China Post recently made a high-profile announcement declaring the Xiamen Guomao Building Post Office Coffee the "first in the country," but this has sparked questions from post office coffee shops that have already opened in multiple locations. From negotiations for authorization at the Beijing headquarters in 2021, to the establishment and operation of Shanghai Zhongyu Jiaye, and then to the Zhongshan Postal Branch claiming that authorized stores already existed last December, a dispute over "first" and "authentic" has surfaced. Contradictions between the official WeChat account's statements and local declarations, along with rumors of franchising, have made the situation even more confusing. This article will sort out the timeline of Post Office Coffee, the claims of all parties, and the focal points of the controversy, and include professional coffee news to help you clarify the truth behind this mix-up. [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…]

Recently, Coffee Post issued a stern statement regarding fraudulent franchise recruitment activities in the market that falsely use its brand name, explicitly stating that it has never authorized any third party to engage in franchise cooperation and has initiated legal proceedings to pursue accountability. This incident has once again thrust this coffee brand—jointly created by China Post and Zhongyu Kaye—into the spotlight, and also reflects the market chaos behind the continuously heating coffee track. This article will sort out the sequence of events, the brand's operational structure, and future layout challenges, helping readers clarify the facts and avoid falling into the trap of "fake" operators. [more…]

On January 30, multiple %Arabica stores in the Philippines suddenly closed their doors, and its official Instagram account also appeared to be deactivated, sparking speculation among local consumers and media about whether the brand would withdraw from the Philippine market. The next day, %Arabica issued a statement on Facebook, saying it had terminated its partnership with former Philippine partner Allue Hortaleza, that existing stores were temporarily closed, and that it had found a new agency, promising to resume operations within the year. Regarding the account deactivation, the official explanation was that it had been hacked, and updates have now resumed. The former partner also issued a statement on February 1, saying it would continue to provide high-quality coffee. Behind the incident, some netizens speculated that the post-pandemic business recovery prompted the former partner to strike out on its own. How exactly will this sudden breakup turmoil affect %Arabica's future in the Philippines? [more…]

The combination of coffee and alcohol is becoming a new trend in the food and beverage industry, with "C in the morning, A at night" evolving from a skincare concept into a consumption model of "coffee in the morning, alcohol at night." Post Coffee, a coffee brand under China Post, recently launched the country's first daytime coffee and nighttime alcohol concept store in Fuzhou, along with two Fuzhou-exclusive drinks. Since its first store opened in Xiamen in 2022, Post Coffee has expanded to ten stores across four cities. Can this new business format offer new ideas for coffee brands venturing into nighttime operations? At the same time, brands such as Starbucks, Seesaw, M Stand, Tims, and even Cotti Coffee have also been entering this track, and coffee brands' attempts to expand from coffee into alcohol and extend operating hours are accelerating. [more…]

Since opening China's first post office café on February 14 this year, China Post has officially entered the coffee market as a national team player. Amid an enthusiastic consumer response, the country's second post office café opened on Cat Street in Xiamen. The new store blends in with the local character of Cat Street, creating a space for cat lovers to mingle, and has partnered with oat milk brand OATLY to launch a hidden-menu eco-friendly special. At the same time, OATLY put in a strong performance in the Asian market in the first quarter, with its Barista product contributing significantly, and the brand is accelerating its expansion into diverse categories such as new-style tea drinks and plant-based ice cream. [more…]

It is normally a heartwarming thing for a chain brand to show its employees' daily lives through its official WeChat account, but Chayan Yuese recently found itself caught up in a public opinion storm because of it. A post introducing the work and life of its store employees drew scrutiny for mentioning that staff were busy late into the night and did not finish until 3 a.m. Several netizens claiming to be former employees and part-timers came forward to confirm that working overtime until the early hours after closing was already the norm; regular customers, meanwhile, had plenty of complaints about the nonstop recorded spiel played in stores. When workers' helpless daily overtime is used as promotional material, has the warmth the brand wants to convey lost its flavor? This article walks you through the ins and outs of this controversy. [more…]

