilemmas behind this phenomenon. [more…]

Having been immersed in the coffee industry for many years, the author is both a barista behind the counter and an observer on social media. Over these years, consumers have gone from knowing nothing about coffee to becoming increasingly particular, and the industry has indeed made progress. However, dealing with all kinds of customers every day, one always encounters some both amusing and exasperating moves—from "an Americano with milk" to bringing one's own water quality testing pen, from cupping spoons to TDS concentration meters. These moments not only test a barista's professional competence but also reflect the various misunderstandings in the process of coffee culture becoming widespread. This article records seven real-life scenarios with escalating shock levels, and after each story provides professional analysis and suggested responses. Whether you are a practitioner or an enthusiast, you can see both the absurdity and the reality of the coffee world in them. [more…]

After Howard Schultz returned to Starbucks as interim CEO, he immediately suspended billions of dollars in stock buybacks and redirected the funds toward employee benefits and store operations. Some U.S. Starbucks employees saw this move as a victory for union efforts, but Schultz later made clear that the new benefits could not legally cover unionized stores and partners, because federal law requires separate negotiations for the pay and benefits of union members. Labor law experts pointed out that companies have the right to explain differences in benefits, but suggestive maneuvering could constitute an unfair labor practice. This tug-of-war between benefits and unions showcased the shift in Schultz's management style from tough to tender. [more…]

Have you ever encountered a situation like this: the same coffee beans, when brewed by someone else, come out rich in layers and full-bodied, but when you brew them yourself, they taste flat and bland? In fact, the layering of coffee refers to the ability to clearly discern the flavor changes at different stages in the mouth as the temperature drops. This article starts from a brewing experience at a Front Street store and takes a deep dive into several key factors that affect layering—the retention of fines, the trade-off with bitterness, the control of concentration, and adjustments to the pouring technique. Although growing, processing, and roasting have long determined the upper limit of layering, in the brewing stage we can still fine-tune parameters such as water temperature, grind size, and coffee-to-water ratio to seek a richer flavor expression within uneven extraction. [more…]

With their distinctive chewy texture and versatility, bagels have rapidly become a hot item in coffee consumption scenarios in recent years. Starbucks plans to launch a series of four bagels in its Chinese stores in early July, priced at around 18 to 26 yuan, officially joining the competition in this category. Tims, meanwhile, has been deeply cultivating the "bagel + coffee" combination for years, enjoying a first-mover advantage and a solid fan base. Will Starbucks's entry this time shake Tims's position in China's bagel market? This article analyzes the situation from the perspectives of product strategy, pricing, and consumption scenarios. [more…]

Shanghai, an international metropolis hailed as the coffee capital, recently trended on social media because a netizen camped out at a bus stop to drink coffee and play vinyl records. During the pandemic, coffee shops offered takeout only, so this netizen took camping gear out of their car and enjoyed a special coffee and vinyl music under a bus shelter; after being photographed by passersby, it sparked widespread discussion. Some questioned whether doing this in strong wind and heavy rain was too pretentious, while others considered it personal freedom. As the incident continued to intensify, the person involved came forward to clarify, and netizens' views polarized. This article will fully present the whole story and the voices of all sides, and retain the relevant recommendation information for Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, a shocking sudden incident occurred inside a Good-Me milk tea shop in Guangdong. A completely naked man holding a knife suddenly burst into the store, where multiple customers were waiting to pick up their drinks at the time. Facing this critical situation, four employees remained calm in the face of danger and, through patient maneuvering and decisive action, ultimately joined forces with concerned members of the public and police officers to subdue the knife-wielding man, with no one injured throughout the entire process. After the incident video circulated online, it attracted widespread attention, and netizens praised the employees' bravery. On May 26, Good-Me officially issued a commendation notice, awarding the four employees the title of "Advanced Individual in Courageous Action" and giving them monetary rewards. Front Street Coffee continues to follow developments in the coffee and beverage industry, bringing you the latest report. [more…]

Luckin's Geisha 5.0 coffee beans consumed nearly half of the inventory in just ten days after launch, selling out in many stores, sparking heated discussions among netizens about hunger marketing. This article sorts out Luckin's two statements regarding the out-of-stock incident, Li Guoqing's questioning video, netizens' jokes and doubts, and provides a detailed analysis of the naming rules of the Geisha X.0 series, the harvest time of the new season in Ethiopia, and the expected arrival of Geisha 6.0 in 2022. At the same time, the article also mentions information about Front Street Coffee as a recommended channel for specialty coffee beans. [more…]

