Recently, a public toilet in Zhengning County, Qingyang, Gansu, which had been in operation for 30 years, was converted into a Lucky Cup freshly ground coffee shop, sparking heated discussion among local residents and netizens. The second floor of the building is a bathhouse, which is quite well-known locally. After a month of renovation, the coffee brand sign was put up, but then a seal was suddenly affixed. The housing and construction department responded that the project was an illegal conversion because it had not obtained planning and construction permits and had arbitrarily changed the use nature, and it had been sealed according to law. The brand side also stated that the store in question did not meet franchise conditions due to property rights issues and would not pass headquarters review later. The incident reflects the approval and property rights difficulties in converting public facilities for commercial use. [more…]

A milk tea shop was sealed and ordered to close on the spot by market supervision officials in under a minute—all because the staff said "Welcome" before asking customers to scan the QR code. The incident sparked widespread attention after it was exposed. An official statement later concluded that the law enforcement officers had abused their power and deliberately made things difficult; those involved have apologized and been disciplined. In this issue of coffee news, while we follow this incident, we also remind coffee professionals to be mindful of the boundaries of law enforcement in epidemic prevention and control, and we continue to bring coffee enthusiasts professional coffee knowledge and Front Street Coffee product recommendations. [more…]

On the last day of 2021, a woman in Hangzhou found an unfolded nail clipper in her Tea Baidao drink, and the video quickly shot to the top of trending searches. Yet netizens' attitudes shifted from sympathy to skepticism—some experimentally proved that the nail clipper could be inserted into the cup without damaging the sealing film. Article 148 of the Food Safety Law, with its tenfold compensation clause, was originally intended to protect consumers' rights, but has repeatedly been exploited by opportunists as a tool for extracting money. Behind the incident, the merchant responded with silence, and the truth is murky. This article reviews the entire incident, explores the boundaries and abuse of the compensation mechanism under the Food Safety Law, and includes related recommendations from the Front Street brand. [more…]

A cup of takeaway coffee sparked a dispute over ten thousand yuan in compensation, landing a coffee shop in an agonizing predicament. The customer claimed that after opening the coffee, it spilled onto a laptop, causing the screen to go black, and demanded ten thousand yuan in compensation from the shop, while leaving negative reviews on major platforms. After reviewing its own surveillance footage, the shop confirmed that there were no issues with the packaging or sealing of the order, and the photos provided by the customer also showed that the inside of the takeaway bag was perfectly clean. Who should be held responsible in this dispute? How should businesses respond to such complaints? This article will recount the sequence of events, present the perspectives of the shop, the customer, and netizens, and explore how businesses in the service industry can reasonably protect their own rights and interests. [more…]

Recently, a milk tea brand in Tianjin trended on Weibo and sparked widespread discussion because the sealing film on its drinks featured the rare character "嬲 (niǎo)." Many netizens pointed out that in the Tianjin dialect, this character carries an indecent or even insulting meaning, making some consumers uncomfortable. Although the brand's original intention may have been to promote awareness of rare characters, the note on the packaging that it is "mostly used as a dirty word" further fueled the controversy. On May 4, the merchant publicly apologized and said it had uniformly destroyed the sealing films printed with the character and would no longer use them. As coffee lovers, Front Street Coffee also took note of this incident, reminding the beverage industry to be more cautious in packaging design to avoid misunderstandings caused by cultural differences or dialect ambiguity. [more…]

Recently, a kind of cold boiled water different from the traditional sense has quietly become popular on social platforms—it comes from the hands of milk tea or coffee shop employees, is processed through a filtration system, is not boiled, and is poured into a transparent PE cup filled with ice cubes and sealed. Why can this seemingly ordinary cup of water attract many young people to make special trips to check in? This article analyzes this phenomenon from multiple angles: from "milk tea without tea" and "milk tea without milk" to "coffee without coffee," behind these minimalist requests lies the younger generation's pursuit of healthy, simple, and innovative drinks; and the sense of ritual, premium feel, and social value carried by a free cup of ice water are exactly the key to its becoming an internet-famous drink. At the same time, the article also retains professional information related to Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Many people mistakenly believe that freshly ground coffee equals fresh coffee, but that is not the case. To truly savor the aroma of coffee, besides grinding fresh, the roast date of the coffee beans is equally crucial. Front Street Coffee, whether in-store or through its online Taobao shop, offers freshly roasted coffee beans. Beans roasted more than 50 days ago basically have little aroma left, but in the first two days after roasting, the aroma has not yet stabilized and the regional flavors cannot be tasted, so Front Street reminds customers to generally rest the beans for three to four days before brewing. So how should coffee beans be stored to maintain freshness after opening? Front Street has summarized the four things coffee beans fear most — moisture, oxygen, light, and heat — and shared the pros and cons of storage methods such as one-way degassing valve bags, sealed canisters, and vacuum canisters, to help everyone extend the flavor life of coffee beans as much as possible in daily life. [more…]

