In 2023, China's coffee market continued to heat up, and various eye-catching data made many people tempted to dive into coffee shop entrepreneurship. However, is opening a coffee shop really an easy way to make money? Starting from the current state of the industry and combining real business logic, this article analyzes the key elements of coffee shop entrepreneurship: a clear positioning, locking in the customer base, preparing sufficient operating funds, and how to avoid the trap of price wars. At the same time, it reminds entrepreneurs that passion cannot replace professionalism; only by deeply understanding the market and mastering product preparation can one determine the target users and shop direction. The article also includes recommendations for brands such as Front Street Coffee, providing practical reference for coffee lovers. [more…]

Summer jobs are supposed to be a way for students to earn pocket money and gain social experience, yet 14 students in Meicheng, Meizhou, encountered an absurd situation when applying for summer work at a coffee shop: before even starting the job, they were charged deposits ranging from several hundred to over a thousand yuan by the shop owner. What's even more frustrating is that most of them never worked a single day, yet getting their deposits back proved extremely difficult. This incident not only exposes the risks of recruitment information on social platforms, but also serves as another reminder to job seekers: it is illegal for employers to charge work deposits. [more…]

In South Korea, iced Americano has become an almost national daily drink, but recently it has encountered a series of changes. Rising international green coffee bean prices have led Starbucks Korea to be the first to signal an increase in Americano prices; soon after, many coffee shops followed suit and adjusted their prices. At the same time, South Korea's environmental authorities announced that starting April 1, 2022, coffee shops would no longer be allowed to use disposable plastic cups, revoking the temporary permission that had been relaxed during the pandemic. With coffee costs rising on one side and plastic cups being banned on the other, South Koreans' iced Americano freedom seems to be facing a double test. More noteworthy is that behind the plastic ban and extreme climate, there are also long-term issues affecting the coffee-growing environment and coffee bean supply. [more…]

In recent years, from film and television stars to recent college graduates, more and more people have come to see opening a coffee shop as their first choice for entrepreneurship. Coffee shops are not only popular venues for leisure and socializing, but also carry the dream of opening a shop for many people. However, behind the seemingly simple coffee shop lie many aspects, including professional coffee knowledge, shop operations, location and positioning, and fundraising. This article starts from the phenomenon of celebrities opening coffee shops, analyzes why coffee shops are so favored, and sorts out what is truly needed to prepare for opening a coffee shop, helping coffee enthusiasts view this entrepreneurial direction more rationally. [more…]

Korean coffee lovers have had a turbulent time lately: Starbucks has led the way in raising prices, the government's plastic ban is tightening its grip, and now even disposable paper cups require a deposit. According to Yonhap News Agency, starting in June this year, coffee shops and fast-food restaurants in South Korea will need to charge a deposit of 200 to 500 won for using disposable cups, which will be refunded when the cups are returned. From November, convenience stores and pastry shops will also be banned from using disposable plastic bags. Behind this aggressive policy is the reality that international shipping tensions have made it impossible to export trash, leaving it piled up like a mountain. Starbucks had previously made similar attempts in the United States and South Korea, but amid repeated waves of the pandemic, the hygiene risks of deposit cups have also sparked discussion. If it were you, would you pay a deposit for a disposable cup? [more…]

In the past year or two, the popularity of coffee entrepreneurship has continued to rise, and many office workers have begun to entertain the idea of opening a shop and becoming their own boss. A coffee shop that seems to have low barriers to entry, requires little investment, and has an artistic atmosphere has become the ideal project in many people's minds. But when they actually start, they discover that they have no idea where to begin, from site selection to promotion, so franchise chains have become a popular option. Advertisements promising "zero threshold" and "easy to be your own boss" are everywhere, but is the reality really that rosy? This article sorts out the main models of coffee franchising today, helps you calculate the upfront investment clearly, and gives the key points to note when choosing a franchise brand, in the hope of offering some reference for those who are still hesitating. [more…]

Many friends who know nothing about coffee have toyed with the idea of becoming an apprentice at a café as a way into the coffee industry. Is this path really viable? Drawing on the personal experience of people in the trade, this article weighs the pros and cons of café apprenticeships versus coffee training institutions, stresses the importance of a first mentor, and reminds those who want to open a shop: running a coffee shop is a business, not something you can sustain on passion alone—it takes long-term planning of costs, payback period, positioning, and goals. Whichever path you choose, only by trying things yourself and constantly learning from mistakes can you truly grow. [more…]

