There has been a new development in the trust dispute case between Luckin Coffee (China) Co., Ltd. and Yousheng (Tianjin) Technology Development Co., Ltd., Yousheng Chengyi (Tianjin) Information Technology Co., Ltd., and Shenzhou Ucar Co., Ltd. Dissatisfied with the first-instance civil judgment, Luckin Coffee has filed an appeal with the court. The case involves a repurchase price of over 560 million yuan plus interest, and the focal point of the dispute is whether Shenzhou Ucar should bear the shortfall top-up liability. This article will sort out the background of the case, the first-instance judgment, and Luckin Coffee's appeal requests to help readers understand this closely watched commercial dispute. Follow Coffee Workshop and Front Street Coffee for more professional coffee industry news. [more…]

Recently, the "FrontStreet Coffee" official account under Guangzhou Electronic Coffee Workshop Business Co., Ltd. discovered that Huaxiao Coffee and Zuojingchuan Shenzhen Trading Co., Ltd., without permission, reposted a large number of its articles to Baijiahao and marked them with the original label, constituting intellectual property infringement. For this reason, Front Street Coffee specially issued a solemn statement demanding that the other party immediately delete the infringing articles and stop subsequent infringement, otherwise legal liability will be pursued and compensation claimed. This article publishes the full text of the statement to clarify the facts. [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…]

Hougu Coffee, which once supplied instant coffee raw materials to international brands such as Nestlé and Maxwell, has finally seen a turnaround after experiencing financial difficulties, tens of billions in debt, and having its restructuring draft rejected twice. The Intermediate People's Court of Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province recently ruled to approve the "Restructuring Plan (Draft) for Dehong Hougu Coffee Co., Ltd. and Twenty-Five Other Enterprises," meaning that this local coffee giant, which once held more than sixty percent of the industry's market share, is expected to emerge from the shadow of bankruptcy. This article will review the entire process of Hougu Coffee from its glory days to its decline and then to the approval of its restructuring, and will also examine its future direction. [more…]

Coffee brands selling alcohol is no longer a novelty. From Starbucks to Seesaw, M Stand, and now Luckin Coffee registering a new company to venture into alcohol operations, the cross-industry wave in the beverage sector is intensifying. Tianyancha data shows that Luckin has established a new company in Xiamen, with its business scope covering alcohol operations, sparking widespread industry attention. This article sorts out Luckin's specific moves into alcohol and its trademark layout, reviews the daytime coffee, nighttime alcohol attempts by brands such as Starbucks, Seesaw, and M Stand, and analyzes the trend of beverage giants like Coca-Cola and Genki Forest entering the alcohol market. Finally, it uses industry data to reveal the rapid growth in the number of alcohol-related enterprises, exploring the opportunities and challenges behind cross-industry alcohol sales. [more…]

Tianyancha information shows that EasyJoy Coffee (Beijing) Co., Ltd. was included in the list of businesses with abnormal operations by the Changping District Market Supervision Bureau of Beijing for failing to publicly disclose its annual report on time. This company, wholly owned by Sinopec EasyJoy with a registered capital of 60 million yuan, was once an important vehicle for Sinopec's exploration of the coffee business in gas station scenarios. From launching the brand in 2019 in cooperation with Lian Coffee, to Lianxiang Business withdrawing in 2024 and Sinopec fully taking over, and then to reaching a strategic cooperation with Tims China, the development trajectory of EasyJoy Coffee reflects the opportunities and challenges in the gas station coffee track. At present, Sinopec has not yet responded to this matter. [more…]

Recently, the Wahaha Group has become a focal point of public opinion due to a collective lawsuit filed by several former employees. According to reports, since August, some employees have been required to terminate their contracts with the Wahaha Group and instead sign with Hongsheng Beverage Group, which is controlled by Zong Fuli, resulting in the cancellation of their original bonus dividend benefits. At the same time, the equity of Hangzhou Xiaoshan Shunfa Food Packaging Co., Ltd. was transferred to Zong Fuli's personal name for zero yuan, raising concerns among employees about investment returns. In response, Wahaha recently issued a statement claiming that some media reports are severely inaccurate, that the union has not received litigation information from the so-called rights protection committee, and that the equity repurchase and transfer are legal and valid. However, the statement did not mention key details such as the re-signing of contracts and the zero-yuan transfer, and many questions remain about the incident. [more…]

