Manner Coffee's first store in Xiamen MixC is about to close. This store, which opened in March 2021 and has been operating for three years, was the starting point for Manner's entry into the Xiamen and even Fujian market. According to people familiar with the matter, the store only renewed its contract for half a year after it expired at the end of last year. Now the renewal period is about to end and there is no intention to continue, so the closure is a foregone conclusion. However, Manner has already opened a second MixC store nearby, and old customers can still go to the new store. Behind this adjustment are both factors related to the mall's business planning and possible cost considerations brought about by rent changes. Although opening stores in core commercial districts can bring foot traffic and visibility, high costs such as rent, utilities, and labor also force brands to weigh the pros and cons. [more…]

Recently, news emerged that the Starbucks Reserve store at Guangzhou's Parc Central is set to close, with official confirmation that it will officially cease operations in the coming days. This store, which opened in 2017, was created by Starbucks to celebrate its 15th anniversary of entering the South China market and was once hailed as "one of Guangzhou's most design-forward stores." Unlike previously closed old stores located in declining foot traffic commercial districts, this closure is in a core commercial area of Tianhe District, surrounded by luxury brands, and the store was almost always full on a daily basis. However, high rent, low table turnover caused by the open-plan space, and phenomena such as "people only checking in for photos without consuming" may have made it difficult for the store to be profitable after deducting costs. Starbucks stated that the reason for the closure is adjustments to the business mix in the commercial district and said there are still more than 10 nearby stores for consumers to choose from. [more…]

Recently, a netizen in Shanghai discovered that a Manner Coffee had actually opened inside a Lianjia store, with the two brands sharing the same signboard—white and green each taking up half. Upon entering, one could see both Manner's inverted triangle logo and Lianjia's property listing boards. Was this Manner's attempt to expand into community channels, or had Lianjia taken a stake in the coffee brand? The answer was finally revealed when Lianjia's official WeChat account posted on April 7 confirming the official opening of this shared store at No. 184, Lane 100, Zhongtan Road. Manner has always chosen locations in core business districts or areas with dense office buildings. This time, moving its counter into a community and sharing space with a real estate agency has sparked quite a bit of discussion. Some are looking forward to it, some are joking about it, and others question whether the two consumption scenarios can truly integrate. This article takes you through the ins and outs of this cross-industry collaboration. [more…]

Recently, news that Chongqing's first Starbucks store is about to close has sparked heated discussions on social media. Since opening in February 2006, this store located in Sanxia Square in Shapingba has accompanied the citizens of this mountain city for 18 years, expanding from two floors to three and upgrading to a Reserve store, carrying the youthful memories of countless people. However, as the lessor withdraws entirely, the store will officially cease operations at the end of this month. The brand responded that it has opened a new store in Huayuzhou Plaza, just a hundred meters away, to continue serving customers. At the same time, factors such as the wave of traditional department store closures and changes in foot traffic in commercial districts have led people to speculate that Starbucks may have other considerations behind this move. This article takes you through the past of this iconic store and explores the multiple reasons behind its closure. [more…]

In recent years, Starbucks has continued to adjust its store layout strategy, gradually extending from core commercial districts to surrounding communities, and even setting its sights on traditional wet markets. A newly opened wet market in Minhang District, Shanghai, has brought in a Starbucks, and a Starbucks store has also appeared in a long-established comprehensive wholesale market in Seoul, South Korea. The heavy foot traffic, relatively low rents, and considerable repeat-purchase potential of wet markets have prompted coffee brands to re-examine the commercial value of traditional bazaars. This article focuses on the phenomenon of Starbucks choosing wet market locations, analyzing the logic behind this strategy, the feasibility of selling coffee in wet markets, and the significance of affordable pricing for the expansion of the coffee market. [more…]

The Heytea store on Wellington Street in Central, Hong Kong, suddenly closed without any warning, sparking widespread discussion among nearby consumers and netizens. Since opening in March 2024, the store had quickly gained popularity through promotions such as buy-one-get-one-free offers and city-exclusive fridge magnets, maintaining a steady daily flow of customers and becoming a popular check-in spot for many residents and tourists. However, overnight, the store's signage was removed, the doors were locked, and the store's information was also taken down from the official mini-program. The reason for the closure has not yet been clarified—some speculate it is related to the high rents in Central or the expiration of the lease, while others believe it is a proactive adjustment by Heytea to its market layout. The brand responded that it evaluates store operations on an irregular basis, and whether it will return to Central in the future remains worth watching. [more…]

