Recently, a sports supplement called "pre-workout" has been hailed as a "magic weapon for PE exams" ahead of the high school entrance physical education test, and is sought after by many parents. However, media reports have successively reported cases where students experienced rapid heartbeat, vomiting, and even needed emergency gastric lavage after drinking it. The reason is that such products generally contain high levels of caffeine, some as high as 500 milligrams, far exceeding the safe threshold. Professional fitness trainers and doctors both remind that minors blindly using such high-intensity supplements is extremely risky. If there is a need for a pick-me-up, it is better to choose a cup of coffee. [more…]

Every June, the national college entrance examination, or gaokao, becomes a hot topic of public attention across the country. This year is no exception, with a flood of good wishes pouring in from trending lists to social media platforms. Major food and beverage brands keenly seize this opportunity, rolling out gaokao-themed products or promotional activities in an attempt to win consumer goodwill amid fierce market competition. McDonald's has extended its breakfast-exclusive items to all-day availability, KFC has partnered with Mount Wutai to launch an auspicious set meal, and Chagee uses homophonic puns to convey good wishes. In addition, tea beverage brands such as Shuyi Tealicious, Good me, and Yihotang have also switched to gaokao-themed packaging, while independent coffee shops across the country are likewise serving exam takers and their parents by offering free water and rest areas. Behind this opportunistic marketing lies both the need for brand exposure and a reflection of society's collective care for gaokao students. [more…]

For people preparing for the college entrance exam or who stay up late for long periods, coffee's invigorating effect is almost a necessity. But faced with the dazzling array of coffee beans on the market, how to choose an entry-level product that can effectively wake you up while also offering good flavor has become a source of confusion for many consumers. This article focuses on two major usage scenarios—pour-over and American drip, as well as espresso machines and moka pots—and recommends several coffee beans suitable for beginners, including Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling, Yirgacheffe Red Cherry, Costa Rica Musician Mozart, Front Street 2013 Yunnan beans, as well as the Classic Blend and Dark Cocoa Blend. The origin background, processing method, flavor characteristics, and cost-effectiveness of each bean are explained in detail to help coffee lovers make a suitable choice according to their own needs. [more…]

September marks the start of the school season, and the campus coffee market is ushering in a new round of competition. Luckin Coffee is accelerating its penetration into universities with a "targeted location franchise" model, having opened more than 1,282 campus stores and rolled out over a hundred targeted locations. Its 9.9-yuan low-price strategy, creation of a third space, and campus culture collaborations have made university students an important force in coffee consumption. At the same time, brands such as Front Street Coffee are also paying attention to this trend. This article reviews Luckin's campus expansion path, the details of its franchise model, and five notable characteristics of campus coffee shops, analyzing the new campus battlefield amid the coffee industry's fierce competition. [more…]

Recently, a latte decorated with an image of the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower in Beijing sparked heated discussion on social media. The exquisite edible color-ink printing amazed many netizens with the café's ingenuity, but some also frowned at the colorful design on the surface of the liquid. What materials are actually used to make this type of color-printed coffee, jokingly called "graduate-exam level"? Does it add brilliance to the drink, or has it become a photogenic prop that looks good but is useless? Judging from shares by coffee lovers in various places, printing scenic spots, portraits, or brand logos on the surface of lattes is already nothing new, yet controversy over its taste and food safety has never ceased. This article will guide you through the production principles behind this visually stunning coffee, as well as consumers' true attitudes of love and hate toward it. [more…]

I believe that students who have gone through the intense preparation for the college entrance exam in their senior year of high school all know the fear of being overpowered by drowsiness every night. During the senior year, when every second counts, gaining even one more second to study can increase the chances of success. The refreshing and alertness-boosting effect of coffee has thus become the first choice for many students. So among the many choices of coffee beans, which coffees are [more…]

