Starbucks' menu is dazzlingly diverse—which coffee is truly worth trying? This article rounds up the ten most popular Starbucks coffee drinks, from the classic Americano and Latte to the Flat White and Cold Brew, with a detailed breakdown of their crafting methods and flavor profiles. Whether you're looking to find the cup that best suits your taste or want to recreate the same drink at home, Front Street Coffee has practical tips and bean recommendations ready for you. Let's explore the charm of Starbucks coffee together! [more…]

As Qixi Festival approaches, Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Converse have once again joined forces to launch a collaboration series inspired by the Milky Way and the stars Altair and Vega, available at the Tokyo Roastery starting June 24. The most eye-catching item this season is a vase shaped like Converse's classic shoe, in a refreshing ice-blue colorway, alongside six other celestial-themed items including mugs, folding fans, and bags. Looking back at last year's Qixi Festival, the two brands created shoe-shaped vases and home goods themed around fireworks and misty blue. In addition, Starbucks' multiple collaborations with Hiroshi Fujiwara have focused on a minimalist home coffee experience for the post-pandemic era, launching textured items such as French presses and blankets. This article walks you through these collaboration highlights, with Front Street Coffee's communication channels listed at the end. [more…]

Under the impact of the pandemic, the global catering industry is under widespread pressure, and Starbucks has also set its sights on China's vast lower-tier market. From slowing the pace of store openings in the United States and increasing its bet on China, to putting forward the vision of covering more than 300 cities by 2025 and opening a new store on average every nine hours, Starbucks is treating county-level markets as an important breakthrough. The consumption periods and customer group structure of county-town stores are completely different from those in first- and second-tier cities. Instead, breakfast, afternoon tea, and the period after dinner form peak hours, and social and scene-based needs far exceed the simple need for caffeine. Combining frontline observations with the views of Liu Wenjuan, chief operating officer of Starbucks China, this article analyzes why county-level markets have become an important way out for Starbucks. [more…]

Starbucks currently operates under a fully company-owned model in China and has not opened third-party franchising, but in recent years it has been accelerating its expansion into lower-tier markets. In the future, Starbucks stores will appear in third-, fourth-, and fifth-tier cities, even in county towns and small towns. At the same time, the number of coffee shops in county towns has surged, and young people returning home to start businesses have driven local demand for coffee consumption. Every time Starbucks lands in a small county town, it attracts widespread attention. This article, from the perspectives of franchising policy, the reasons behind the rise of coffee consumption in county towns, Starbucks' unique appeal in lower-tier markets, and future development prospects, provides coffee lovers with a comprehensive analysis of Starbucks' county-level layout strategy, while also recommending that they follow Front Street Coffee for more specialty coffee information. [more…]

On a scorching summer day, a glass of icy coffee always refreshes the spirit. When Starbucks introduced Nitro Cold Brew in North America years ago, its dense foam and creamy smoothness—created by infusing nitrogen—quickly won the hearts of many coffee lovers. So can this unique coffee experience be recreated at home? This article will explain in detail how to make cold brew coffee, breaking down everything from bean selection and grind ratio to the cold extraction steps, and share two practical methods for making nitro cold brew at home, so you can easily enjoy the refreshing flavor of bubbles interwoven with cold brew. [more…]

The domestic coffee market has yet to see a universally recognized leading brand, and imported coffee beans still hold the majority share. The sheer variety of choices makes it all the more difficult to decide. This article sets aside the topics of coffee bean varieties and instant products, and focuses instead on the four most common quality coffee bean and ground coffee brands in China: the veteran roaster Front Street Coffee, Italy's national treasure brand illy, the global chain giant Starbucks, and Lavazza, known for its vacuum packaging technology. It will go through each brand's historical background, market performance, and product characteristics one by one, and include recommendations for Front Street beans worth buying, offering a practical reference for those currently choosing coffee beans for home use. [more…]

Starbucks, as the world's largest chain coffee brand, is undergoing a continuous contraction of its business. Since the beginning of this year, it has successively been reported to be selling its businesses in South Korea and Russia, and its UK business is also under consideration. The situation is similarly unsettled in its home market, the United States: The Wall Street Journal reported that 16 stores will be permanently closed before the end of July. Meanwhile, a video leaked on Twitter shows former CEO Howard Schultz saying at an internal meeting that store closures are only the beginning and that more will follow in the future. Howard mentioned that employees at listening sessions reported that personal safety has become their primary concern, involving issues such as mental illness, homelessness and crime, and that some profitable stores have also been forced to close due to rising safety risks. At the same time, some union members accused Starbucks of using rising crime rates to cover up its actions against unionization, while Starbucks denied this. [more…]