Recently, news about a "Huawei wholly-owned café" sparked heated discussions online, but it was later confirmed to be a false rumor. Jiangsu Bageai Coffee Operation Co., Ltd. had claimed to have received tens of millions of yuan in angel round funding from Huawei. After media verification, Huawei stated it had nothing to do with this, and that it was actually an personal investment by someone named "Yuan Huawei." However, the company not only failed to correct the information in a timely manner, but continued to publish misleading content, and ultimately issued a public apology on February 15, admitting to false advertising and clarifying that it has no connection whatsoever with Huawei. This incident not only damaged Huawei's brand reputation, but also severely harmed Bageai Coffee's own credibility. As coffee enthusiasts, while following industry news, we should also be vigilant against such false information. This article was compiled by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), taking you through the ins and outs of the incident. [more…]

In recent years, the coffee sector has continued to heat up, with industry giants rushing in. Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. previously applied to register the trademark "One Standard Coffee Absorbs Cosmic Energy"; although it has not opened physical stores, its coffee strategy has not stopped there. Recently, Huawei exclusively invested in a tens-of-millions-yuan angel round financing for Jiangsu Bageai Coffee Operation Co., Ltd., drawing attention. This 24-hour unattended shared coffee and tea room provides an independent third-party space, reflecting Huawei's judgment on future trends in intelligent perception and shared spaces. Coffee and tea here are more of an ancillary service, while what Huawei values may be coffee's connective value as a global medium. [more…]

Ndaroini is a highly representative smallholder organization in Kenya's coffee-producing regions, and its name means "a place to rest all night" in Swahili. From building its own washing station in 1984 to partnering with Trabocca in 2018 to implement a new supply chain that rewards smallholders, Ndaroini has always promoted quality improvement through an innovative spirit. This article will guide you through the history of Ndaroini Coffee Co., Ltd., its variety composition, and processing methods, and provide an in-depth analysis of the flavor performance of Rodiniel Kenya AA coffee beans. At the same time, Front Street Coffee will also recommend related products to help you more intuitively experience the unique charm of this bean. [more…]

Catering services on high-speed trains have been continuously upgraded, and now the Guangzhou EMU group has taken the lead in launching its own milk tea brand, "That Girl," priced at 26 yuan per cup, with average daily sales reaching as high as 3,000 cups. The series offers four flavors, and the official claim is that natural ingredients are used and tea concentration and sugar content have been reduced to suit passengers' needs. However, after the product launched, it quickly trended on social media, yet was collectively criticized by netizens over its price, packaging, taste, and marketing methods. At the same time, specialty coffee brands such as Front Street Coffee are also paying attention to this crossover attempt. This article will walk you through the research and development background of high-speed rail milk tea, its market performance, and evaluations from all sides. [more…]

Recently, an instant black coffee called POSITIVE HOTEL has quickly gone viral thanks to celebrities holding it on camera and it flooding social media, and fans call it "PH Coffee." Officially, it is promoted as a Korean weight management brand that is all the rage in the Korean entertainment circle. However, some media investigations have found that this coffee, which advertises itself as Korean, has never been launched in South Korea itself; it is actually operated by a China-Korea joint venture, and its production site is also in China. The path to PH Coffee's explosive popularity, its true identity, and why it is classified under the "health food" category have sparked widespread attention. [more…]

New-style tea beverage brand Heytea has recently expanded its business boundaries once again. Data from the Tianyancha App shows that the industrial and commercial information of Heytea's affiliated company, Shenzhen Meixixi Catering Management Co., Ltd., has undergone changes, with new additions to its business scope including the sale of daily-use masks (non-medical), the sale of daily chemical products, and agency sales of single-purpose commercial prepaid cards. This move has sparked widespread attention regarding Heytea's strategic layout. As a leading player in the new-style tea beverage industry, Heytea's target user profile and cross-border cooperation models have always been a focal point of industry discussion. This article will start from the industrial and commercial change information, sort out Heytea's user positioning logic and cross-border traffic generation mechanism, and append related recommendations from Front Street Coffee for the reference of coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts. [more…]