Friends who are just starting to explore coffee often feel overwhelmed by the dazzling array of coffee beans and don't know where to begin. Different brewing methods have different requirements for coffee beans: pour-over and drip machines are suited to single-origin beans that showcase regional flavors, while coffee that is mixed with milk or extracted using an espresso machine or moka pot is better suited to blended beans. This article categorizes several Front Street Coffee beans that are suitable for beginners according to usage scenarios, including Golden Mandheling, Yirgacheffe Red Cherry, Costa Rica Mozart, Yunnan Front Street 2013, as well as Classic Blend and Dark Cocoa Blend, to help you enjoy great taste while staying energized. [more…]

Every year during the final exam season at the end of June, coffee shops on university campuses become students' life-saving energy stations. Campus stores of Luckin, Cotti, and others see orders surge, with pickup areas piled high with drinks, and waiting for a cup of coffee often taking nearly an hour. However, a Luckin near a university was unexpectedly empty at noon, with its pickup window blocked and a closure notice posted—staff who had not had a proper rest for two consecutive months simply could not withstand the order pressure of exam week. A Gu Ming milk tea shop on the same campus also temporarily closed. Behind this campus coffee order explosion is both students' preference for value-for-money brands and the revealed dilemma of store staffing. [more…]

Recently, news that Chongqing's first Starbucks store is about to close has sparked heated discussions on social media. Since opening in February 2006, this store located in Sanxia Square in Shapingba has accompanied the citizens of this mountain city for 18 years, expanding from two floors to three and upgrading to a Reserve store, carrying the youthful memories of countless people. However, as the lessor withdraws entirely, the store will officially cease operations at the end of this month. The brand responded that it has opened a new store in Huayuzhou Plaza, just a hundred meters away, to continue serving customers. At the same time, factors such as the wave of traditional department store closures and changes in foot traffic in commercial districts have led people to speculate that Starbucks may have other considerations behind this move. This article takes you through the past of this iconic store and explores the multiple reasons behind its closure. [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, students near Shanghai's University Road discovered that the Tims Coffee University Road store, which had accompanied them for over five years, was dismantling its signage and quietly closing down. When it opened in 2019, this store was the largest location Tims had in Shanghai after entering the city. Comprising a two-story North American-style wooden cabin with a total area exceeding 400 square meters, it was not only a landmark meeting spot for nearby residents but also a carrier of youthful memories for many university students who studied, dated, and prepared for exams off campus. Its sudden closure has sparked widespread attention and regret, as well as various speculations about the reasons behind it. This article will revisit the unique features of this store, present the real reactions of customers, and sort out the possible reasons for its closure. [more…]

For friends with zero foundational knowledge who want to step into the specialty coffee field, the SCA education system is a progressive, scientific, and systematic learning path. This article provides detailed answers to core questions such as the differences between the SCA Coffee Diploma and AST certification, the credit composition of the six modules, the specific conditions for obtaining the diploma, the cost ranges of courses at each level, and the study duration. It will also explain the time arrangements and application restrictions for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses, helping coffee enthusiasts who are interested clarify the complete route from entry to advancement. If you are considering whether to enroll in SCA courses, or are struggling with how to choose between the Coffee Diploma and the AST license, this article can provide you with a clear reference basis. [more…]

Recently, a kind of cold boiled water different from the traditional sense has quietly become popular on social platforms—it comes from the hands of milk tea or coffee shop employees, is processed through a filtration system, is not boiled, and is poured into a transparent PE cup filled with ice cubes and sealed. Why can this seemingly ordinary cup of water attract many young people to make special trips to check in? This article analyzes this phenomenon from multiple angles: from "milk tea without tea" and "milk tea without milk" to "coffee without coffee," behind these minimalist requests lies the younger generation's pursuit of healthy, simple, and innovative drinks; and the sense of ritual, premium feel, and social value carried by a free cup of ice water are exactly the key to its becoming an internet-famous drink. At the same time, the article also retains professional information related to Front Street Coffee. [more…]