Coffee beans are not more aromatic the closer they are to the roast date. Freshly roasted beans contain more carbon dioxide, which can cause uneven water penetration in the puck when pulling espresso; the crema may look thick and rich, but the sip feels loose and disconnected. After resting for a period, the gas is slowly released, and notes of nuts, cocoa, or caramel only then become coherent. When selecting commercial beans, take the roast date into account [more…]

A trending topic about food safety in milk tea shops has sparked widespread concern: The Market Supervision Administration of Fengxian District, Shanghai, conducted surprise inspections of several well-known milk tea stores in Baolong Plaza, and the results showed that all five brands—Yidian Dian, ChaBaiDao, 7FenTian, CoCo, and XiongJi—had problems, involving incomplete health certificates, chaotic raw material management, and unsanitary operating environments. The incident quickly surpassed 500 million views, with netizens exclaiming, "I dare not drink it anymore." At the same time, the article also reviewed food safety cases in recent years involving Burger King, 85°C, IKEA, and others, reminding the food and beverage industry that it must strictly abide by operating standards. [more…]

Recently, a woman discovered curly hair attached to a lychee at the bottom of her cup after drinking milk tea, sparking concern. The store involved responded that the lychee tea uses a lidded rather than sealed packaging, the source of the hair is currently unclear, and it is willing to pay ten times compensation and accept investigation, but the individual refused compensation and demanded the store be shut down for rectification. Meanwhile, hygiene problems in the tea beverage industry occur frequently: a Nayuki Tea store was exposed for cockroaches crawling everywhere and rotting fruit, and cockroaches appeared on the counter at Yihetang. Food hygiene and safety concern consumer health, and whether a well-known brand or an ordinary store, production processes should be strictly controlled and safety systems implemented. [more…]

Cold brew coffee, with its clean, mellow body and unique fermented aroma, has become a favorite among many coffee lovers during hot weather. But not all coffee beans are suited to making cold brew—bean selection, grind size, Brew time, and resting time all directly affect the final flavor. This article begins with Front Street's cold brew reservation rules, explaining in detail why cold brew needs to be ordered two days in advance, why freshly brewed coffee liquid must be sealed and refrigerated to rest, and the drinking window and safe storage recommendations for cold brew. It then highlights four coffee beans that Front Street commonly uses for cold brew—Ethiopia Flower, Kenya Little Tomato, Costa Rica Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend, and Honduras Sherry—introducing each one's origin background, processing method, and cold brew flavor performance, to help readers find the beans that suit their own taste. [more…]

Many people know that pre-ground coffee powder is not as aromatic as freshly ground coffee, yet they still choose to have it ground for them, and there are actually quite a few practical considerations behind this. Pre-ground powder saves the trouble of buying a coffee grinder, is portable and labor-saving, and the professional grinders at coffee shops usually provide a more uniform grind. However, once coffee beans become powder, their peak flavor period is greatly shortened, and the way they are stored and used changes accordingly. From Front Street's perspective, this article sorts out the major advantages of pre-ground powder and explains in detail the key points to note when using pre-ground powder, such as stirring and sealing, to help you enjoy a more satisfying cup within the limited flavor window. [more…]

Recently, an elderly woman in Nanjing became an overnight sensation on social media with her "hand-brewed coffee" priced at just ten yuan per cup, drawing many netizens to visit her shop specifically. Her storefront is small, but her method is remarkably simple—she takes out three sticks of Nescafé instant coffee, cuts them open and pours them into a plastic cup, adds hot water, seals and shakes it, and a cup of coffee is handed to the customer. After the video went viral, the elderly woman's business exploded, selling over two hundred cups a day, and even Nescafé's official livestream channel jumped on the trend by launching a "Nanjing Auntie's Same Style" product. The elderly woman candidly admitted that she has always sold Nescafé and would not cut corners just because more customers are coming. Meanwhile, similar low-priced drinks in the alleys of Guangdong have also gained popularity among students. These drinks with simple ingredients may not taste as good as specialty coffee, but they carry many people's fondest early memories of coffee. [more…]