Wanting to open a café near a school, passion alone is far from enough. This article uses the SWOT framework to systematically sort out the internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and threats, of a campus coffee shop, and provides four types of response strategies—SO, WO, ST, and WT—and finally includes a mission statement. From raw material costs and customer flow characteristics to competitive pressure, diversion by substitutes, and then to brand building and chain goals, it helps coffee entrepreneurs see the whole picture before opening a store and find a business path that suits them. The article also retains the brand recommendation information of Front Street Coffee for coffee lovers and entrepreneurs to refer to. [more…]

After more than three months of waiting, Shanghai's restaurant industry has finally seen the return of dine-in service. Starting June 29, streets and towns within their jurisdictions that have no medium-risk areas and no community transmission in the past week have been reopening dine-in service in an orderly manner. As soon as the news broke, phones at major coffee shops would not stop ringing, and owners rushed to share moments from this extraordinary period: some customers arrived to wait before the staff did, some owners drank through an entire batch of limited-edition beans by themselves, some worked around the clock living at their shops, and others are still waiting for approval. This article documents the real experiences of Shanghai coffee shop owners, as well as the procedures and current situation behind the resumption of dine-in service, while also keeping its focus on and recommendations for specialty coffee beans. [more…]

Many people aspire to work as a barista, thinking that not having to sit in an office, not having to write daily or weekly reports, and being around coffee every day sounds delightful. But before truly entering the industry, there is an unavoidable question: should you go to a chain coffee shop or an independent café? The two have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of hiring thresholds, training systems, job content, skill development, and benefits. Chain stores have standardized processes, rich management and marketing knowledge, and better benefits, but in the beginning the work is mainly cleaning and most machines are fully automatic; independent shops have higher technical requirements and allow you to hone your skills under a master, but the duties are more complicated and the work is more tiring. Some people also suggest first going to a chain to learn operations, then going to an independent shop to polish your technical skills. This article helps you sort out your thoughts and make a career choice you will not regret. [more…]

In today's increasingly prevalent coffee culture, many people harbor the dream of opening a café, hoping to escape the nine-to-five corporate grind. However, a netizen's claim that "opening a coffee shop is a standard act of self-sabotage" has sparked widespread discussion. Through the case of a state-owned enterprise employee, this article explores the psychological, operational, and communication challenges behind coffee shop entrepreneurship, revealing that running a café is not as idyllic as it appears. Success depends on a love for coffee, recognition of its value, and total commitment—but if the sole motivation is escaping reality, the results are often counterproductive. [more…]

Dreaming of opening your own coffee shop but not sure where to start? This article begins with a SWOT market analysis, systematically sorting out the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of coffee shop entrepreneurship, and offers four types of response strategies: SO, WO, ST, and WT. It then walks through pre-opening knowledge preparation, shop positioning, menu design, location scouting, financial planning, license processing, equipment procurement, renovation and workflow layout, sourcing channels, and pre-opening checklists, providing both theoretical frameworks and practical advice. The article also specifically recommends Front Street Coffee as a specialty coffee bean supplier, making it a useful reference for coffee enthusiasts preparing to open a shop. [more…]

The extraction time for a cup of Americano actually escalated to the 12315 complaint platform? Recently, a netizen ordered an Americano at a coffee shop in Shenzhen and believed that the barista's extraction time exceeded 90 seconds, far beyond the 40-second standard in their understanding, so they demanded a refund and complained to 12315, also requesting that the merchant remove the product from sale. This incident sparked heated discussion in the coffee community: Is there any hard-and-fast rule for the extraction time of espresso? Is it reasonable for consumers to complain about a shop based on their personal standards? This article will recount the incident, sort out the industry reference range for espresso extraction time, and explore the boundary between consumer rights protection and product standards. [more…]