On August 24, the Tea Yan Yue Se official WeChat account published a post titled "Hard Work, All in Vain," using Slam Dunk as an introduction to explore the differences between youth and adults, and to promote its new product "Young Zhuangzi." However, the negative sentiment conveyed by the title sparked widespread dissatisfaction among netizens, who felt it deliberately provoked anxiety among young people, and the related topic quickly trended on Weibo. Tea Yan Yue Se subsequently responded in the comments section, saying its original intention was to express that hard work may not be rewarded but the process is worth cherishing, and apologized for the inappropriate title, ultimately deleting the post. This was not the first time Tea Yan Yue Se sparked controversy over its copywriting; it had previously apologized over a "misogyny controversy" and the English name "SexyTea" incident. [more…]

On February 14th of this year, the nation's first post office coffee shop opened its doors in Xiamen, and within just two days it made it onto Weibo's trending topics, drawing a great deal of attention. Along with the buzz came a flood of various "post office coffee franchise" information online. In response, China Post, Xiamen Post, and Post Coffee officially issued statements one after another, clearly stating that currently only self-operated stores have been opened and that a franchise model has never been offered. At the same time, the trademark applied for by Zhongyu Jiaye, the company cooperating with the postal service to open coffee shops, is also in an invalid status. This article will sort out the ins and outs of the incident to help coffee lovers distinguish truth from falsehood and avoid falling into fake franchise traps, and will also include professional coffee information channels such as Front Street Coffee. [more…]

China Post has made a high-profile entry into the coffee market, yet it has encountered setbacks in the trademark registration process. In April of this year, several "Post Coffee POST COFFEE" trademarks submitted by the postal group all received rejection notices. This incident has sparked widespread attention: is it because common terms lack distinctiveness, or because they are similar to existing trademarks? Will the trademark obstacle affect the daily operations of Post Coffee? At the same time, disputes over "who is the first Post Coffee" continue to ferment in Xiamen, Zhongshan, and other places. This article will sort out the sequence of events, analyze the legal logic behind the trademark rejection, and bring a professional perspective from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, a claim about a live cockroach being found in a Starbucks drink spread rapidly online, drawing widespread attention. On March 10, a netizen alleged discovering a live cockroach in a Starbucks Tahitian Vanilla Cloud Cold Brew iced beverage. The post was later shared by a blogger with over a million followers, and the incident quickly topped Weibo's trending list. Amid netizens' doubts and Starbucks' official investigation response, the truth remains unclear. This article will provide a complete timeline of the incident, responses from all parties, and netizen opinions, along with professional coffee knowledge exchange channels. Regardless of the outcome, food safety is always the lifeline of the food and beverage industry, and consumers should also protect their rights rationally. For more coffee news, please follow Coffee Workshop and Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, some netizens noticed that Luckin Coffee posted job openings for store manager and other positions on the Singapore recruitment website JobStreet, with salaries of approximately 19,000 to 25,000 RMB, sparking speculation about its expansion into Southeast Asia. Previously, counterfeit Luckin stores appeared in Thailand, and the company officially stated that it had not opened stores in Thailand and had taken legal action, but the store is still operating. Meanwhile, Mixue Bingcheng has successfully entered the Thai market, winning over consumers with low prices and a hygienic environment. The Southeast Asian coffee market has enormous potential, and whether Luckin is truly going overseas remains to be officially confirmed. This article sorts out the timeline of events and retains relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee, inviting readers to follow the overseas expansion trends of Chinese coffee brands together. [more…]

In recent years, brand crossovers have become the norm, and China Post has also taken an important step into the coffee sector. Following the launch of "Youyang's Tea" in 2021, which sparked widespread discussion online, on February 14, 2022, China Post's first national postal coffee shop officially began trial operation in Xiamen, Fujian, marking this traditional postal enterprise's formal entry into the coffee industry. The postal coffee shop focuses on a specialty line, using coffee beans produced in Yunnan and deeply integrating postal elements with coffee culture. In fact, some post offices had previously attempted cross-industry coffee sales, such as the Xiamen University Road Post Office coffee shop and the co-branded cooperation with "Qiao Coffee" in Shanghai. As the coffee consumer base continues to expand, more and more brands are entering the market through cooperation, investment, or creating new brands. Relying on its advantage in outlet coverage, China Post plans to cooperate with "Zhongyu Kaye" to expand distinctive postal coffee shops in multiple cities. [more…]