The charm of espresso lies in the clever ratio of espresso to milk; different proportions create the distinctly different flavor profiles of classic drinks such as latte, cappuccino, and mocha. However, each coffee shop has its own blending approach, and even the same coffee can show subtle variations when paired with different beans. This article systematically sorts out the blending ratios of common espresso drinks, including the specific recipes for latte, cappuccino, and mocha, and combines Front Street Coffee's practical experience to provide detailed parameters for home brewing. In addition, the article extends to the field of black coffee, comparing the preparation processes, coffee-to-water ratios, and flavor differences of Americano, ice drip, and cold brew, helping coffee enthusiasts find the cup that best suits their personal taste preferences. [more…]

Recently, customers in many places have noticed that some power outlets in Starbucks stores have been sealed off, sparking widespread discussion. As a chain brand positioned around the "third place," Starbucks has long attracted office workers, students, and other consumers who linger for extended periods, and amenities such as power outlets and Wi-Fi are among the reasons for its popularity. However, the behavior of some people who occupy seats and charge their devices without making a purchase has forced stores to take countermeasures such as sealing off outlets and requiring a purchase to be seated. Is this move a helpless step to cut costs and improve efficiency, or does it harm the experience of genuine customers? This article synthesizes multiple viewpoints to explore the balance between the operational dilemmas behind Starbucks' outlet closures and consumer rights. [more…]

As Shanghai gradually resumes production and daily life, being able to get a cup of takeout coffee right at one's doorstep has become a small blessing for many. However, MANNER Coffee's store on Wujiang Road in Shanghai was found in a surprise inspection by market regulators to have problems including substandard environmental hygiene and non-compliant food storage, and was placed under investigation on May 23, quickly sparking heated discussion online. On May 24, MANNER's official Weibo account issued an apology statement, admitting that during the supply-guarantee delivery period there were oversights such as non-standard use of raw milk and failure to promptly clean the backing paper of food-safety seals, and stating that the store involved had immediately suspended operations for rectification. But this apology was questioned by some consumers and industry experts as evading the key issues and failing to directly address core hazards such as floor grime potentially contaminating food. As the pioneer of the domestic boutique coffee shop model, MANNER is facing a dual test of quality and food safety on a coffee track now crowded with cross-industry giants. [more…]

Want to buy fresh, great-tasting coffee beans online but don't know which Taobao shop is reliable? Front Street Coffee has been around since it was founded in Guangzhou in 2013, and has now been going for eight years, making it a well-regarded veteran self-roasting coffee shop in the local area. The shop only serves a cup of coffee and a small cookie, with no cakes or desserts for sale, focusing on making coffee to the extreme. Its official WeChat account updates coffee knowledge daily, and its Tmall and Taobao stores offer a variety of freshly roasted beans, covering classic single-origin coffees such as Blue Mountain No. 1, Red Label Geisha, Huakui, Gendingding, and Kenya AA. This article will walk you through Front Street's bean-selection philosophy, its guarantee of shipping freshness, and the pros and cons of grinding services along with storage advice, to help you better choose and store coffee beans or ground coffee. [more…]

When coffee beans have just left the roaster, the bean body will still continue to release carbon dioxide. At this point, opening the bag gives a very strong aroma, but that does not mean it immediately reaches the ideal state for brewing; too much gas can make espresso flow fluctuate, and can also cause pour-over blooming to expand too quickly. When choosing beans for a shop, what matters is not "the closer to the roast date the better," but how it [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow: Front Street Coffee (Frontsteet Coffee). From the perspective of coffee flavor, pre-grinding coffee beans will accelerate the loss of coffee flavor. This is also the reason why most coffee shops, including Front Street, recommend freshly ground coffee. For domestic pour-over [more…]

Faced with the bewildering array of bean listings on shopping platforms and the dazzling choices in coffee shops, many coffee lovers often don't know where to start. In fact, choosing coffee beans isn't complicated—just grasp a few key dimensions: the brewing method determines the bean type to choose, the roast date and resting period affect flavor expression, and the origin and roast level directly influence the taste direction. In addition, coffee names often hide grade information, and recognizing these details can help you quickly lock in high-quality beans. This article will systematically sort out practical knowledge for buying coffee beans from aspects such as brewing method, packaging labels, origin flavors, grade identification, and the trade-off between whole beans and ground coffee, and combine it with Front Street Coffee's product examples to help you find the one that best suits your taste. [more…]