Two PETA members, unhappy with Starbucks charging extra for plant-based milk, glued themselves to the counter and food display case in a store, sparking widespread discussion online. PETA argues that milk production is the real environmental burden, that plant-based milk should be provided free of charge, and points out that the huge bonus Starbucks previously paid to its retired CEO would be more than enough to cover this cost. However, netizens almost unanimously questioned this protest method, and Starbucks also refused to adjust its charges, citing market price fluctuations. Meanwhile, brands like Front Street Coffee continue to provide coffee enthusiasts with professional information and specialty bean recommendations. [more…]

During the National Day holiday, coffee festivals popped up simultaneously in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Luoyang and many other places, drawing huge crowds, with guides and check-in photos flooding social media. Yet behind the buzz, regulars' complaints are piling up: specialty drinks dominate the lineup, the coffee tastes weak yet costs as much as thirty or forty yuan a cup, coupons come with endless restrictions, on-site management is chaotic, stalls offer a jumble of categories, and there are even cases of pre-made pour-over and improper handling. The coffee festival, once founded to promote coffee culture and bring like-minded people together, has in many people's eyes become a temporary market heavy with commercial flavor. This article, drawing on feedback from participants, sorts through the major pain points of today's coffee festivals and explores what coffee events enthusiasts hope to see. [more…]

When a cup of fortified Purple Grape Jelly drink was almost finished, a large insect was found wrapped in the pearl toppings—an experience that left the consumer both nauseated and frightened. Even more surprising, during compensation negotiations with the ChaPanda merchant, although the other party eventually verbally agreed to pay 1,000 yuan, they required the consumer to sign an agreement and delete related posts and comments. The consumer believed this move was an attempt to portray them as a malicious claimant and refused to sign. Both sides stuck to their own accounts, and the local food and drug administration has also intervened and summoned the parties. How will this food safety dispute ultimately end? What obstacles did the consumer encounter on the path to defending their rights? This article sorts out the entire process of the incident for you. [more…]

When brewing coffee, the grind size directly determines the surface area where water meets the coffee and the speed at which hot water passes through, and even a slight deviation can ruin the entire cup's flavor. If a moment of carelessness leaves the beans ground too coarse, how can you salvage the situation? This article compiles several practical remedies—from re-grinding to flexible adjustments of water temperature and time—and, using Guji Huakui 8.0 as an example, provides complete parameters and steps to still brew a clean, full-bodied cup even after the grind has come out coarse. Whether you use a hand grinder or rely on pre-ground coffee from a vendor, you can find a corresponding adjustment plan to bring each cup as close to ideal as possible. [more…]

In the process of learning coffee roasting, there is often a gap between theoretical understanding and hands-on practice. This article focuses on judging two key milestones—the yellowing point and first crack—analyzing one by one the visual and auditory misjudgments that beginners easily make. It also offers temperature and aroma as auxiliary indicators for the yellowing point, and explains how misjudging first crack can lead to grassy, underdeveloped flavors and astringency in coffee. Drawing on Front Street's roasting course philosophy, the article also reminds readers not to mechanically copy curve data, but to understand the logic behind the data, so as to find a roasting path that truly suits them. [more…]

Behind the fluctuations in Indian black tea prices lie structural dilemmas faced by smallholder farmers and plantation workers. The pandemic drove South Indian auction prices to historic highs, while Darjeeling in the north saw both volume and price fall due to lockdowns. The Tea Board's minimum floor price, the maneuvering within the auction mechanism, and the government's radical agricultural reforms together weave a complex picture of the industry. Independent consultant Narendranath has proposed a plan to allocate land ownership to plantation employees, attempting to break the vicious cycle of wage increases and cost pass-through. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the real situation of the Indian tea industry and explores possible paths for sustainable development. Readers who enjoy Indian black tea may want to check out the related product recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts who practice pour-over at home often struggle with inconsistent flavor even when their parameters match those used in cafés. The root cause usually lies in the water stream not being stable enough during pouring. In fact, the position, path, height, and size of the pour all directly affect the extraction. SCA experimental data shows that the higher the stability of the water stream, the higher the extraction uniformity. This article draws on the hands-on experience of Front Street cafés to systematically explain how to stabilize the brewing of a delicious pour-over coffee through precise control of pouring. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, mastering these pouring essentials can take your coffee quality to the next level. [more…]