Recently, a Luckin Coffee employee posted footage on social media showing a store destroying co-branded packaging overnight, with trash bins full of unopened cup sleeves and takeaway cups, quickly sparking discussions among netizens about waste and environmental protection. According to the employee, on the eve of the end of each co-branding campaign, stores must cut and destroy remaining materials under surveillance, including previously co-branded Chengdu Cultural Tourism small panda keychains. Some netizens compared this with Cotti Coffee's approach, arguing that continuing to use expired packaging materials both reduces waste and gives customers surprises; others with knowledge of the matter pointed out that the destruction may be forced by the licensing period granted by the co-branding partner, and using them beyond the period could lead to breach-of-contract compensation. Behind this controversy lies the dilemma of materials management and intellectual property compliance amid the co-branding boom. [more…]

Recently, the hit drama "The Tale of Rose" has sparked widespread discussion, and news of Luckin Coffee's co-branding with it was also exposed in advance on social platforms, with photos of merchandise, cup sleeves, paper bags, and other materials quickly circulating. Internal employees shared new test questions, indirectly confirming the authenticity of the co-branding campaign and revealing that the limited-edition new product is Yellow Rose Latte. The campaign is expected to launch on the 24th, but the news became known to the public nearly two weeks in advance. Some believe that releasing information while the drama's popularity is at its peak is a win-win for both the brand and the production team; others have noticed that employees are required to comply with social media confidentiality rules, yet material leaks occur repeatedly. Behind this "double standard" phenomenon, who exactly should be responsible for internal information leaks? This article will sort out the sequence of events and explore the delicate relationship among the brand, employees, and netizens. [more…]

Starbucks and the classic Peanuts character Snoopy launched their first co-branded campaign in mainland China, originally scheduled to go live on March 25, but it was suddenly moved up to March 21, leaving many stores unable to receive the limited-edition cup sleeves and takeout bags in time. Consumers who bought the co-branded drinks could not get the Snoopy packaging they had expected and voiced their disappointment and dissatisfaction. Starbucks employees explained that the materials were unevenly distributed, and some staff even hand-drew Snoopy designs as a makeshift fix. This co-branding campaign exposed the brand's chaos in event coordination and material allocation, and also sparked discussions about ensuring a proper co-branded experience. [more…]

The Chagee x "Ne Zha 2" collaboration officially launched today. Fans, who had been eagerly awaiting it, rushed to place orders for the limited-edition merchandise. However, on the very first day of the campaign, problems such as material shortages, mismatched packaging, and inconsistent execution across stores came to light, triggering strong dissatisfaction among consumers. By contrast, the earlier Cotti Coffee x "Ne Zha 2" collaboration was praised as "textbook-level" for its timely after-sales service and genuine sincerity. Chagee's chaotic performance this time has left many fans openly disappointed, with some even joking that they "couldn't even copy the homework properly." This article reviews the specific problems and consumer feedback from the first day of the campaign, and looks back at Cotti's successful experience, offering a comprehensive perspective for coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts. [more…]

The adorable bear delivery rack jointly created by Starbucks and Meituan has recently been delivered to consumers one after another, but unexpectedly sparked a series of amusing incidents. Some people went to stores to pick up their packages only to find the staff completely confused; some only discovered after assembling it that the promotion had long ended; and some stores even mistook the delivery rack for promotional material and placed it outside the door to welcome customers. This merchandise, which requires meeting Meituan's spend-and-get conditions to reserve for free, won over countless fans with its sensor-activated glowing bear and sturdy fiberboard material, but also left netizens who missed out lamenting, "Big data, you're too late." Those who successfully got their hands on one are now starting to worry: will such a cute rack get swiped if I put it outside my door? The various experiences surrounding this co-branded merchandise reflect the subtle gap between brand campaign promotion and consumer reach. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's co-branding collaboration with the mythological film "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force" had not yet officially launched when it drew widespread attention due to a typo on the cup sleeves. The cup sleeves, which should have borne the two characters "西岐" (Xiqi), were mistakenly printed with "西崎" (Xiqi). This error quickly fermented on social media. Netizens flooded online channels to call on Luckin Coffee officials, hoping for a swift recall and reprint. However, given the approaching Spring Festival, factory and logistics shutdowns for the holiday, and the film's release schedule, a reprint was nearly impossible. Ultimately, based on new merchandise photos shared by employees, Luckin appeared to have chosen to let the mistake stand and continued to roll out this batch of misspelled cup sleeves. This article will walk you through the entire sequence of events and also look at how brands like Front Street Coffee have performed with their co-branded merchandise. [more…]

