On March 21, Blue Bottle Coffee officially announced that its eighth official store in mainland China would open in Phase II of Columbia Circle in Shanghai, welcoming customers on March 30, with gift-giving activities arranged during the opening period. The new store continues its collaboration with Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, with the design theme of "chiseling through the texture of time, depicting the imprint of the community," incorporating elements such as a central island bar, reclaimed clay brick flooring, and eco-friendly seating within a limited area. Notably, judging from photos taken on the first day of the store visit, this location did not recreate the long-queue spectacles of the past, with popularity somewhat declining compared to before. Meanwhile, regarding the location of the first permanent store outside Shanghai, social media rumors suggest that the MixC World commercial district in Shenzhen may welcome the first South China store later this year, but the company has not yet officially confirmed this. [more…]

Heytea opened a new store near Columbia University in the United States. The store had originally planned to hold a soft-opening event on January 23, claiming that Columbia students could receive a free cup of milk tea and a limited-edition fridge magnet by showing their student ID. However, many students who showed up that afternoon were told by staff that they needed an invitation from the brand to enjoy the perk. They queued in sub-zero temperatures only to leave empty-handed, triggering widespread dissatisfaction and complaints. Some staff even claimed that the related promotional posts on the platform were false information, while the students who posted them countered that the rules had been changed by the store at the last minute. After the incident quickly escalated, Heytea issued an apology that same evening, admitting shortcomings in the planning and execution of the event, and reiterating that on the official opening day of January 24, Columbia students could still receive a free drink by showing their ID. [more…]

Having been active on television screens for over twenty years, the health supplement brand Naobaijin has officially extended its reach into the coffee sector. Its first coffee shop opened on November 7 in Songjiang District, Shanghai, under the youthful sub-brand "Naobaijin+Café." The store not only continues the brand's signature blue visual identity and classic IP image, but also offers coffee, tea drinks, smoothies, and other beverage categories at affordable prices. In recent years, giants across various industries have ventured into the coffee business, from China Post to Li-Ning, Huawei, and NIO—coffee has become a popular choice for cross-industry expansion. Is Naobaijin's entry a path to rejuvenate its brand, or can it carve out a share in the fiercely competitive coffee market? This article will outline the features of Naobaijin's coffee shop and the industry trends in cross-industry coffee ventures. [more…]

Recently, the National Consumers League (NCL) filed a lawsuit against Starbucks in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, accusing its "100% ethically sourced" marketing of deceiving consumers. NCL pointed out that Starbucks emphasizes ethical sourcing commitments in its marketing, yet fails to effectively address labor abuses such as child labor and forced labor in its coffee supply chain. Since 2015, Starbucks has claimed that 99% of its coffee is ethically sourced. Although its C.A.F.E. Practices program includes multiple indicators, investigative journalists in Brazil and elsewhere have still found violations at certified farms. Starbucks responded that it will vigorously defend itself and stressed that it works with farms to ensure compliance with standards. [more…]

At one in the morning on a cold winter day, a crowd of people stared intently at their phone screens, all to grab a number just to drink coffee on a mini-program—this was not a concert ticket, but a true portrayal of JJ Lin's coffee brand Miracle Coffee's pop-up event in Shanghai. In response to fans' calls, Miracle Coffee returned to Shanghai in the form of a pop-up coffee truck, and launched limited-edition drinks like White Magnolia, blind boxes, and a stamp activity, creating a romantic winter date. However, the official side underestimated fans' enthusiasm: as soon as the mini-program released numbers, they were snatched up instantly, the loading page kept spinning, and the system crash left fans waiting for more than half an hour, with complaints rising one after another. In the past, people scrambled for concert tickets; now, even a cup of coffee requires grabbing a number. JJ Lin fans' absurd life experiences have gained another entry. [more…]

Have you ever heard of "Ironman Geisha"? Behind this resounding title lies the legendary story of Panama's Finca Auromar and its founder, Roberto Brenes. From a finance elite to a coffee estate owner, Roberto infused the fighting spirit of triathlon into Geisha cultivation, creating top-tier coffee that has repeatedly won BOP awards. Front Street Coffee takes you into this young yet highly accomplished estate to explore the origin of the name Ironman Geisha, the estate's microclimate, processing techniques, and the cupping flavors of Catalina Natural Geisha. Whether you're a Geisha enthusiast or a coffee professional, you'll feel Finca Auromar's ultimate pursuit of quality. [more…]