Following Li-Ning's launch of Ning Coffee, another sporting goods company has begun to stake out the coffee market. According to Qichacha, Xtep (China) Co., Ltd. has applied to register multiple coffee-related trademarks, covering categories such as food and beverage services and accommodations, convenience foods, and advertising and sales. In recent years, from tea beverage brands to time-honored traditional Chinese medicine brands, and from education companies to tech giants, cross-industry forays into coffee have emerged one after another. Is Xtep's move this time a continuation of its approach of innovating the in-store experience, or is it intended to open up an entirely new business territory? This article will review Xtep's coffee layout moves and look back at typical cases in recent years of brands from various industries crossing into coffee. [more…]

Seesaw, once a thriving specialty coffee chain brand, now frequently makes the news due to legal issues. From being sued by former landlords, to multiple disputes with suppliers and former employees, to mass store closures in first-tier cities and a move to lower-tier markets with lackluster reviews, Seesaw's situation has drawn the attention and concern of many coffee enthusiasts. This article will review the recent turmoil surrounding Seesaw, analyze the operational difficulties behind it, and retain relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

The high-speed rail milk tea "That Girl" launched by China Railway Guangzhou Group has sparked widespread discussion since its debut, with its 26-yuan price tag, taste, and packaging design all becoming focal points of criticism among netizens. In response to the controversy, the head of Guangzhou EMU Catering Co., Ltd. responded on November 16, stating that the pricing takes into account production costs, transportation, and the special operating environment of high-speed rail, in line with relevant department standards, and promised to continuously optimize product quality based on passenger feedback. Whether this high-speed rail milk tea, which sells 3,000 cups daily and is often out of stock, can turn its reputation around is worth watching. [more…]

After successfully turning itself around and achieving rapid expansion, Luckin Coffee is continuing to ramp up its supply chain development. Following the launch of its roasting plant in Pingnan, Fujian, Luckin chose Kunshan, Jiangsu as the site of its second roasting facility, which is expected to have an annual roasting capacity of 30,000 tons, with plans to pursue global expansion within the next one to three years. The new plant will be independently invested in by Luckin to the tune of approximately 1 billion yuan, integrating coffee R&D, roasting production, and a sales center under one roof. This move not only eases capacity pressure but also aligns with Kunshan's push to build a full coffee industry chain base. [more…]

Recently, the well-known Guangzhou tea beverage company Chali Group has been exposed by multiple netizens for allegedly owing employee wages and housing provident fund contributions, sparking widespread attention. According to a report by Yangcheng Evening News, some employees reported that their salaries for August and September were long overdue, and although the personal housing provident fund portion was deducted from their wages, it was not actually paid. In addition, some job applicants claimed that the company conducted unauthorized personal credit checks on them. Although Chali responded that some of the information was untrue and said it had communicated with the poster and reached an agreement, discussions about the unpaid wages continue to intensify on social platforms, and the truth of the matter and subsequent developments are worth watching. [more…]

Recently, a string of trending topics on Weibo has reported that celebrity-linked tea beverage brands have been subject to court enforcement. The tea brand Ben Gong's Tea, co-founded by Hu Haiquan, was listed as a dishonest judgment debtor for refusing to fulfill its legal obligations, and Natural Stupid Milk Tea, where Guan Xiaotong once served as store manager, also added new information as a person subject to enforcement. The two incidents sparked widespread discussion among netizens about the relationship between celebrity endorsement and brand management. Hu Haiquan had already withdrawn his shares in advance, while Guan Xiaotong's studio stated that the case had nothing to do with her. Whether a celebrity halo can support the long-term development of a tea beverage brand—quality is what really matters. [more…]

Cotti Coffee (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. recently completed a change of its legal representative, with Luckin Coffee founder Qian Zhiya replacing Wang Baiyin in the role, while also serving as executive director and manager. The mentor-apprentice relationship between Qian Zhiya and Lu Zhengyao can be traced back to the CAR Inc. period. She single-handedly founded Luckin Coffee and drove its lightning-fast listing in 18 months, later leaving amid a financial fraud scandal. Now the two have once again joined forces to charge back into the coffee track. Facing an increasingly fierce competitive market environment, whether Cotti can replicate Luckin-style growth is worth continued attention. [more…]