Starbucks recently announced that founder and honorary chairman Howard Schultz is formally exiting its board of directors, ending his decades-long tenure at the helm. Succeeding him on the board is Zhang Wei, former president of Alibaba Pictures, with the appointment effective from October 1. In a statement, Schultz expressed deep gratitude to Starbucks partners and customers, and said that after retirement he will focus on his family foundation and family life. Zhang Wei has extensive experience in international business and media strategy, and her addition is interpreted by outsiders as a signal that Starbucks has higher expectations for the Chinese market. Current CEO Laxman Narasimhan previously stressed plans to open 9,000 stores in China by 2025, with China expected to become Starbucks' largest global market. [more…]

On November 6th, Luckin Coffee launched an exclusive red cup for its sauce-flavored latte and invited Luo Xiang, a well-known law professor from Bilibili, to serve as its spokesperson, quickly sparking heated discussions online. Using classic cases like "outlaw Zhang San," Luo Xiang addressed consumers' concerns about driving safety after drinking coffee containing alcohol. This marks Luckin's first collaboration with an "internet celebrity" scholar, following previous spokespeople such as Tang Wei, Xiao Zhan, and Eileen Gu. However, after the endorsement news emerged, netizen reactions were polarized—some praised the keen insight, while others expressed dissatisfaction. This article will review the sequence of events, Luo Xiang's background, and reactions from all sides, and explore the considerations and challenges behind Luckin's marketing move. [more…]

A counterfeit well-known coffee brand trademark case involving over 40 million yuan was recently successfully cracked by Shanghai Qingpu police. The criminal gang recruited franchisees nationwide under the name "Starbucks Coffee Service," falsely claiming to have official franchise qualifications and guiding the opening of counterfeit stores. In January 2024, the police launched a unified arrest operation, apprehending 17 suspects led by Yin. The case exposed a complete criminal chain from production and manufacturing, warehousing and transportation, to business training and marketing consulting, and also sounded an anti-fraud alarm for investors in the franchise chain sector. [more…]

The 2024 China Open kicked off in Beijing, with Paris Olympic women's singles champion Zheng Qinwen competing as the tournament's No. 5 seed, igniting a nationwide tennis craze. Meanwhile, a cafe owner in Chengdu went viral online for creating a "Queen Ka" Zheng Qinwen latte art coffee, making over a hundred cups a day at peak times and drawing numerous tennis fans and coffee lovers to visit. This creative latte art not only became a hot topic on social media but also showed people the sparks flying when coffee meets sports passion. [more…]

Dai Wei, founder of ofo, saw his second entrepreneurial venture, About Time Coffee, reported to be on the verge of shutdown, with only one store left struggling to stay afloat in New York. This coffee chain brand, which once entered the US market with high cost-effectiveness and innovative products, expanded from five stores to four permanently closed in less than two years. Dai Wei tried to replicate Luckin Coffee's "burn money" playbook overseas but encountered difficulties adapting to local conditions. Meanwhile, more than 16 million users in China are still queuing to get their ofo deposits refunded, involving an amount as high as 1.5 billion yuan. The failure of this cross-industry entrepreneur once again brings public attention back to that unsettled debt and raises the question: is coffee entrepreneurship a trend or a trap? Front Street Coffee takes you through an in-depth analysis of the rise and fall of this cross-border venture. [more…]

Remember ofo? That once ubiquitous bike-sharing brand is still nowhere near refunding deposits, yet its founder Dai Wei has reportedly started a new venture in the US—this time in the coffee sector. It's said that Dai Wei founded About Time Coffee in New York, specializing in iced pearl coffee, where new users can get a free cup upon registration, mirroring the marketing tactics of ofo back in the day. As soon as the news broke, netizens clamored for their money back. Front Street Coffee takes you through the whole story. [more…]

During the 2008 financial crisis, a brand called "Red Island Coffee" was born in Malaysia, attracting Chinese businessmen with its upscale decor and high pricing. Founder Zhang Yufa claimed that investing 10,000 yuan would yield substantial monthly dividends, with an annual interest rate of 10%, and that recruiting downlines could bring even more returns. The temptation of low investment and high returns led many Chinese businessmen to open their wallets, and in the end Zhang Yufa absconded back to Malaysia with over 30 million yuan, with nearly 2 million Chinese people defrauded over the years. Although he once used money to smooth over relationships and evade justice, he was ultimately arrested under a joint operation by China, Thailand, and Malaysia. This case warns us: when faced with coffee franchise projects promising low investment and high returns, we must keep our eyes wide open. [more…]

