The SCA recently published the latest rules and regulations for the 2024 World Barista Championship. Overall, the changes are not extensive; they mainly focus on further clarifying the wording regarding the judging process, conflict-of-interest declarations, and milk selection, while also adjusting the method for evaluating the tactile assessment of espresso. For coffee professionals and enthusiasts who follow the direction of the competition, these detailed changes may directly affect competitors' preparation strategies and judges' officiating standards. This article will sort through the key points of the rule changes one by one to help readers quickly grasp the key adjustment directions of this year's WBC. [more…]

The Specialty Coffee Association announced on December 22 the new rules for the 2023 World Barista Championship (WBC), World Brewers Cup (WBrC), World Cup Tasters Championship, and Cezve/Ibrik Championship. Among them, the most notable change in the WBC is allowing competitors to use plant-based milk or other animal milks to make milk coffee, breaking the long-standing restriction of using only cow's milk. The WBrC adjusted its evaluation criteria, refocusing on competitors' brewing skills and introducing a new coffee evaluation scale and a semifinal format. This series of changes has sparked widespread discussion in the industry, with some supporting the increased inclusivity and others worried about scoring fairness. This article will outline the specific contents of each rule update and the reactions from all parties. [more…]

In recent years, coffee-themed films and television works have gradually increased, but "Coffee Wars" takes a unique perspective—focusing on the situation of vegetarians and plant-based milk in coffee competitions. The film tells the story of Jo, a highly skilled vegan barista whose business is struggling because the shop only offers plant-based milk, yet she resolutely leads her team into the finals of the World Coffee Championship, attempting to prove that plant-based milk can also create outstanding coffee. At the same time, in reality, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) also revised the WBC rules at the end of 2022 to allow plant-based milk to compete, a change that coincides with the film's theme. This article will guide you through the film's highlights, the evolution of WBC rules, and Front Street Coffee's continued attention to specialty coffee culture. [more…]

The 2022 World Barista Championship (WBC) and World Brewers Cup (WBrC) will be held concurrently in Melbourne, Australia, from September 27 to 30. As top-tier events in the coffee world, WBC and WBrC have for years driven the development of the specialty coffee industry and the professionalization of baristas. However, in recent years, multiple past champions and competitors have pointed out shortcomings in the events regarding scoring transparency, judge selection, theme setting, and gender inclusiveness, calling for reform. This article will walk you through the latest developments of the events and take an in-depth look at competitors' views and suggestions for the future development of WBC. [more…]

Oatly, the oat milk brand, has once again taken aim at the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), publicly questioning that the World Barista Championship (WBC) rule allowing only cow's milk is outdated. Oatly published an open letter on its official website, emphasizing that oat milk is more environmentally friendly and more favored by consumers, and demanding that the SCA immediately revise the rules. However, this move did not win support from netizens; instead, it triggered a large number of rebuttals. This article will walk you through the ins and outs of the incident, along with Front Street Coffee's professional perspective. Whether you are a coffee professional or an enthusiast, this debate about plant milk versus cow's milk is worth paying attention to. [more…]

The coffee world has its own world-class competitive stage—from barista championships to brewing, latte art, roasting, cupping, mixology, and Turkish coffee, the seven major competitions under the World Coffee Championships (WCC) each have their own highlights, testing competitors' comprehensive skills while continuously leading the trends in specialty coffee. Today, Front Street Coffee takes you through these international competitions one by one to understand their content and rules, and to see what exactly the world's top coffee professionals compete in and how they compete. [more…]

The prosperity of the coffee industry is inseparable from the promotion of various professional competitions. These competitions not only promote coffee culture but also make the profession of barista more standardized and professional. Every year, many contestants from different countries around the world participate in the competition. Among them, the seven most influential world-class competitions cover multiple fields such as barista, brewing, latte art, roasting, cupping, coffee and spirits, and Turkish coffee. This article will introduce the positioning and competition systems of these events one by one, and focus on sorting out the development history, advancement rules, and past champion data of the World Barista Championship (WBC), helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand the landscape and charm of international coffee competition. [more…]