Recently, a Starbucks in Shanghai has sparked widespread discussion online for becoming a regular gathering place for Go enthusiasts. Every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoon, numerous players bring their own Go sets and gather here, with the largest turnout exceeding thirty people. This spontaneously formed Go circle has grown to nearly four hundred members. The organizer not only voluntarily helps everyone find playing partners but also pays out of pocket for orders each time. However, as the number of participants increased, the store made two requests: to keep noise levels down as much as possible, and to encourage everyone to make appropriate purchases. This symbiotic relationship between the coffee shop and the Go players has triggered discussions about the boundaries of public space use and civilized coexistence. Front Street Coffee pays attention to every detail in coffee culture and explores with you the possibilities of the city's third space. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's first mainland China store—Shanghai Yutong Store—went from a phenomenon-level check-in spot with seven-hour queues on opening day to announcing a temporary closure in response to epidemic prevention and control measures. What was the process like? This article reviews the changes in customer flow since the store opened, adjustments to epidemic prevention measures, and the development of Shanghai's current round of the epidemic. As a brand widely regarded as the "textbook" example in the specialty coffee field, Blue Bottle's temporary farewell this time has left many coffee lovers feeling regretful. In the face of the epidemic, health always comes first, and we will continue to follow updates on its reopening. [more…]

Recently, a %Arabica store in Shanghai's Fengsheng Li suddenly posted a closure notice, announcing that due to a brand strategy adjustment, it would cease operations on August 5, 2024. This store had only opened in February of this year and was once %Arabica's first location to offer ceramic dine-in cups, blending old Shanghai's Haipai style; customers could also blend coffee beans under the guidance of baristas and observe the roasting process. However, after just half a year, the store quietly exited, shocking many loyal customers. Nearby residents pointed out that the area around Fengsheng Li is densely packed with coffee shops and competition is extremely fierce, with brands such as Blue Bottle Coffee, Luckin, and Manner standing in abundance, plus limited foot traffic on weekdays, so this %Arabica's departure may be understandable. [more…]

As Shanghai gradually resumes production and daily life, being able to get a cup of takeout coffee right at one's doorstep has become a small blessing for many. However, MANNER Coffee's store on Wujiang Road in Shanghai was found in a surprise inspection by market regulators to have problems including substandard environmental hygiene and non-compliant food storage, and was placed under investigation on May 23, quickly sparking heated discussion online. On May 24, MANNER's official Weibo account issued an apology statement, admitting that during the supply-guarantee delivery period there were oversights such as non-standard use of raw milk and failure to promptly clean the backing paper of food-safety seals, and stating that the store involved had immediately suspended operations for rectification. But this apology was questioned by some consumers and industry experts as evading the key issues and failing to directly address core hazards such as floor grime potentially contaminating food. As the pioneer of the domestic boutique coffee shop model, MANNER is facing a dual test of quality and food safety on a coffee track now crowded with cross-industry giants. [more…]

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style) For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex Hushang Auntie, a fresh fruit tea brand with 5,000 stores, recently posted ten consecutive "I don't want to work anymore" themed posters on its official Weibo. From frontline employees to management, from operations to design to customer service planning, various departments expressed their "throwing in the towel" sentiments, sparking heated discussion among netizens. Was this wave of operations a collective slacking off, or was there something else behind it? On November 11, the mystery was revealed—it turned out to be hype for the new product "Freshly Stewed Pear Series." This article will take you through the whole story of this suspense marketing campaign and explore how tea beverage brands can leverage young people's popular memes to get closer to consumers. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's third store in mainland China has officially opened in Zhangyuan, Shanghai, continuing its location choice in Jing'an District. The new store is based on the Shikumen architectural style, blending weathered brick walls, original wooden lattice doors and windows, and outdoor alley spaces. In addition to continuing the localized design, the Zhangyuan store also offers a fusion of Chinese and Western "scallion oil waffle," limited-edition blend coffee beans, woven merchandise, and debuts honey sea salt latte and caramel jujube cake. A vintage Oji cold drip coffee maker on the bar counter becomes a highlight. Since Blue Bottle Coffee entered the mainland China market in February this year, its store opening pace has been steady, and the brand expects future expansion in China to be faster than in other international markets it has entered. [more…]

Recently, Manner Coffee has once again become the focus of public opinion due to a mismatch between the number of employees enrolled in social insurance and the scale of its stores. Shanghai Yinhe Industrial Co., Ltd. had only 1,225 people enrolled in social insurance in 2023, while Manner has more than 1,295 stores, raising public suspicion about whether it has paid social insurance in full for all employees. The enforcement brigade of the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau has visited to investigate. Manner responded that it implements a comprehensive working hours system and that there is no situation of not signing contracts, not paying social insurance, or withholding overtime pay. In addition, the brand responded to topics such as leaked videos, store staffing, and employee treatment, admitting that the issue of one-person stores is complex, but promising to improve baristas' comfort at work. The incident continues to escalate, bringing common problems in the industry to the surface. [more…]