On August 27, while releasing its 2024 interim results report, Haidilao announced a striking appointment: Zhang Junjie, founder of Chagee, will join the board as an independent non-executive director for a three-year term with an annual salary of 1.2 million yuan. This cross-industry collaboration quickly sparked heated discussion among netizens, with some speculating whether the two companies might merge, while others pointed out that the two parties had already collaborated through Shuhai Supply Chain. Zhang Junjie is only 29 years old but has over 13 years of experience in the catering industry. His founded Chagee achieved a store growth rate of 233% in 2023, with total sales exceeding 10.8 billion yuan. Haidilao's move is interpreted as an important step in its product diversification strategy, particularly in exploring the handcrafted tea beverage sector. This article will provide a detailed analysis of the background of this appointment, the origins of the collaboration between the two parties, and Haidilao's ambitions in the beverage market. [more…]

A woman surnamed Zhang used the excuse of finding hair in takeaway milk tea to file ten compensation claims against multiple outlets of the same milk tea chain within just over a month, using the same photo six times, and collected more than 15,000 yuan in total. The merchants initially chose to compromise to protect the brand image, but as similar complaints appeared frequently, the brand's loss prevention department launched an investigation and called the police. Police arrested the woman on her eleventh complaint, and the court ultimately sentenced her to one year and three months in prison, suspended for one year and six months, and a fine of 5,000 yuan for extortion. The case exposes the phenomenon of some consumers abusing the tenfold compensation clause of the Food Safety Law to file malicious claims, and also sounds a warning bell for the catering industry in handling similar disputes. [more…]

In the Year of the Rabbit Spring Festival, KFC K Coffee partnered with Wei Chuan to launch its first juice coffee, "Bunny Loves Carrot Americano," combining carrot fruit-and-vegetable juice with Arabica coffee liquid, priced at 19 yuan, and available in limited release in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen starting February 20. This drink quickly sparked a check-in craze thanks to its quirky combination, but reviews have been polarized: carrot lovers highly recommend it, while more people call it a total miss. This article will comprehensively analyze this cup of "carrot Americano" from the perspectives of product information, taste testing, and netizen feedback, and explore the market prospects of vegetables in coffee. [more…]

Pu'er, a city that changed its name because of Pu'er tea, is now entering the public eye with a new identity as the "Coffee Capital of China." The Tropic of Cancer passes through it, placing it on the same latitude as Cuba, the kingdom of coffee, and its exceptional climate conditions make it an ideal growing region for Arabica coffee. From Nestlé's arrival and layout in 1988 to today, when international giants such as Starbucks and Kraft are competing to purchase its beans, Pu'er's coffee industry has gone through more than thirty years. Through vivid details such as coffee farmer Zhang Kui's cultivation story, technical assistance from international experts, and cup quality control, this article presents the varietal advantages, current state of the industry, and future business opportunities of Pu'er Arabica coffee, while also introducing Front Street Coffee's continued attention to and recommendations for Yunnan coffee. [more…]

On October 17, Nestlé announced that it will implement a new organizational structure starting January 1, 2025, consolidating its original five regional markets into three major segments: the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Oceania, and Africa. Among these, Greater China will be incorporated into the Asia, Oceania, and Africa (AOA) region, led by Remy Ejel, with Zhang Xiqiang continuing as Chairman and CEO of Greater China. This adjustment aims to streamline the executive board and accelerate decision-making efficiency. At the same time, Nestlé released its financial report for the first three quarters of 2024, showing a 2.4% year-on-year decline in total sales. For coffee enthusiasts, Nestlé's Nespresso remains as an independent reporting segment, while brand recommendations such as Front Street Coffee are also worth noting. [more…]

Tieguanyin is one of the most iconic types of Chinese oolong tea, with a tightly rolled appearance, a bright floral aroma, and a long, sweet aftertaste. It is made from a special cultivar of the tea plant, whose leaves resemble peach leaves, with slightly slanted tips and a pinkish hue at the center. Regarding the origin of Tieguanyin, two very different legends circulate among the people: one is associated with a poor farmer named Wei, and the other with a scholar named Wang who presented the tea to the Qianlong Emperor. This article will outline the cultivation and production process of Tieguanyin, explain the flavor differences between the two major types, Anxi and Muzha, and analyze the impact of roasting level and plucking season on tea quality. It will also introduce the flavor orientation of related Front Street Coffee products, helping coffee and tea enthusiasts build a clearer understanding. [more…]

