A 35-yuan cup of coffee may be commonplace in a first-tier city, but when that price appears in a county town, it quickly sparks widespread discussion. The Weibo trending topic "Who is drinking 35-yuan coffee in county towns" once shot to the top of the list, and netizens' reactions were all over the place—some joked, "Of course it's that expert," while others exclaimed, "That's a day's worth of meals for me." Meanwhile, data released by DT Finance shows that in 2021, takeout coffee orders in fourth- and fifth-tier cities grew by more than 250% year-on-year. Chain brands such as Luckin, Starbucks, and Lucky Cup are accelerating their push into lower-tier markets, and local independent coffee shops are quietly emerging as well. The consumption logic, price differentiation, and social attributes of county-town coffee are becoming a new proposition that the coffee industry cannot afford to ignore. [more…]

Under the impact of the pandemic, the global catering industry is under widespread pressure, and Starbucks has also set its sights on China's vast lower-tier market. From slowing the pace of store openings in the United States and increasing its bet on China, to putting forward the vision of covering more than 300 cities by 2025 and opening a new store on average every nine hours, Starbucks is treating county-level markets as an important breakthrough. The consumption periods and customer group structure of county-town stores are completely different from those in first- and second-tier cities. Instead, breakfast, afternoon tea, and the period after dinner form peak hours, and social and scene-based needs far exceed the simple need for caffeine. Combining frontline observations with the views of Liu Wenjuan, chief operating officer of Starbucks China, this article analyzes why county-level markets have become an important way out for Starbucks. [more…]

Over the past year, chain coffee brands have accelerated their penetration into county-level towns, with Luckin and Cotti's store scales steadily closing in on Starbucks. Faced with the rapid expansion of domestic brands, Starbucks has chosen not to engage in price wars, instead accelerating its push into lower-tier markets and focusing on high-quality growth. Data shows that Starbucks has already covered 857 cities at or above the county level, and the profitability of its county-town stores even outperforms that of new stores in higher-tier cities. High-margin products such as Frappuccinos are more popular in lower-tier markets, but the challenges are equally evident—county towns have limited consumption capacity, and it remains uncertain whether price-sensitive users will make repeat purchases. Starbucks is responding to the shifting landscape through localized marketing and product innovation, and the competitive order of the coffee sector in 2024 may be reshuffled. [more…]

As the coffee markets in first- and second-tier cities gradually become saturated, more and more brands are turning their attention to small cities in the fourth and fifth tiers, making the county-town coffee track unusually crowded. Using Xinhui District in Jiangmen, Guangdong as an example, this article reviews the local coffee shop scene from Starbucks' entry to the explosive growth of community stores, analyzes the three major challenges facing coffee shops in small towns: excessive competition within the same area, the downward expansion of large chain brands, and shortcomings in their social-space attributes, and observes some store owners' new idea of shifting toward a "si-doh" convenience-store model, exploring the survival space and future direction of coffee shops in small towns. [more…]

In recent years, more and more young people are choosing to return to small towns to open specialty coffee shops, while large chain brands are also accelerating their penetration into lower-tier cities. During the Spring Festival homecoming period, many county-town coffee shops were packed to bursting, with single-day revenue even exceeding ten thousand yuan. Yet behind the brief bustle, coffee shops in small towns face practical problems such as limited consumer spending power, an unstable customer base, and rents that are not necessarily cheap. Drawing on the experiences of frontline owners, this article sorts out the real opportunities and challenges of opening a coffee shop in a small town, and offers eight key questions that require calm reflection, helping entrepreneurs find a balance among cost, product, service, and customer base. [more…]

In the past three years, the pandemic kept many people from going home for the holidays, and the Lunar New Year atmosphere in their hometowns faded a lot as a result. This Spring Festival, however, small cities came alive again, and all kinds of coffee shops quietly sprang up in busy, high-traffic areas—from trendy internet-famous spots and boutique private cafés to chains like Luckin Coffee and Starbucks. Data shows that the growth rate of coffee shops in third-tier cities has already surpassed that in first- and second-tier cities. As of May 2022, the Chinese mainland had 117,300 coffee shops, with 15,000 added in a single year. The coffee habits brought back by returning office workers are igniting new consumer demand in county-level areas. Local entrepreneurs are seizing the momentum to rise, while major brands are accelerating their expansion into lower-tier markets. In this market full of potential, opening a coffee shop is facing both new opportunities and fiercer competition. [more…]

What exactly is the difference between pour-over and drip bags? This article starts from a real brewing experience during a Spring Festival trip back home, comparing the grinding performance of hand grinders and electric grinders, and analyzing the impact of pre-ground versus freshly ground coffee on flavor details. Using mid-range setups such as the Hario V60 and Kono filter papers as references, the author documents the specific situation in which fine particle accumulation led to slow drainage and thin flavor, and shares the solution proposed by Front Street. Ultimately, due to time and equipment limitations, the author turned to a county-town café and used an EK grinder to make drip bags. The article fully presents the logic of trade-offs from pour-over to drip bags, and also points out a simple truth: if you have never used better equipment, what you have now is the best. [more…]

Latest data from Meituan shows that coffee delivery orders have more than doubled year-on-year, with post-90s women becoming the main consumer group for freshly made coffee, and the 20-40 yuan price range dominating. Based on platform data, this article provides an in-depth analysis of the four core consumer groups in the current coffee market—from user profiles and price acceptance to time distribution and motivations for visiting stores—and, combined with the emerging trend of coffee rising in county towns, offers practical suggestions for coffee shop entrepreneurs in 2023 on site selection, operations, and scene design. At the same time, the article retains recommendations for specialty coffee bean procurement channels for practitioners' reference. [more…]