As of June 2022, Shanghai ranked first among global cities with 7,857 coffee shops, of which independent outlets accounted for more than 60 percent. Behind this figure lies both a coffee-drinking tradition spanning more than a century and the meticulous efforts of contemporary owner-operators in refining style, products, and personalized experiences. This article analyzes, from the two dimensions of historical context and business strategy, how Shanghai's independent coffee shops continue to grow in the cracks between chain brands, and explores how owner-operators, spatial style, and product distinctiveness constitute the core competitiveness of independent coffee shops. [more…]

Over the past month, the specialty coffee chain brand Seesaw has been thrust into the spotlight due to a wave of consecutive store closures across multiple locations. From Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou to Chongqing and Wuhan, news of closures has continued to spread, sparking widespread speculation about the company's operating condition. In response, Seesaw founder Wu Xiaomei recently gave an official response to Jiemian News, acknowledging that the brand is undergoing strategic adjustments and has closed some stores that do not fit the "three no's" criteria—those that do not align with the regional focus strategy, brand positioning, and store model—and revealed that same-store sales growth over the past three years reached 22%. At a time when low-priced beverages dominate the market and competition is increasingly fierce, can this brand, which insists on a specialty coffee route, hold its ground with a strategy focused on core commercial districts in East China? This article sorts out the sequence of events and the official response, and includes industry observations such as those from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

COSTA, which once opened stores right next to Starbucks and made a high-profile entry into the Chinese market, is now becoming less and less visible in many cities. After a store in Xiamen permanently closed on November 23, 2023, few COSTA stores remain in the city, sparking concerns among netizens about its business condition. Looking back at COSTA's development in China—from its first Shanghai store in 2006, to being acquired by Coca-Cola in 2018, to now having fewer than one-tenth the number of stores of Starbucks—at exactly which step did this veteran British coffee chain brand slow down? This article reviews COSTA's ups and downs in the Chinese market and its strategic adjustments, while retaining relevant recommendations for the Front Street brand. [more…]

Community coffee shops are becoming a new sight in urban neighborhoods. Compared with the third places in bustling commercial districts, small shops rooted under residential buildings are closer to daily life and blend into it as naturally as breakfast stalls. Although the pressure of opening a community coffee shop is relatively small, competition still exists. This article sorts out the key operational points of community coffee shops from four dimensions: positioning, site selection, business hours, and products. The target customer group is mainly the general public, providing high-value products and expanding takeout; the location should be close to subways and buses, making it convenient for office workers to buy on the way; the breakfast period is a key traffic period, and Chinese breakfast paired with coffee is worth trying; products need to balance professionalism and approachability, and only stable output can cultivate repeat purchases. Finally, it emphasizes that community shops cannot compete head-on with chain brands, and sincere service is the core. [more…]

Yunnan's local coffee chain brand "Four Cats" has expanded rapidly in Lijiang in recent years, having opened multiple offline experience stores and planning to extend to cities such as Dali. Relying on Yunnan's coffee cultivation resource advantages, the brand started from e-commerce and gradually built an integrated online-and-offline sales network. Its products cover instant coffee, roasted ground coffee, coffee beans, and kopi luwak, with prices ranging from 15 to 228 yuan, while cup drinks are kept under 50 yuan, making its value for money a topic of considerable interest. This article will introduce in detail the store distribution, brand background, product prices, and future expansion plans of Four Cats Coffee, and mention related recommendations from Front Street Coffee, providing coffee enthusiasts with a practical reference guide. [more…]

Zhengzhou Bus Group has teamed up with Mixue Bingcheng to open a store inside a bus rapid transit station, with the first pilot located on the west side of the intersection of Huayuan Road and Nongye Road. This attempt is seen as an extension of bus services, allowing passengers to buy drinks while waiting for their bus and even enjoy discounts with their ride records. However, the store's construction is alleged to have proceeded without a construction land planning permit. The Jinshui District Urban Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau posted a notice to deliver enforcement documents, but no one signed for them, leaving the procedure at an impasse. Meanwhile, netizens have questioned whether the store occupies the sidewalk and tactile paving, potentially affecting passage. Zhengzhou Bus responded that the station passage is wide enough and promised to make dynamic adjustments. The incident has sparked discussion about the boundaries of commercial development in public spaces and provides a new case of cross-industry collaboration for the coffee and tea beverage industry. [more…]

Since Blue Bottle Coffee opened its first mainland China store in early 2022 at the former site of the Shanghai Yutong Flour Mill, it has successively set up three locations in Jing'an Kerry Centre and Zhangyuan. Curiously, this brand, known for its minimalist boutique approach, has not stepped outside Jing'an District for over a year, and has even been jokingly said to have "not even left Shanghai." This article reviews the current store distribution of Blue Bottle Coffee, analyzes the customer base logic and brand tone behind its site selection strategy, and also brings rumors about the possible location of a fourth store in Qingpu's Panlong Tiandi or Pudong's Qiantan. In addition, we continue to recommend boutique bean news from Front Street Coffee, providing coffee enthusiasts with a more comprehensive industry perspective. [more…]