Following the buzz generated by China Post opening a milk tea shop, Shanghai has now seen its first post office selling coffee. On September 17, the Tianping Road Post Office at 1883 Middle Huaihai Road was transformed into the Wukang Building-themed post office. While retaining its original postal services, it has introduced a café, a photo-op area, and a cultural and creative display zone, in collaboration with Qiao Coffee under the century-old Shanghai time-honored brand Qiaojiashan. Is the coffee at this post office actually good? Why does China Post frequently cross into the beverage sector? This article will analyze the details of the store renovation, the background of the partner brand, and the history of China Post's cross-industry ventures, and explore the underlying logic of time-honored brands seeking rejuvenation. [more…]

The chain chicken soup brand Laoxiangji unexpectedly went viral online due to a post apologizing to Starbucks. After the incident, Starbucks not only did not blame them, but also expressed concern about whether Laoxiangji employees had been burned by hot drinks. This interaction sparked heated discussions among netizens, who eagerly urged the two brands to collaborate on creative products such as chicken soup cold brew and chicken soup Americano. Laoxiangji then visited in person to apologize, bringing a handwritten apology letter and free chicken soup vouchers, and their sincere attitude won widespread praise. This article will provide a complete overview of the incident, the public relations strategies of both sides, and the amusing reactions of netizens, while also presenting professional content related to the coffee industry and product information from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, two Starbucks stores in the UK posted notices stating they would stop accepting cash, sparking heated discussion online. Many people worried that this move deprived consumers of their right to choose, and public opinion quickly escalated. Starbucks UK officially clarified afterwards that these stores are independently operated by licensed partners, and going cashless is not a unified company policy. In fact, Starbucks once tested a cashless model in the US but did not roll it out, and although it encouraged electronic payments during the pandemic, it still emphasized that cash always remains an option. This article will recount the course of the incident and sort out Starbucks' historical stance on payment methods and its future direction. [more…]

Recently, Luckin Coffee made it onto Weibo's trending topics because its iced drinks contained too much ice and the cup volume decreased noticeably after removing the ice, triggering widespread consumer concern about the proportion of ice in chain coffee and milk tea shops. Many netizens posted comparison photos showing that after removing the ice, only half a cup of the drink remained, with some even joking about "looking for the latte in the ice." Luckin officially responded that its drinks are made according to a standardized recipe and that it will strengthen store training. At the same time, other brands such as Starbucks were also accused of a similar phenomenon. This article sorts out the course of the incident, netizen feedback, and official responses, and also includes professional exchange information from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Post Office Coffee, under China Post, is accelerating its expansion. Co-founder and CMO Dong Kexin revealed in a recent interview that the pace of store openings will speed up in the second half of this year, striving to reach the goal of 100 stores. Notably, Post Office Coffee's supply chain uses 100% Yunnan coffee beans. Leveraging the advantages of postal outlets, it is densifying its layout in key cities while also penetrating deeper into lower-tier markets. Since the opening of its first store in Xiamen in February 2022, Post Office Coffee has quickly become a trendy spot with its innovative "coffee + post office" model, boasting six stores in four cities within just half a year. In the fiercely competitive coffee market, can Post Office Coffee stand out with its site selection resources and product operation capabilities? [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…]

In recent years, Yunnan coffee beans have risen to prominence in the domestic market. From China Post's cross-industry launch of Post Coffee to KFC's release of Yunnan Little Red Can freeze-dried coffee, more and more brands are turning their attention to this highland growing region. At the same time, the purchase prices of both commercial and specialty coffee beans in Yunnan have been climbing in tandem, with some premium lots even reaching the thousand-yuan-per-kilogram level. This article will review the market performance of Yunnan coffee beans, the current state of brand applications, and look back at the 2022 price trends, analyzing the multiple factors behind their popularity. [more…]