For many Manner baristas, the pay raise exam is the only path to a higher income, but the difficulty of this assessment is far beyond imagination. Manner stores are uniformly equipped with semi-automatic espresso machines, and examiners have standardized requirements for latte art, milk steaming, and grinder adjustment. As a brand focused on specialty coffee, it also adds a pour-over segment to the test. However, the actual pass rate is extremely low, with most candidates eliminated during the espresso operation stage. Unfamiliar store equipment, unfamiliar grinders, and nitpicky judging such as measuring milk foam thickness with a ruler make this exam seem impossibly hard. This article will restore the true face of the Manner pay raise exam and analyze the crux of why baristas fail repeatedly. [more…]

In the architectural complex of Beijing's Xishiku Church, there is a gray three-story annex built in 1901, once a residence for senior clergy and now transformed into a rather old yet youthful café—1901Cafe. It preserves the architectural charm of a blend of Chinese and Western styles while incorporating the comfortable atmosphere of a modern café. This article takes you into this historic building, exploring its past and present, touring the layout of the second and third floors, and reviewing menu items such as cheese, rose tea, and poutine fries. If you also enjoy having a cup of coffee in old times, you might want to add this place to your next stop. [more…]

90+ (Ninety Plus Coffee) is an American specialty green coffee merchant focused on extreme flavors. Having been established for only five or six years, it has rapidly risen to fame in the global coffee community, and all its coffees score above 90 points in cupping. This article provides a detailed introduction to three representative coffees under 90+: Danch Meng, Honey Kiss, and Red Honey Kiss, covering the origin of their names, production areas, altitudes, processing methods, and flavor characteristics. It also particularly recommends relevant product information from Front Street Coffee, taking you deeper into the unique charm of 90+ coffee. [more…]

Recently, a netizen complained on social media that Manner Coffee's pay-raise assessment system is too strict, claiming that to earn the high salary advertised on its recruitment page, one must pass exams comparable in difficulty to SCA intermediate or even advanced barista certification, which resonated with many baristas. What kind of assessment threshold lies behind Manner's high pay? Compared with other brands, what makes its promotion system so difficult? This article takes you through it. [more…]

Want to break into the coffee industry—do you really need to spend money on certifications? The two major international credentials, SCA and Q Grader, are often discussed. SCA uses a credit-accumulation system covering barista skills, pour-over, roasting, sensory, and green coffee, among other areas, allowing students to choose modules as needed; Q Grader, launched by CQI, focuses on green coffee quality evaluation, requiring candidates to pass twenty tests within six days, with the certificate valid for three years. This article breaks down the course structure, exam content, fees, and target audiences of the two types of certification to help you decide which path better suits your career plans. [more…]

In the specialty coffee world, how can the quality of a bean be objectively judged? In the cupping scoring systems of SCA and COE, 85 points is the dividing line between specialty coffee and commercial beans, and the key role who holds the power to assign scores is the Q-Grader. This qualification, developed and certified by CQI, has fewer than 10,000 certified holders worldwide. What assessments must one go through to obtain Q-Grader certification? Is it really worth the time and money? This article will systematically sort out the origins and background of Q-Grader, the eight assessment modules of the Q Program, the difficulty of the exam, and its practical value in career development, helping coffee professionals and enthusiasts make a rational judgment. [more…]

For those looking to enter the coffee industry, the first question many ask is: what exactly is an internationally recognized barista certification? Currently, the globally accepted answer is the certification issued by the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association). SCA's coffee skills program covers sensory cupping, coffee brewing, espresso preparation, roasting, an introduction to coffee, and the Arabica Q-Grader certification, among other tracks. With the exception of Q-Grader, the other categories are divided into three levels: Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional. You can skip Foundation and sign up directly for Intermediate, but you must obtain the Intermediate certificate before you can take the Professional level. China's national barista vocational skills certificate is currently recognized only within the country; internationally, SCA certification remains the standard. Is getting certified actually useful? Are the fees high? Is certification mandatory to work as a barista or open a coffee shop? This article will address these questions one by one to help coffee enthusiasts and industry professionals make a rational judgment. [more…]