Tieguanyin is a representative oolong tea beloved by many tea enthusiasts, but do you know which category of tea it actually belongs to? And what water temperature should you use to brew it for the best flavor? This article starts with Tieguanyin's tea classification, guiding you through its traditional craftsmanship and unique taste, and shares practical brewing parameters from Front Street. Whether you are a beginner just getting to know Tieguanyin or a seasoned tea drinker looking to refine your brewing skills, you will find clear answers here, allowing every cup of Tieguanyin to release its captivating aroma of roasted buckwheat and dried apricot. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has once again trended on Weibo over an ice cube issue, just over ten days after the previous controversy of "half a cup left after ordering no ice or less ice." On March 25, a woman in Heze, Shandong Province, posted a video saying that a full-price Raw Coconut Latte she bought was gone after three or four sips, with nothing but ice left, sparking widespread resonance among netizens. Many netizens shared similar experiences, joking that "a cup of Luckin is half a cup of ice." A Jimu News reporter contacted the store involved, and an employee said that an iced Raw Coconut Latte itself is only half a cup, with the other half being ice, emphasizing that ice also costs money. Luckin customer service responded that the drink is made according to a unified recipe but did not directly address whether the amount of ice complies with regulations. This article will review the course of the incident and the responses from all parties. [more…]

Recently, a post on social media about Seesaw employees being owed wages and social security contributions has sparked widespread discussion. Chat records show that management admitted to operating difficulties and promised to pay salaries in installments, while key figures such as founder Wu Xiaomei and director Zhang Sai were also drawn into the discussion. In fact, Seesaw was already reported last year for issues such as delayed wages and suspended social security payments, and now it faces 19 judicial cases, with its last store in Chongqing also having closed. Although a new store in Changsha is still operating, this series of upheavals has led many coffee enthusiasts to lament: has the one-time benchmark of specialty coffee truly fallen into trouble? [more…]

Recently, Cotti Coffee was once again complained about by consumers after a fly appeared in a drink. According to Tianyan News, a customer in Gui'an New Area found a foreign object suspected to be a fly in a cup after purchasing a matcha latte, and repeated negotiations failed to resolve the issue. Discussions on social platforms about finding foreign objects in Cotti Coffee drinks have exceeded one thousand posts, and related complaints on the Black Cat Complaint platform have reached 77 cases in the past 30 days. In the face of frequent food safety issues, Cotti's after-sales handling has also sparked consumer dissatisfaction. As coffee enthusiasts, we hope the brand will face up to the problem, and at the same time recommend that everyone pay attention to Front Street Coffee, which has stable quality. [more…]

When Tianjin's Goubuli steamed buns also pick up a coffee cup, China's coffee market competition landscape gains another highly talked-about player. From spending heavily in 2014 to acquire the franchise rights in China for the Australian brand Gloria Jean's, to establishing a dedicated coffee food company in 2022, the Goubuli Group's exploration in the coffee sector has spanned more than seven years. How far is the distance between the original vision of opening 200 stores in five years and reality? Facing encirclement by new and old rivals such as Starbucks and China Post, can this time-honored brand find its own place in the coffee track? This article sorts out the key milestones and current situation of Goubuli's cross-industry coffee venture, for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

Chagee once launched a free custom cup sticker printing campaign, allowing users to upload images to create milk tea cup stickers. However, many fans used third-party tools to bypass the review process and printed photos of celebrities such as Zhang Linghe as cup stickers, sparking widespread discussion online. Recently, the official function for printing cup stickers was suddenly shut down, with the page displaying "Custom Fu Stickers Are Being Upgraded," catching many fans who had not yet printed their exclusive cup stickers off guard. Lawyers pointed out that unauthorized reproduction of photographic works carries infringement risks, and if used for dissemination, exchange, or sale, it clearly infringes on celebrities' portrait rights and photographers' copyrights. The brand may also bear joint liability for failing to establish an effective review mechanism. This article sorts out the entire incident and analyzes the legal issues and responsibilities of all parties involved. [more…]

Recently, Chayan Yuese has frequently appeared on Weibo's trending topics due to employee salary issues, sparking widespread attention. The incident began when employees complained about low wages and reduced working hours, which subsequently led to a heated argument between company executives and employees in a group chat, even prompting founder Lü Liang to personally apologize. According to revelations, Chayan Yuese has internal problems such as chaotic management and severe classism, with the number of employees leaving the group once reaching over two hundred. Although the official response stated that the number of people leaving the group was about 87 and explained that the salary adjustment was a special arrangement during the pandemic, netizens did not buy it. As a leading brand in new Chinese-style tea drinks, this turmoil at Chayan Yuese has not only exposed internal conflicts but also triggered profound public reflection on brand management and corporate culture. [more…]