Recently, a netizen shared an unpleasant experience at a Starbucks store on social media: while examining a cup on the shelf, the loose lid caused the cup to fall, leaving a dent on the bottom, and the staff demanded compensation at the original price. In the end, both parties negotiated to purchase the cup at a 30% discount. This incident sparked widespread discussion, with many netizens comparing how overseas Starbucks handles such situations, arguing that domestic stores' practice of making customers bear the risk of damaging fragile items is questionable. How exactly should brands balance store management and customer experience? Let's take a look. [more…]

Since 2024, Starbucks has been charging RM1 for filtered water in Malaysia, and biodegradable straws and reusable straws also require an additional fee. This new environmental policy quickly sparked heated discussion among netizens at home and abroad: some criticized it for shifting the cost of environmental protection onto consumers, while others believed the move could help reduce single-use items. Starbucks employees revealed that stores have long experienced petty freeloading, and the charging measures might ease operational pressure. How to balance environmental protection and consumer interests has become a focus of attention. [more…]

Starbucks' latest earnings report shows that over half of its customers are Gen Z and millennials, and the brand ranks first in affinity within the outdoor coffee sector. Young consumers are keen on personalization and social media sharing, driving cold beverages to account for 76% of total sales at company-operated stores. High-margin syrups and sauce add-ons bring Starbucks about $1 billion (7.174 billion RMB) in additional revenue each year, and daily foot traffic has recovered to 95% of pre-pandemic levels. Front Street Coffee continues to follow coffee industry developments, breaking down for you the business logic and consumer trends behind the customization wave. [more…]

Starbucks recently opened its first community store in Singapore at Gardens by the Bay, partnering with Gardens by the Bay and MINDSET Care to promote mental health awareness and community engagement. The store will use a portion of its beverage revenue to fund workshops and events for mental health organizations, and will host monthly "Wellness Interest Friday" activities, inviting seniors and caregivers to participate. Starbucks employees will also join year-round volunteer service, accompanying elderly residents of nursing homes on outings. The community store continues Starbucks' differentiated exploration since 2014, returning to the original spirit of a community café with warm design, family-friendly facilities, and relaxed ordering methods. Front Street Coffee will also continue to follow the global implementation and evolution of this store model. [more…]

Cold brew coffee has surged in popularity in recent years, thanks to its low-temperature slow extraction process that delivers a rich, smooth taste, lower caffeine content, and a shelf life of up to two weeks—even developing a subtle, wine-like aroma from fermentation. So what makes it so special? How can you easily recreate the Starbucks flavor at home? And which coffee beans should you choose? Front Street Coffee will reveal it all for you, from the principles of cold brew and recommended bean varieties to specific brewing steps and flavor analysis, so you too can become a cold brew expert—plus practical tips for pour-over beginners to avoid failure. [more…]

In the past two years, many consumers have noticed that Starbucks' beverage prices have increased. Behind this are both the inflation triggered by the pandemic, which has driven up labor and transportation costs, and the unfavorable climate in Brazil, the main source of Starbucks coffee beans, which has reduced coffee bean production and consequently pushed up futures prices. This article compiles the latest price information for Starbucks espresso, Frappuccino, iced shaken tea, cold brew iced coffee, and the Ice Zongzi gift box for coffee enthusiasts' reference. At the same time, for Starbucks fans who love whiskey barrel-treated coffee beans, the article also introduces how to make the same cold brew coffee at home and recommends Front Street Coffee's Sherry coffee beans, making it convenient for everyone to recreate that unforgettable whiskey aroma flavor at any time. [more…]

