Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer, has suffered consecutive droughts and frosts, with its 2022/23 harvest falling far short of expectations. Certified coffee inventories on the ICE exchange have continued to decline, keeping coffee futures prices elevated. To ease the inventory crunch, ICE plans to re-grade and re-certify a batch of Brazilian Arabica old-crop beans that have been in storage for nearly two years and put them into trading. Although this move is not a violation of the rules, it has sparked concerns among traders about coffee quality and the mixing of old and new beans. This article will review the background of Brazil's reduced output, the logic behind futures price fluctuations, and the possible chain reactions that re-certifying old-crop beans may bring to the market. [more…]

ICE-certified exchange stocks have fallen to a 26-year low of less than 220,000 bags, with large volumes of Brazilian arabica being shipped to delivery warehouses; meanwhile, a Reuters survey projects that arabica prices will fall 8.8% by the end of 2026, while robusta will rise 4.6%. How will stock rebuilding and El Niño weather shape the coffee market outlook? [more…]

Intercontinental Exchange's certified arabica green coffee inventory has plummeted to a 24-year low, totaling just 368,000 bags. More alarmingly, nearly one-third of these beans have been sitting in delivery warehouses for over a year, becoming stale coffee. This situation stems from spot prices exceeding futures prices, prompting roasters to buy directly from exchange stocks, while congestion at Brazilian ports makes replenishment with new beans a distant prospect. The combination of low inventory and the stale bean problem, compounded by global economic and financial uncertainty, has led the market to widely expect green coffee prices to remain highly volatile in the medium term. [more…]

Recently, Luckin Coffee made it onto Weibo's trending topics because its iced drinks contained too much ice and the cup volume decreased noticeably after removing the ice, triggering widespread consumer concern about the proportion of ice in chain coffee and milk tea shops. Many netizens posted comparison photos showing that after removing the ice, only half a cup of the drink remained, with some even joking about "looking for the latte in the ice." Luckin officially responded that its drinks are made according to a standardized recipe and that it will strengthen store training. At the same time, other brands such as Starbucks were also accused of a similar phenomenon. This article sorts out the course of the incident, netizen feedback, and official responses, and also includes professional exchange information from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). For more specialty coffee beans, please add our private WeChat Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex. With the development of specialty coffee culture [more…]

The latest monthly report from the International Coffee Organization (ICO) shows that the composite indicator price for coffee stood at 176.41 US cents per pound in January, edging up 0.4% month-on-month, but the overall trend has continued to fluctuate amid multiple disruptive factors. Robusta coffee prices surged to their highest level since November 1994, with tight supply in Vietnam and a wave of contract renegotiations further intensifying pressure on global supply. At the same time, the Red Sea crisis has driven up transport costs, and coffee inventories on the US ICE exchange have fallen to historic lows. Although Brazil's producing regions suffered drought, some institutions still raised their production forecasts, and with bullish and bearish factors intertwined, the outlook for the coffee market is full of uncertainty. [more…]

The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange is implementing a brand-new pricing method for green coffee exports. From now on, green coffee prices will be calculated weekly by referencing Arabica futures on the New York ICE Intercontinental Exchange and the real-time exchange rate of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. This change is expected to allow local coffee farmers to share in more of the benefits, but it also faces a dual test from international futures volatility and the EU's EUDR regulations. The new mechanism applies only to commercial coffee beans, while specialty coffee is not included for the time being. Front Street Coffee will continue to follow developments in producing regions and bring first-hand information to enthusiasts. [more…]

On a sweltering summer day, a glass of iced coffee instantly refreshes the senses. As a key member of the iced coffee family, cold brew coffee actually splits into two distinctly different methods—ice drip and cold steep—each with its own flavor profile and level of difficulty. This article covers the history of cold brew coffee, the complete steps for both brewing methods, coffee-to-water ratios and grind parameters, and the shelf life and flavor development patterns that everyone cares about most. Front Street Coffee has also recommended a range of specialty beans suited to low-temperature extraction—including Sherry, Fruit Ding Ding, and Huakui—to match different taste preferences, helping you easily make a cup of cold brew coffee to your liking at home. [more…]

In the landscape of Italian desserts, besides tiramisu, which means "take me away," there is another treat described as "breathtakingly delicious," whose name means "drown me"—affogato. Both desserts center on espresso—tiramisu blends espresso with coffee liqueur, while affogato involves pouring hot espresso directly over vanilla ice cream. This article will guide you through the etymology and origin legends of affogato, outline its key preparation points and espresso extraction methods, and answer a common question: when enjoying affogato, should you eat the ice cream first or pour the coffee first? It also combines bean recommendations from Front Street Coffee to help you make an affogato that tastes like tiramisu. [more…]

In the height of summer, a glass of ice-cold coffee is practically a lifesaver, yet many people can't clearly explain the difference between ice drip and cold brew. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically breaks down the extraction principles and equipment setup of ice drip coffee, explaining key parameters in detail such as 60 grams of grounds, a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio, and an 85% pass rate through a No. 20 sieve, along with a simple process for making cold brew coffee at home. It also analyzes how grind size and coffee-to-water ratio affect flavor, and finally recommends two coffee beans suited for cold brew—Kenya Asalia and Honduras Sherry—to help coffee lovers easily enjoy a smooth, uniquely flavored glass of iced coffee in the scorching heat. [more…]

