In 2019, Heytea made a cross-industry foray into coffee products, blending milk tea elements into coffee and applying to register the "Heytea Coffee" trademark. However, the China National Intellectual Property Administration deemed the trademark deceptive and similar to the cited trademark "Xicha," rejecting the registration application. Heytea's affiliated company disagreed and sued the China National Intellectual Property Administration. The court of first instance upheld the rejection decision, finding that the disputed trademark could easily mislead the public about the characteristics and quality of the goods and cause confusion with another party's prior trademark. This article reviews the case process and the court's key rulings, for coffee enthusiasts to learn about brand trademark protection developments. [more…]

Recently, food safety incidents in the tea beverage industry have occurred frequently, from Tea Baidao's "real spider" milk tea to the use of expired ingredients, and every so often they trend on social media. However, a news report by Guangzhou Daily on October 12 was entirely different: a 23-year-old man, using his work experience at "a certain tea brand," colluded with his girlfriend and friends to deliberately plant insects in stores in Hangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and other locations, extorting money under the pretext of food safety, with demands ranging from a thousand yuan to two hundred thousand yuan, and was ultimately prosecuted on suspicion of extortion. This incident not only exposed some milk tea shops' negligence in operations management but also sparked public discussion about the authenticity of food safety complaints. What consumers truly need is a hygienic and tasty drink, not a vicious cycle of deception. This article compiles the ins and outs of the incident and includes related information about Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Artistic cafés on social media are always enchanting, but are they really that beautiful in reality? Recently, a tourist traveled all the way to Dali, Yunnan, to visit a trendy café by the rice fields, only to be stunned by what they saw—a thatched roof and mottled white walls, mocked as looking like an outhouse at the village entrance. From lush green rice paddies to a withered yellow expanse after harvest, from carefully composed shots to filter-enhanced images, when natural scenery becomes a café's selling point, variables like season and weather can shatter the artistic fantasy at any moment. This article takes you behind the scenes of trendy cafés, and also reminds coffee lovers to do their homework before making a trip to check in, and not to be led astray by "photo scams." [more…]

Recently, the National Consumers League (NCL) filed a lawsuit against Starbucks in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, accusing its "100% ethically sourced" marketing of deceiving consumers. NCL pointed out that Starbucks emphasizes ethical sourcing commitments in its marketing, yet fails to effectively address labor abuses such as child labor and forced labor in its coffee supply chain. Since 2015, Starbucks has claimed that 99% of its coffee is ethically sourced. Although its C.A.F.E. Practices program includes multiple indicators, investigative journalists in Brazil and elsewhere have still found violations at certified farms. Starbucks responded that it will vigorously defend itself and stressed that it works with farms to ensure compliance with standards. [more…]

Lawmakers in Hawaii's Kona coffee region have recently introduced a series of bills aimed at imposing stricter labeling rules on single-origin coffee and blends containing Hawaii-grown coffee. The core change in the proposals is that the proportion of coffee from a designated region in a blended product would need to rise from the current 25% to 100%, multi-region Hawaii coffee blends would have to list the proportion of each region one by one, and when Hawaii coffee is blended with coffee from other countries, the percentage and Hawaii origin information would also have to be labeled. Accompanying bills also set out enforcement mechanisms, with a proposed fine of $10,000 for each violation. Behind this move is the labeling reform effort that Kona coffee growers and lawmakers have continued to push since 2015, as well as the legal foundation established by a class-action lawsuit involving giants such as Walmart, Amazon, and Costco. [more…]

Those new to pour-over coffee are often troubled by a seemingly simple question: What is the "correct" way to drink this cup of coffee? Will adding sugar ruin the flavor? Does adding a splash of milk make you an amateur? Some insist that black coffee is the only authentic way, while others believe that a rich, milky aroma is what makes it truly satisfying. In fact, when it comes to how to drink pour-over coffee, there is no universal hard-and-fast rule. This article approaches the topic from the angles of coffee temperature, sources of bitterness, and the reasonableness of adding sugar or milk, helping you sort out your thoughts. It also offers Front Street Coffee's bean selection recommendations, so that you can both appreciate the true flavors of specialty coffee and freely enjoy the way you like to drink it. [more…]

In the cold winter season, Starbucks launched a drink called "Toffee Roasted Sweet Potato Flavored Tea Latte," which sparked a rush among many roasted sweet potato lovers to check in. However, many consumers found after drinking it that this tea latte contained neither sweet potato chunks, nor sweet potato powder or sweet potato flavored syrup; the so-called "roasted sweet potato flavor" was only a similar sweet aroma blended from oat milk, black tea, and toffee syrup. Some even pointed out that the drink was not a new product, but a repackaged version of a secret menu item from last year. With Starbucks collaborating with Xiaohongshu, perhaps "Little Sweet Potato" is the real "sweet potato" element in this drink. This article will sort out the truth about the drink's recipe and consumer reactions for you. [more…]