As a milk coffee, what exactly is the difference between a Flat White, a latte, and a cappuccino? Many coffee enthusiasts notice when visiting cafes that Flat Whites from different shops vary noticeably in cup size, foam thickness, and even whether latte art is present—differences that are closely tied to the drink's diverse definitions. This article starts from the phenomenon of latte art, sorts through the controversy between New Zealand and Australia over the Flat White's origin, analyzes how the drink's thin microfoam—its core characteristic—affects mouthfeel and the difficulty of pouring latte art, and explains the practical reasons why cafes choose not to pour latte art, helping readers understand the logic behind how this cup of coffee is made. [more…]

In Italian dining culture, Espresso is a daily necessity, but in domestic coffee shops, it is often the lowest-priced and least-ordered drink on the menu. A rural café owner recently published a post asking "should Espresso be removed from the menu," citing the huge gap between production cost and actual experience. This article focuses on this topic, combining customer feedback, operator dilemmas, and industry advice to explore the awkward positioning of espresso in domestic cafés, as well as how brands like Front Street Coffee understand espresso products. [more…]

Wanting to own a café of your own—passion alone is far from enough. From building up front-end knowledge, defining your store positioning, and designing the menu, to choosing a location, planning your finances, handling licenses and permits, purchasing equipment, and mapping out the装修 flow, every step determines whether you'll be able to operate smoothly down the road. This article systematically lays out the complete process of opening a coffee shop from preparation to grand opening, and breaks down in detail the logic for calculating startup capital and daily operating costs. Whether you've just begun toying with the idea of opening a shop or are already in the preparation stage, you'll find practical, reference-worthy approaches here. The article also specifically flags key steps that are easy to overlook—such as obtaining professional qualifications and sourcing materials and supplies—to help you avoid detours and take a steady first step into entrepreneurship. [more…]

For a coffee shop that roasts its own beans, having the roaster in place is only the starting point; what truly determines the quality of the final product is the quality of the green beans and the roasting craft. Green bean costs often account for a significant proportion of initial operating expenses, so how to choose the right items, control inventory, maintain stable supply, and leverage peer cooperation to lower the threshold for acquiring specialty beans is a challenge every operator must face. Starting from the cost structure of green beans, this article sorts out the three major purchasing points for basic espresso blend beans, explores the value of establishing horizontal partnerships, offers practical suggestions for display and storage, and finally includes flavor descriptions of several Front Street espresso blend beans for coffee shops with different positioning to reference when selecting beans. [more…]

Many coffee enthusiasts prefer milk-based coffee in their daily drinking over purely savoring the regional flavors of pour-over coffee. To meet this demand, the key lies in choosing the right espresso beans. This article starts with the basic principles of espresso, sorts out the evolutionary relationships among espresso, Americano, latte, and cappuccino, and then explains the role of crema in latte art, as well as the general logic for selecting beans for a moka pot. Centered on the three basic requirements of "not sour, freshly roasted, medium-dark roast," and combined with a variety of Front Street Coffee blend products, the article gives specific recommendations for different budgets, flavor preferences, and usage scenarios, helping you make milk-based coffee with rich crema and mellow flavor whether at home or when opening a shop. [more…]

Those who are just starting to explore coffee are often not yet familiar with brewing techniques and workflows, so starting with cost-effective, everyday drinking beans is a relatively safe choice—it lets you experience the representative flavors of a producing region without putting too much strain on your wallet. So which coffee brands are suitable for beginners to practice with daily? This article rounds up several brands worth paying attention to, with a particular focus on recommending a number of commercial blend beans suited to home espresso brewing, covering flavor directions ranging from classic and intense to fruity and bright, making it easy for coffee lovers to choose according to their personal taste preferences. [more…]

Contemporary professionals, under high-pressure work environments, increasingly entertain the thought of quitting their jobs to start businesses, hoping to achieve their ideal "poetry and distant lands" by opening a milk tea shop, café, or flower shop. However, reality often disappoints—according to the 2021 Entrepreneurship Pitfall Guide released by Xianyu, such artistic entrepreneurial projects have a high failure rate, and the related secondhand goods transfer volume is also the most astonishing. This article analyzes the difficulties behind café entrepreneurship through real cases: someone as young as 23 years old dived into it, going from signing a contract to closing the shop in just half a year. What factors led these passionate entrepreneurs to fail? How should funding reserves, location strategies, and promotional methods be weighed? Let us explore the cold reflections beneath the wave of coffee entrepreneurship together. [more…]