Cotti Coffee announced on February 28 a co-branding partnership with the hit mobile game Honor of Kings, launching the Peach Drunk series of drinks and limited-edition merchandise inspired by the classic images of three highly popular characters: Gongsun Li, Yang Yuhuan, and Wu Zetian. The news immediately drew attention. Although the official launch date has not yet been announced, store materials and netizen photos have already leaked in advance, and store staff revealed that the new products will officially launch on March 6. This is not Cotti's first time using co-branding to build hype. From sponsoring the Argentina team at the World Cup to partnering with the streetwear brand SMILEY, this brand, established only four months ago, is seizing the market through a path of "rapid store expansion + ultra-low prices + marketing," and has proclaimed a goal of 10,000 stores by 2025. However, data from Zhaomen Canyan shows that it actually covers only 81 cities with 232 stores, a gap from the advertised "a hundred cities, a thousand stores." Whether Cotti, which is repeating Luckin's old path, can succeed still remains to be seen. [more…]

Recently, 1 Dian Dian partnered with Italian mineral water brand San Pellegrino to launch two limited-edition new products, "Grape Sparkling Tea" and "Double Yuzu Sparkling Tea," sold as combo sets. Consumers could receive a store-made sparkling tea, a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water, and limited-edition packaging all at once. However, after the new products launched, many consumers discovered that the complimentary San Pellegrino sparkling water included with their order had already been opened, with only a small amount of liquid remaining in the bottle, sparking concerns about beverage hygiene and delivery safety. Some delivery users also reported not receiving the sparkling water or the limited-edition packaging, which did not match the official promotion. In response, some netizens explained that the complimentary sparkling water was actually leftover material from making the sparkling tea, a routine practice in tea shops. But some consumers still believed that after opening, the carbon dioxide in the sparkling water easily escapes during delivery, greatly diminishing the taste, and suggested that the brand directly provide unopened products so customers can mix it themselves. This article will delve into the ins and outs of this incident and the various viewpoints of all parties. [more…]

The recently popular drama "The Tale of Rose" has sparked a wave of coffee collaborations. Luckin drew inspiration from the iconic yellow rose in the show and launched a Yellow Rose Latte along with a matching three-piece set of paper bags, cup sleeves, and keychains. Purchasing the double-cup package would earn a limited-edition collaboration keychain, and as soon as the news broke, it ignited a buying frenzy among drama fans and coffee lovers. However, because stock of the merchandise at each store was extremely limited, many consumers came eager but left empty-handed, and social media was filled with cries of lament. Even more dramatically, the keychain posted by lead actress Liu Yifei was actually not produced by Luckin, adding a touch of controversy to this collaboration campaign. This article walks you through the whole story of this buying frenzy. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's recently launched co-branded limited-edition takeaway cups have sparked widespread discussion on social media. Some consumers reported that after seeing promotions in livestreams and placing orders, they were told upon arriving at stores that the limited-edition cups were out of stock and would not be restocked, leaving them to accept ordinary cold drink cups instead. In Hainan, Jilin, and other regions, plastic ban policies prevented the use of these injection-molded cups, yet official channels continued to display promotional images, causing customers to make futile trips to stores. In addition, issues such as the absence of notices in the promotions indicating limited quantities and the failure to promptly update promotional images after stores ran out of stock left both consumers and store employees frustrated. Front Street Coffee notes that this incident reflects shortcomings in the brand's management of peripheral materials and promotional standards. [more…]

A tea beverage and gaming collaboration that was originally highly anticipated came to an abrupt halt on the day of its official announcement. On December 14, Light and Night announced a co-branded new product with Auntea Jenny, but employees at some stores were exposed for insulting players and game characters. Related topics quickly topped the hot search list, with views exceeding 450 million. Just three hours later, the game developer urgently stated that the collaboration was terminated, which netizens jokingly called "the shortest collaboration in history." Auntea Jenny subsequently apologized and fired the employees involved, but players were not appeased. This incident not only exposed the brand's loopholes in franchise management, but also sounded a warning bell for cross-industry collaborations. [more…]

Hand-shaken lemon tea brand Ningji recently announced a collaboration with the Japanese anime "Detective Conan," but found itself embroiled in controversy over CP-themed posters displayed in its stores. The posters placed Conan alongside Haibara Ai, and Shinichi Kudo alongside Ran Mouri, sparking strong discontent among fans of the original work. Although Ningji quickly issued an apology statement, attributing the incident to unauthorized actions by an individual franchisee, netizens and industry insiders broadly rejected this explanation, believing the brand was clearly derelict in its material review and respect for the IP. Notably, this is already the second time this year that Ningji has publicly apologized over problems with marketing material oversight. For coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts, how collaborative marketing can strike a balance between respecting the original work and consumers has once again become an industry topic worth watching. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's co-branded Moutai Latte, launched in partnership with Kweichow Moutai, achieved impressive first-day sales exceeding 100 million yuan. However, the subsequent Year of the Dragon Moutai Chocolate Latte failed to sustain the hype, causing the Moutai series beverages to fall into a sales slump. A large quantity of unopened Moutai Latte thick milk, facing expiration and with no return channel, had to be destroyed by stores themselves, with employees forced to pour box after box of ingredients down the drain. This incident sparked heated discussion online. Some netizens lamented the waste and suggested following supermarkets' example by clearing near-expiry products through discounts; others pointed out that opinions on the Moutai Latte's taste are sharply divided, and that novel products are better suited for short-term sales rather than long-term menu placement. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's recent collaboration with the claymation character Pingu has sparked considerable discussion. In the early stage of the campaign, consumers had to buy designated set meals or two cups of the new drink to get the merchandise, and many fans placed orders at full price or even stockpiled coffee coupons for this. However, not long after the campaign ended, Luckin released the same merchandise again with a lower threshold or even for free, leaving consumers who had bought at a high price earlier feeling dissatisfied. At the same time, employees reported on social platforms that the merchandise was selling poorly, with inventory piling up at some stores, and materials such as stickers even being discarded or given away. From the teaser phase to the rerun, this collaboration reflects the gap between a brand's marketing节奏 and consumers' expectations. [more…]