Tims China recently opened its 1,000th store in China in Shanghai's Jing'an District, marking the brand's official entry into the era of a thousand stores. Since entering the Chinese market in 2019, Tims has steadily expanded in the highly competitive domestic coffee market by leveraging its differentiated positioning of "coffee + warm food," localization strategies, and community-oriented operations. As of June 2024, it has entered 71 cities, with 907 stores and 21.4 million members. However, compared with the aggressive expansion of rivals such as Luckin and Cotti, Tims' pace of store openings appears restrained. Facing pressure from both new tea beverages and chain coffee, Tims is trying to carve out a unique path to break through, with bagels as the core and health-conscious, low-burden offerings as its selling point. [more…]

Tea Yan Yue Se's sub-brand Xiao Shen Xian Teahouse has recently officially bid farewell to the Wuhan market, with its two remaining stores closing simultaneously on January 19. From its high-profile entry in 2023 to its full withdrawal now, this sub-brand focused on the concept of a Chinese-style slow teahouse has had a three-year journey in Wuhan that is lamentable. The contradiction between consumers' habit of pursuing fast and convenient tea drinks and the slow-paced teahouse experience, along with the operating pressure caused by insufficient customer flow on weekdays, together contributed to this outcome. At the same time, Xiao Shen Xian Teahouse in its Changsha home base is also contracting and adjusting, and the brand's optimization of the sub-brand's store scale was already expected. [more…]

How much startup capital does it really take to open a small private coffee shop? And how much does it cost to learn coffee-making? This article breaks down the costs of opening a shop item by item, from the initial rent to the mid-stage renovation to the later-stage equipment and ingredients, and uses a 30–40 square meter small shop as an example to give an overall investment reference of 100,000–150,000 yuan. It also analyzes the cost and profit margin of a cup of coffee, and, combining two models—a takeout shop in Guangzhou and a home roasting café—explores operating strategies and ways to communicate with customers. Finally, it introduces the price range of coffee-learning courses. Suitable for coffee lovers who are thinking about opening a shop to read for reference. [more…]

The number of coffee shops has surged dramatically, and it is no longer unusual to find a dozen or even twenty cafés clustered on the same street. Independent cafés now account for more than 70% of all coffee shops nationwide. Yet in areas crowded with chain brands such as Luckin, Starbucks, and Manner, the survival space for independent shops has been greatly squeezed. Drawing on industry data and failed case studies, this article explores strategies for independent cafés to break through in terms of interior design style, business philosophy, and customer return rate. It emphasizes building core competitiveness through warm service, personalized experiences, and distinctive products, rather than blindly following marketing trends. [more…]

Coffee shops are blooming everywhere, but there is always only one Starbucks. Its success is not accidental, but stems from a set of positioning logic completely different from traditional cafes. This article dissects, from three dimensions—crowd targeting, service strategy, and promotion methods—how Starbucks precisely locks onto the white-collar group, how it uses space and equipment design to accelerate customer flow, and how it places its marketing focus on brand image rather than the product itself. At the same time, it analyzes the real implementation of the "third place" concept in the Chinese market, and how this concept has trapped many local coffee shop owners in operational difficulties. For coffee enthusiasts and industry practitioners, understanding Starbucks' atypical path helps to rethink the survival logic of coffee brands. [more…]

Nayuki, a leading new-style tea beverage brand founded in 2015, submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on February 11 after withdrawing its prospectus for a US offering, officially sprinting toward an IPO. The joint sponsors are JPMorgan, CMBI, and Huatai International. As of September 30, 2020, Nayuki had established 420 stores across 61 cities nationwide and expanded to Hong Kong and Japan. However, while the number of stores has grown nearly tenfold in the past three years, the company remains in a loss-making state, with a loss of 27.51 million yuan in the first three quarters of 2020. The funds raised this time will be used for store expansion, digital operations, and supply chain development. If the listing succeeds, Nayuki will become the first new-style tea beverage stock in China. [more…]

ChaPanda's new store at Konkuk University Station in Seoul, South Korea, recently officially opened its doors to customers. This is the brand's second store in the greater Seoul area, following its first store in Gangnam District earlier this year. At the same time, ChaPanda's stock price has performed impressively recently, with cumulative gains of nearly 70% over the past six trading days. From choosing South Korea as its first overseas destination, to launching Korea-exclusive products, to local consumers accounting for more than 80%, ChaPanda is validating its store model in the East Asian market through a differentiated strategy. This article will review ChaPanda's expansion path in South Korea, its product strategy, and the latest developments in the capital market. [more…]