For those who love coffee, in addition to daily drinking, continuously absorbing professional knowledge is equally important. This article compiles a group of WeChat public accounts with good reputations in the coffee circle, covering multiple directions such as industry news, technical sharing, cultural communication, shop visits and interviews, and latte art teaching. There is both substantive content with a relatively low commercial flavor and light, interesting coffee stories. Whether you are a barista, roaster, or ordinary enthusiast, you can find learning resources that suit you. The article also mentions recommendations related to the "Front Street" brand, which is worth noting. [more…]

From its stunning debut at the Shanghai Coffee Festival to now becoming a staple creative drink on Beijing café menus, Douzhi Coffee has gone through several years of development. Recently, this Beijing specialty has been upgraded once again—some shops have launched a Douzhi Latte, paired with a complete "Douzhi three-piece set," and even selected the highly renowned Huakui coffee beans, attracting many curious visitors to check in. However, the extreme flavor of Douzhi itself keeps the drink's reputation polarizing. What's more interesting is that the shop later quietly switched the coffee beans, from Huakui to an IICA Platinum Award-winning bean, sparking discussions among consumers about the pairing of beans and Douzhi. [more…]

It is no longer uncommon for luxury brands to venture into the coffee business. When Taikoo Li Qiantan in Shanghai opened last year, it was announced that the first Dior café in mainland China would move in, but the store had been operating as a pop-up, and after two theme changes, the coffee shop never materialized. It was not until July 31 this year, after a third theme change, that this Dior pop-up officially upgraded to a flagship store, and the first Dior café in mainland China opened along with it. Surprisingly, however, what truly sparked heated discussion among netizens was not the store design or the exquisite afternoon tea, but the scene of inviting a master to worship the God of Wealth at the opening ceremony. This article will take you through the whole story and explore the business logic behind luxury brands opening coffee shops. [more…]

Drip bag coffee, with its combination of convenience and quality, has become the top choice for many people to enjoy black coffee in their daily lives. Where exactly did this filter-bag coffee packet originate? How did it evolve from an uncommercialized patent into a beverage that swept across East Asia? This article traces the invention history of drip bag coffee, analyzes the shifts in consumer demand behind its market growth, and explains the key brewing points in detail, helping readers easily master the method for making a good cup of coffee. It also introduces Front Street Coffee's high-value drip bag products and the flavor characteristics of Golden Mandheling. [more…]

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is hailed as the pinnacle of the coffee world. Grown in the Blue Mountains surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, it owes its elegant, well-balanced flavor—with a harmony of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness and almost no bitterness—to its exceptional volcanic soil and humid, misty climate. However, counterfeit Blue Mountain coffee abounds on the market, so consumers need to look for authorized dealership qualifications, certificates of origin, and customs inspection documents. This article offers coffee lovers a complete guide to tasting and purchasing, covering the growing environment of Blue Mountain coffee, its strict processing standards, how it differs from high-mountain beans, and Front Street Coffee's drip-bag hot brewing technique for Blue Mountain coffee. [more…]

Since the pandemic, costs in the tea beverage industry have been climbing, and many brands have raised their prices, to the point that office workers have to weigh their wallets before buying a cup of milk tea. Yet Heytea has gone against the grain, not only lowering its menu prices but also publicly promising not to raise prices this year and to stop launching products priced above 29 yuan. This move quickly sparked a consumption boom, with orders surging and even overwhelming several stores, and queues exceeding one hour during peak times. Consumer reactions have been mixed: some applaud, feeling the prices are finally affordable; others worry whether the price cuts will come with shrunken ingredients and declining quality. Heytea responded that the recipes and production standards remain unchanged, and that it is simply giving consumers more choices. How far this price-cut wave can go is worth watching. [more…]

Global food giant Nestlé has announced it will acquire Starbucks' Seattle's Best Coffee brand, a move seen as an important step in Nestlé's continued push to expand in the North American coffee market. This is not the first collaboration between the two companies—in 2018, Nestlé paid $7.15 billion for distribution rights to Starbucks' retail business. The acquisition will further enrich Nestlé's coffee brand portfolio in North America and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. At the same time, Nestlé has completed several acquisitions this year and launched a new coffee sustainability plan. [more…]