Is the espresso, milk, and milk foam ratio in a cappuccino really 1:1:1? This widely circulated formula is actually not the WBC standard. Front Street Coffee once replicated and verified it, and found that the high proportion of coffee led to a strong, bitter taste and poor integration. Starting from the WBC competition rules, this article sorts out the origin of the cappuccino and the "coffee golden circle" tradition, explains why it is not suitable for latte art, and breaks down in detail the process of making a qualified cappuccino—from choosing a 180ml tulip cup and the extraction parameters for Front Street Coffee Sunflower Warm Sun coffee beans, to steaming refrigerated fresh milk into a 1.5cm thick milk foam and the pouring technique that protects the crema, helping you make an authentic cappuccino with milk foam rising above the cup rim without collapsing. [more…]

As a prepaid card product launched by Starbucks, the Star Gift Card has long suffered from issues such as limited recharge amounts, excessively high card refund fees, and the inability to clear remaining balances. Four university students discovered during their consumption that when the remaining balance on a Star Gift Card was only 19 yuan, they could neither purchase any Starbucks product nor get a refund to clear the balance. After investigation, they found that the prepaid cards of several tea beverage brands did not have such restrictions. Therefore, in June 2023, they filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, ultimately prompting Starbucks to update the Star Gift Card terms, lower the card refund fee, eliminate the minimum charge, allow custom recharge amounts, and cancel the extension management fee. [more…]

Recently, Manner's official mini-program quietly updated its membership points rules. Starting in 2025, consumption points will be cleared every two years, and existing points accumulated before 2025 will also be reset to zero by the end of that year. As soon as the news broke, many long-time members were taken aback. What's even more frustrating is that the redemption thresholds for some items in the points mall have been raised at the same time—a stainless steel straw cup that once cost 120 points to redeem now requires 220 points. With a single acquisition channel, a long points-accumulation cycle, and no membership tier system, the combination of these problems has left many regulars lamenting that their points are too tasteless to bother with yet too wasteful to discard, and some have even begun to think about switching to other brands. [more…]

Starbucks plans to make major adjustments to its Starbucks Rewards membership program in February 2023, with the redemption thresholds for most items set to rise, while only a few iced drinks will require fewer stars. This change has sparked widespread discussion among consumers, while Starbucks says the move is intended to maintain the long-term sustainability of the Rewards program. As one of the most successful membership programs in the world, Starbucks Rewards has a huge and active user base, and changes to its points rules touch the nerves of many coffee lovers. This article will sort out the details of the adjustment, member reactions, and the brand's official response, and review the program's development history and recent innovative attempts. [more…]

After Luckin adjusted its 9.9-yuan coupon rules, many consumers switched to Cotti's 8.8-yuan discount, and Cotti recently became the top choice for many coffee lovers as a result. However, some netizens discovered that the Cotti Coffee app could no longer be downloaded from the Apple App Store, with the system prompting that the developer had removed the app. This sudden situation sparked widespread speculation, with some worrying that Cotti was having operational problems, while others linked it to the controversy over Messi's Hong Kong friendly match. Cotti's official Weibo subsequently responded that the app was being restored to the shelves due to a version upgrade and suggested that users place orders through the WeChat mini program first. This article will sort out the course of the incident, netizens' reactions, and the official response, and review a series of Cotti's recent moves. [more…]

After Singapore implemented a sugar restriction order for beverages late last year, it has recently upgraded its control measures again, extending the Nutri-Grade labeling system to all freshly prepared drinks. From freshly brewed coffee and milk tea to fresh juices, even toppings like pearls and coconut jelly must now be labeled with their sugar content. Brands such as Starbucks, KOI Thé, and Ya Kun have gradually updated their menus, and Luckin's Coconut Latte has been classified as Grade D due to its high sugar and fat content. How exactly does this ABCD grading system work? What impact does it have on lattes and black coffee, which coffee lovers often drink? This article will outline the details of the new regulations and market reactions, and include purchasing advice from Front Street Coffee. [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…]