Affogato is a classic Italian coffee dessert whose name means "drowned" in Italian, vividly describing the image of hot espresso poured over ice cream. Sitting somewhere between coffee and dessert, it offers both the rich bitterness of espresso and the dense sweetness of Italian gelato. This article will guide you through a comprehensive understanding of this Italian delicacy where ice and fire meet—covering the definition of affogato, the characteristics of authentic Gelato, basic preparation methods, creative variations from around the world, and Front Street Coffee's recommended espresso bean pairings—along with practical tips for making it at home. [more…]

Heytea's first global handcrafted store officially opened on September 19 in Nantou Ancient Town, Shenzhen. This is the first store Heytea has created with the concept of "handcrafted." The store has three floors, each themed around hand-stirred ice cream, hand-muddled fruit tea, and hand-brewed famous teas, offering over 50 innovative drinks available only at this location, including hand-stirred ice cream and cocktails. The store is located at the intersection of Zhongshan East-West Street and North-South Street in the ancient town, facing the Xin'an County Magistrate's Office across the street, and the top floor also features a small garden for customers to relax. Heytea's official Weibo sent out an invitation on the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, sparking heated discussion among netizens. As coffee enthusiasts, we might as well experience the charm of handcrafted beverages from this handcrafted store, while Front Street Coffee also continues to provide professional coffee knowledge exchange for enthusiasts. [more…]

A glass of iced coffee in summer always brings coolness and comfort, but the iced coffee family actually has many members—cold brew, ice drip, and cold steep each have their own particularities. From the perspective of Front Street Coffee, this article systematically sorts out the definition of cold brew coffee, its historical origins, and its two major production styles, compares its essential differences with hot-brewed iced coffee, and shares the specific parameters for making Huakui coffee beans with ice drip, along with practical suggestions on grinding, time, and coffee-to-water ratio. Whether you want to try cold steep at home or want to understand the logic behind the ice drip offerings at specialty coffee shops, you can find clear answers and actionable methods here. [more…]

Well-known coffee brand Mstand was subjected to an administrative penalty by the Shanghai Xuhui District Market Supervision Administration, which confiscated its illegal gains and imposed a fine totaling approximately 487,000 yuan, because it commissioned a supplier that had not obtained a food production license to produce popsicle ingredients on its own. The incident originated from the supplier fraudulently using a third party's qualifications, exposing loopholes in qualification review in the food contract manufacturing sector. This article provides a detailed review of the penalty process, the amount involved, and the legal basis, and explores the difficulties small coffee brands face in compliant production. At the end, it also includes professional coffee knowledge exchange channels and Front Street Coffee recommendations for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). For more specialty coffee beans, please add our private WeChat: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex. Under the scorching weather [more…]

Starbucks recently announced that it will change the type of ice used in cold drinks, switching from traditional large cubes to smaller, crunchier ice. The company says this move is partly to cater to the growing habit of consumers eating the ice, improving the drinking experience, and partly because the new ice machines use less water, which helps the environment. However, this adjustment has also sparked heated discussion online, with some cheering "ice-eating freedom" and others worrying that the ice will melt too quickly and affect the drink's flavor. Previously, Starbucks charged extra for drinks with no ice, which caused consumer dissatisfaction. This article will review the background of the event, the official response, and various viewpoints, and include Front Street Coffee's professional information channels. [more…]

Affogato is an Italian dessert made by pouring hot espresso over vanilla ice cream. Its name means "drowned" in Italian, and it has also come to suggest something so delicious it takes your breath away. This article begins with the etymology, then walks through its eating habits and key ingredient choices in Italy, offers a basic recipe for four, and finishes with five creative suggestions—such as swapping the ice cream flavor, adding nuts or alcohol, and using tea instead of coffee—so readers can easily recreate it at home. [more…]

Is Arabica actually a coffee variety or the name of a cup of coffee? Many friends who are just getting into specialty coffee easily confuse this concept. In fact, Arabica is a core variety of the coffee tree, from which many branches such as Typica and Bourbon have derived. This article will systematically sort out the botanical characteristics, growing environment requirements, global distribution range, flavor performance, and caffeine content of Arabica coffee beans, while also answering how much a cup of %Arabica coffee costs, and combining price data from the ICE Futures Exchange to analyze the various factors affecting coffee pricing. The article also retains relevant product recommendations from Front Street Coffee for enthusiasts to refer to when purchasing. [more…]

In the iced coffee family, there are cold drip and cold brew, and also an even easier method — ice extraction. Ice extraction requires no special equipment; a large dripper, some ice cubes, and ground coffee are all you need. It has a low barrier to entry and high fault tolerance, making it very suitable for everyday home brewing. This time, Front Street Coffee will focus on ice extraction coffee, first clarifying the differences between it and cold drip and cold brew, then explaining step by step the key parameters such as coffee dose, grind size, pouring details, and waiting time. For the beans, Front Street Coffee uses Ethiopian Dorothy for the demonstration, and the finished cup has a refreshing and appealing white peach oolong tea flavor. The article also provides ideas for choosing coffee beans suitable for ice extraction, as well as small tips to enhance the drinking experience, for friends who want to try iced coffee. [more…]

Starbucks recently announced that it will change the type of ice used in its cold drinks. The new ice is smaller and crunchier, and the official explanation is mainly to cater to the growing number of consumers who have a habit of eating ice. However, this decision has also sparked polarized reactions: some are cheering that they can finally chew ice to their heart's content, while others worry that the ice will melt too quickly and dilute the flavor of the drinks. Notably, Starbucks had previously been criticized for charging extra for water-free/ice-free drinks, and now whether changing the ice is effectively reducing the amount of ice has also become a focus of discussion. This article will sort out the ins and outs of Starbucks' ice change, the official response, and netizen feedback, while also bringing coffee lovers relevant news about Front Street Coffee. [more…]