Recently, a consumer in Chengdu discovered an additional 10% service charge and 6% value-added tax on the bill when checking out at a café, sparking questions about the merchant's pricing display practices. The consumer felt that although there was a notice, it was far from conspicuous, and felt forced to accept the fee only after consuming. Tax authorities responded that as long as the merchant pays taxes normally, it is compliant, while market regulators stated they could suggest improvements but could not impose penalties. This incident reflects the current模糊 zone of separately labeling commodity prices and taxes, and has also triggered discussions on transparent pricing and consumers' right to know. This article will recount the incident, sort out the responses from various parties, and explore consumers' genuine feelings under the trend of itemizing taxes. [more…]

Many friends who are just getting into specialty coffee often have a common question: why do the raspberry, citrus, and caramel flavors listed on coffee bean labels seem completely undetectable when they drink it themselves? Are these flavor descriptions just mystification, or do they actually exist? This article will start with the first version of the coffee flavor wheel released by the SCAA in 1995, and combine scientific research from "The Chemistry of Coffee Aroma" to explain why flavor descriptions are not fabricated out of thin air, but rather a communication standard supported by compound foundations and sensory thresholds. At the same time, the article will also explore whether flavor descriptions play a "psychological suggestion" role, and why the same cup of coffee can influence your tasting experience just by being described differently. If you also want to understand how to actually taste the flavors in pour-over coffee, this content is worth reading. [more…]

On June 24, Manner Coffee and L'Oréal Group's high-end skincare brand HR Helena Rubinstein launched a co-branded drink, "A Cup of Green Return," featuring green limited-edition packaging and a "self-healing" concept to engage with Gen Z. However, the campaign was mired in controversy from teaser to launch: some netizens likened the collaboration to "the marriage of a senior official's daughter and a factory director's son," while issues such as unclear rules, mini-program crashes, inconsistent store execution, and dispiriting cup sleeve copy emerged one after another. Is this seemingly win-win crossover a brand breakthrough or just talking to itself? This article will review the entire event and retain professional coffee information channels such as Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Kopi Luwak, commonly known as cat poop coffee, has long been regarded as a representative of high-end coffee, and the controversy surrounding it has never ceased. Starting from the habitat and eating habits of the civet, this article sorts out the formation principle of kopi luwak, discusses the influence of in-vivo fermentation processing on coffee bean flavor, and objectively analyzes the industry problems behind civet farming. Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) takes a neutral stance on kopi luwak, and has also listed an Arabica kopi luwak produced in Aceh, Indonesia. This article will also share this bean's producing region information, flavor characteristics, and the specific parameters for a three-pour brewing method using the KONO dripper, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand this special coffee. [more…]

Which country does Kopi Luwak actually come from? And how is its unique flavor formed? This article will provide a complete overview of the origins and evolution of Kopi Luwak from the perspectives of its production area, the habitat of the civet, and the processing method of in vivo fermentation. At the same time, we will also discuss the ethical controversies surrounding this coffee and share Front Street Coffee's objective views and brewing suggestions on Kopi Luwak. If you are curious about this highly talked-about coffee, or want to learn about alternative choices more worth drinking every day, this article will provide you with a detailed reference. [more…]

The threshold for appreciating specialty coffee has always been high—from palate training to the investment of time and money, none can be skipped. Yet in recent years, the rise of specialty beverages, especially fruit coffee, is quietly changing this landscape. Adding fruit, sugar, alcohol, and Chinese ingredients—the boundaries of coffee have been broken time and again. Is this the degradation of specialty coffee, or an inevitable path to the mass market? This article analyzes the deep logic behind the combination of coffee and fruit from the perspectives of consumer data, industry trends, and barista competitions, and explores what professional foundation a good creative coffee should possess. Whether you are a purist who sticks to tradition or a creative beverage enthusiast who embraces innovation, this discussion about the boundaries of coffee is worth reading. [more…]

Brazil, as the world's largest coffee producer, not only provides base beans for blends but also produces stunning specialty coffees. Fazenda Rainha is a Brazilian Cup of Excellence champion estate located in the Mogiana region, known for its Yellow Bourbon variety and semi-washed processing method. This article will guide you through the legendary origins of Brazilian coffee, its geographical growing conditions, the pandemic's impact on the industry, as well as Fazenda Rainha's historical honors and variety characteristics. Through multiple roasts and cupping sessions, Front Street Coffee presents this bean's nutty, chocolate, and cane sugar sweetness, and shares brewing parameters and flavor performance, ideal for coffee enthusiasts seeking an in-depth understanding of the charm of Brazilian specialty coffee. [more…]