Luckin Coffee launched a new round of new retail partner recruitment in 2023, covering 80 cities in 15 provinces, with a focus on lower-tier markets in fourth- and fifth-tier cities. As of the end of September 2022, Luckin had a total of 7,846 stores, including 2,473 joint-venture stores. First- and second-tier cities accounted for more than 70%, while coverage in lower-tier cities remained sparse. At the same time, Luckin's RJG unmanned coffee machines performed well in shopping malls, hospitals, office buildings, and other locations, offering large-sized drinks to the same standard as stores 24 hours a day. This article will review Luckin's franchise strategy, the opportunities and challenges of lower-tier markets, and the layout logic of RJG, while also retaining relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee, to help coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of Luckin's expansion moves. [more…]

For more specialty coffee knowledge, please follow the WeChat official account: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). Drip bag coffee is loved by coffee enthusiasts for its convenience, so many novice coffee lovers who have just started using drip bag coffee ask Front Street Coffee (FrontSt [more…]

As temperatures gradually rise, cold beverages enter their peak sales season, and cafés are putting all kinds of iced coffee on their menus, including Americano, cold brew, and the rather time-consuming ice drip coffee. Many consumers wonder why ice drip coffee is often priced considerably higher than ordinary iced coffee. In this article, Front Street Coffee will explain ice drip coffee's category classification, extraction principles, complete brewing process, and how it differs in flavor from cold brew coffee, while also introducing ice drip coffee's storage advantages and the people it suits, to help coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of this slow-crafted coffee category. [more…]

The flavor code of coffee is often hidden in the land where it grows. From the Andes in South America to the highlands of Africa, from the Caribbean islands to the archipelagos of Asia, each producing region shapes an unrepeatable landscape in the cup through its unique climate, altitude, and processing methods. This article will take you on a visit to twelve globally recognized high-quality coffee origins—Colombia's balanced smoothness, Ethiopia's wild wine-like aroma, Jamaica Blue Mountain's scarce legend, Yemen Mocha's complexity and variability, as well as the distinctive personalities of Kenya, Indonesia, Hawaii, and other places. Whether you are a beginner pour-over enthusiast or a seasoned player looking for your next bag of beans, this origin guide can help you build a clearer flavor coordinate system. Front Street Coffee will also accompany you in understanding the origins while finding the cup that suits you. [more…]

With the rise of the specialty coffee trend, coffee culture has been continuously spreading, and sales of both coffee equipment and coffee beans are constantly increasing. As a store focused on specialty coffee, Front Street not only brews a delicious cup of coffee for every guest, but also aims to spread coffee culture. If everyone [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee comes from the Blue Mountains in eastern Jamaica and is globally recognized as one of the finest coffees. This article provides a systematic overview of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee from multiple dimensions, including the growing environment, historical origins, grade classification, quality control, export quotas, and brewing methods. Blue Mountain coffee is known as the "beauty of coffees" because its sweetness, acidity, and bitterness are highly balanced, with almost no bitterness and only a moderate, elegant acidity. The article also explains in detail the differences between Blue Mountain coffee, High Mountain coffee, and Jamaican coffee, as well as the historical background of Japan's long-standing dominance of the Blue Mountain trade, helping coffee lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of this legendary coffee. [more…]

With the rise of the specialty coffee trend, coffee culture has been continuously spreading, and sales of both coffee equipment and coffee beans have been steadily increasing. As a shop focused on specialty coffee, Front Street not only brews a delicious cup of coffee for every guest, but also wants to spread coffee culture. If everyone [more…]

Drip bag coffee is a very convenient way to brew coffee. All you need is a drip bag, hot water, and a cup, and you can get a delicious cup of black coffee. You might ask, "Why is drip bag coffee compared to a simplified version of pour-over coffee?" Because drip bag coffee is made by grinding fresh coffee beans into the appropriate coffee [more…]

Ethiopia is not only the birthplace of Arabica coffee but also one of the world's major suppliers of high-quality coffee beans. Coffee occupies a central position in Ethiopia's economy, culture, and trade. In 2024-2025, Ethiopia's coffee export volume and export revenue both reached historic highs, marking [more…]

Blue Mountain coffee is hailed as the pinnacle of the coffee world. Originating from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, it is renowned worldwide for its perfectly balanced flavor profile of acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and body. Front Street Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee, with its rich and well-balanced mouthfeel and lingering fruity aroma, has become a favorite among countless coffee enthusiasts. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of this top-tier coffee that coffee connoisseurs around the globe seek out — from the origin environment, historical development, grading standards, and quality control of Blue Mountain coffee, to brewing and tasting methods. It also examines the enormous flavor differences between instant coffee and freshly roasted Blue Mountain coffee, as well as the quality commitment behind Blue Mountain coffee's unique packaging and transportation. [more…]

In the world of coffee, there is no universally recognized "best-tasting ranking," because taste varies from person to person—what truly suits you is the best. This article begins with the origins of the specialty coffee concept, sorts out the flavor differences among the three major producing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and introduces one by one the coffee characteristics of representative origins such as Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Yunnan, and Panama. At the same time, drawing on Front Street Coffee's approach to selecting everyday beans, it explains the influence of washed and natural processing methods on flavor, as well as the role of pour-over pouring techniques and coffee bean freshness in the final cup, providing coffee lovers with a systematic reference for understanding and purchasing single-origin coffee. [more…]

Specialty drinks are the third main category of coffee sold in coffee shops, alongside espresso-based and single-origin coffees. Specialty coffee drinks can be understood as the "cocktails" of the coffee world: creative beverages made by combining coffee with various traditional or non-traditional ingredients, setting them apart from conventional coffee. (Cof [more…]