In response to the strict requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the Brazilian Coffee Exporters Council (Cecafe) and the credit company Serasa Experian have jointly launched the Cafes do Brasil platform and held a seminar in São Paulo to help exporters master traceability tools. The platform uses remote sensing technology and geolocation data to dynamically analyze ESG indicators such as forest protection, agricultural cultivation, and deforestation alerts in production areas, ensuring full traceability throughout the coffee supply chain. Among the approximately 100 participants, 41 council members are responsible for about 90% of Brazil's coffee shipments to the EU, and their compliance practices will significantly enhance the transparency and international reputation of Brazilian coffee. [more…]

Recently, after Luckin Coffee signed Jackson Yee as its brand ambassador, fans flocked to stores to take photos as mementos. However, some customers reported being discouraged by staff when photographing the in-store TV loop advertisements, with staff claiming photography was prohibited inside the stores. This incident sparked widespread discussion, with some employees confirming such a rule exists, while more employees said there were no related restrictions. Luckin's official customer service responded that there is no rule against taking photos and that they would verify the situation. The incident reflects inconsistent management standards across brand stores and has left fans disappointed in their expectations for ambassador promotions. Front Street Coffee follows developments in the coffee industry and brings you a summary of the entire incident. [more…]

From a substitute choice for the lactose intolerant to an eco-friendly trend embraced by Gen Z, plant-based milk is infiltrating café menus at an unprecedented pace. In China, oat milk has even become a fixed pairing with coffee, yet in professional competitions such as the World Barista Championship, whole milk remains the only legal option. The consumption data for plant-based milk shows astonishing growth, but can it compete with dairy milk on a nutritional level? Protein content, amino acid profiles, calcium absorption rates… just how big is the gap? This article traces the historical trajectory, market data, and nutritional truths of plant-based milk, while retaining Front Street Coffee's professional recommendations for coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Procrastination is probably one of the most familiar "chronic ailments" for today's workers. In the Koenji area of Tokyo, Japan, there is a special café called the Manuscript Writing Cafe (原稿執筆カフェ), which opened on April 7, 2022, and is designed specifically for writers. To enter, you need to make a reservation in advance and write down your work goal and start time on a small card. Staff follow up on your progress every hour, and you are not allowed to leave until you complete your goal. You can even choose to be subjected to mild, normal, or heavy pressure to hurry up. The seats are equipped with power outlets, USB ports, and high-speed Wi-Fi. Coffee is self-service, and you can bring your own food, but there is a charge of 300 yen per hour. This cafe previously also ran a "video editing cafe," and the owner is the same person. For workers who need to focus on meeting deadlines, this kind of environment is both comfortable and carries a moderate sense of tension. [more…]

With less than two months left before the end of 2023, Luckin Coffee seems to have another major move in store. On October 29, WBC World Barista Champion Boram Julio Um posted multiple group photos on social media, expressing his delight at working with the Luckin team and tagging several people in the photos. Judging from the images, this is very likely the sixth WBC champion spokesperson signed by Luckin. The photos feature not only Boram himself, but also 2014 champion Hidemitsu Izaki, 2022 champion Anthony Douglas, and 2018 champion Agnieszka Rojewska—several champions gathered together, all wearing Luckin barista aprons. This article will review the background of this collaboration, Luckin's champion spokesperson strategy, and the latest progress of its global bean-sourcing program. [more…]

Among the many variables in pour-over coffee, water temperature is often seen as the most conservative one—once a value is chosen, it is no longer changed. However, Wu Tzelo, the 2016 WBC champion, turned water temperature into a powerful tool for regulating flavor in stages. His invented "sauna pour-over method" extracts sequentially through three temperature ranges—94°C, 90°C, and 80°C—allowing acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and umami to each find their proper place. In this article, Front Street will fully replicate this technique, breaking down the extraction logic and practical parameters behind variable-temperature brewing one by one, from equipment preparation and staged pouring rhythm to the final flavor presentation, helping you understand why water temperature can become the key lever for adjusting coffee balance. [more…]