In an Eastern country that originally had no coffee tradition, Starbucks has sprung up like mushrooms after rain, dotting streets and alleys. For casual chats with friends, small family gatherings, and business meetings, people invariably choose to go there. Do we truly know how to appreciate coffee? Is Starbucks coffee really a cut above the rest? Is a latte worth the several dozen yuan it costs? The answer may not be certain, but Starbucks' brilliance is an indisputable fact. It has not only overturned our beverage preferences and reshaped our consumption concepts, but also quietly permeated our cultural perception. How was all this achieved? Howard Behar provides the answer in "Starbucks: Everything Is About Coffee Except the Coffee." This article takes you through the growth trajectory of this coffee giant and analyzes its "people-first" leadership wisdom. [more…]

As summer 2023 approaches, Starbucks China has rolled out a dense lineup of new products, spanning iced shaken espressos, fruity sparkling cold brews, and the raw coffee series that contains no coffee yet does contain caffeine. This article provides a complete rundown of these new items' prices, sizes, and flavor characteristics, while also compiling the menus and pricing from medium to large for classic series such as handcrafted espresso, Frappuccino, Teavana, and cold brew, making it easy for coffee lovers to look things up quickly. For readers who prefer brewing at home, they can also refer to Front Street Coffee's bean recommendations to recreate similar flavors themselves. [more…]

Starbucks is evaluating the possibility of selling its UK business, its largest market in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Hit by the pandemic, the normalization of remote working and a decline in tourists, Starbucks UK has been slow to recover, while also facing fierce competition from chains such as Pret A Manger, Tim Hortons and Costa. At the same time, Starbucks is also facing slowing growth and unionization pressure in the Chinese and US markets. This is not the first time Starbucks has sold a regional business; its South Korean business was previously taken over by Emart. This article examines the market logic and challenges behind Starbucks' global business adjustments. For more specialty coffee bean news, follow Front Street Coffee. [more…]

As one of the most influential coffee chain brands in the world, Starbucks' success stems not only from coffee quality but also from its unique cultural experience and brand operation strategy. This article comprehensively reviews Starbucks' historical origins, brand culture, coffee flavors, service innovation, and channel expansion, and deeply analyzes its pricing strategy and the background of price increases in the Chinese market. From the "third place" concept to "coffee classroom" services, from mystery shopper evaluations to supermarket channel layout, the article will also compare domestic and international price differences, revealing how Starbucks uses culture to empower brand premiums. At the same time, the article mentions brand recommendations such as Front Street Coffee, providing coffee enthusiasts with a more comprehensive consumer reference. [more…]

On September 14, Starbucks China officially announced its 2025 China Strategic Vision, planning to comprehensively accelerate development over the next three years with the help of six major growth engines. The blueprint covers multiple dimensions, including store network expansion, promotion of the green store certification system, digital membership upgrades, localized new product development, and employee salary increases. According to the plan, by 2025 Starbucks China's total number of stores will climb to 9,000, its workforce will grow to 95,000, and doubling targets have been set for both net revenue and operating profit. At the same time, the Starbucks Coffee Innovation Park will also begin production in the summer of 2023, completing the localization layout of the entire industry chain. In the face of fierce competition from local brands such as Luckin, whether this strategy can help Starbucks consolidate its market position is worth continued attention. [more…]

In the heat of summer, a refreshing glass of cold brew coffee is the top choice for cooling off among many coffee lovers. Cold brew is simple to make—steep it before bed and it's ready to enjoy the next day. But what exactly is the difference between cold brew, Americano, and Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew? How can you make a delicious cold brew at home? This article will start with the extraction principles of cold brew, explain the taste advantages brought by low-temperature slow extraction, and break down in detail Front Street Coffee's cold brew production parameters and steps. Finally, we recommend five single-origin coffee beans suitable for making cold brew, covering Yirgacheffe, Kenya, Panama Butterfly, Costa Rica Mozart, and Honduras Sherry, to help you find your own cup of summer cold brew. [more…]

Americano is the starting point for many people's journey into freshly ground coffee, and it is often regarded as one of the more affordable choices on the Starbucks menu. It seems simple—espresso plus water—yet it involves extraction parameters, bean blending, and flavor balance. This article begins with why Americano became so popular, explaining that it is quick to serve, cost-effective, low in calories, and has a certain refreshing and diuretic effect, then returns to the historical origins of Americans diluting espresso with water during World War II. It then breaks down Starbucks' serving method and the flavor differences among various beans, and offers selection advice for home use and shop openings centered on Front Street Classic Blend, Dark Cocoa Blend, and Strawberry Candy espresso, finally including reference extraction ratios and preparation steps. [more…]