Nayuki's official shop recently sold last year's co-branded limited-edition merchandise for 5.9 yuan with free shipping, including Powerpuff Girls fridge magnets, sparking strong dissatisfaction among consumers who had originally bought designated set meals to obtain the merchandise. Some store employees even revealed that some expired merchandise could be obtained for free without any purchase, simply by checking in and writing a positive review. On one side, fans who spent money on set meals feel let down; on the other, the brand is turning inventory into free gifts or selling it at low prices to avoid waste. Regarding how limited-edition merchandise is handled after a campaign ends, consumer opinions are clearly divided—some support clearing out stock, while others worry that bargain hunters exploiting loopholes could affect future collaborations. [more…]

When Italian coffee brand Lavazza meets fellow Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini, a cross-industry collaboration once again ignites consumer enthusiasm. On June 11, Lamborghini's official website announced a partnership with Lavazza, under which the two parties will hold events and offer coffee experiences in Italy and international markets, and visitors to the Lamborghini Automobile Museum can also taste Lavazza coffee while admiring classic car models. Subsequently, Lavazza launched a limited-edition "Shake & Go Series" in China, featuring two flavors, "Summer Mango Coconut" and "Pineapple Sea," priced at 48 yuan for two cups, with accompanying co-branded special shaker bottles and phone lanyards and other merchandise, triggering a buying frenzy among netizens. Front Street Coffee has long followed such cross-industry developments, and this article will sort out the product details and market response of this collaboration and explore how brand collaborations can achieve a communication effect of 1+1>2. [more…]

Manner recently teamed up with the fashion magazine Fantastic Man and the fashion brand Thom Browne to launch a three-way collaboration featuring a "Tiramisu Latte" and a co-branded canvas tote bag. However, what truly sparked social media discussion was not the drink itself, but the themed cups dressed in a literary guise. The cups are randomly printed with literary excerpts from writers such as Borges, Ian McEwan, and Milan Kundera. The hot and cold drink cups respectively present visual effects of black text on a white background and white text on a transparent background, exuding a strong literary and artistic vibe. Some people gave up the habit of bringing their own cups in order to collect the cups, spending an extra 5 yuan on a set meal; some consumers also said that because the brand logo was shrunk into small print and mixed in among the quotations, they almost failed to recognize Manner takeout. The co-branded packaging quickly sold out, and some stores are already out of stock. The official side said it is urgently restocking. Front Street Coffee continues to follow coffee industry developments and brand collaboration trends, bringing you timely reports. [more…]

Manner is teaming up for another collaboration, and this time the partner is no small name—Wedgwood, a British porcelain brand with over two hundred years of history. As soon as the news broke, social media exploded. Some people are looking forward to the image of sipping coffee from an exquisite bone china cup, while others are already worrying: how many cups of coffee will they have to drink to get this cup? Looking back at Manner's past collaborations, most of the merchandise required purchasing a limited-edition drink set to obtain, which left many consumers feeling troubled. Whether this collaboration with Wedgwood can change the rules has become the issue everyone cares about most. [more…]

While Heytea, Nayuki, Starbucks, and Luckin are battling it out on the front lines over co-branded collaborations, new product launches, and price wars, few have noticed that a group of suppliers behind them is quietly rising. From Jiahe Foods to Sanyuan Biology, from Tianye Shares to Hengxin Life and Dexin Foods, an increasing number of raw material and packaging companies behind new-style beverages are beginning to sprint toward the capital market. Some of these companies provide non-dairy creamers and sugar substitutes, some supply fruit juice concentrates and flavored syrups, and others specialize in producing paper cups and plastic cups. While terminal brands fight in a red ocean, upstream suppliers have seized the momentum to grow bigger, raked in huge profits, and collectively embarked on the path to listing. [more…]

Manner Coffee has once again drawn attention, this time by teaming up with Tesla for a co-branded campaign. As a recognized master of collaborations in the coffee world, Manner's cross-industry footprint has already covered automobiles, luxury goods, beauty, sports, and many other sectors. From NIO to LV, from Helena Rubinstein to Allbirds, each partnership has precisely captured the brand tone, creating a win-win of both buzz and sales. This article will review Manner's major co-branding cases over the years, analyze the brand strategy and consumer psychology behind its success, and include professional information recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]