Cotti Coffee's "0-yuan free drink vouchers" have sparked heated discussions on social media. Some people camp out in store groups every day to grab vouchers and drink until they can't stop, while others complain that the voucher-grabbing page crashes and that they wait endlessly to receive vouchers after winning. This article sorts out the channels for obtaining Cotti's free drinks and the rules for using them, including grabbing vouchers in store groups and official WeChat sweepstakes, while also revealing the hidden risk that free vouchers easily expire. In addition, Cotti's "Million Influencer" review program distributes over a million trial drink vouchers each year. What exactly has this strategy brought to the brand? For coffee lovers, before trying to score freebies, it's worth understanding these tricks first. [more…]

The subsidy war ignited by food delivery platforms has drawn in chain brands like Luckin Coffee and Mixue Bingcheng. A Luckin store in Chengdu was recently overwhelmed by a flood of orders due to a "0-yuan purchase" promotion, with some stores receiving over a thousand drinks to be made within an hour. However, after the promotion ended, staff found a large number of unclaimed drinks while cleaning up the counter, with the ice long melted. Impulse orders driven by consumers' "bargain-hunting" mentality not only caused food waste but also increased the burden on store workers. In response, some suggested switching to in-store freshly made orders, but Luckin employees said this would be fraught with practical difficulties. This article takes you through the full picture of this order surge and the views of all parties involved. [more…]

A recent international coffee exhibition held in Beijing sparked widespread discussion. The venue was packed with people and buzzing with excitement, yet many coffee enthusiasts who attended found that the professional exchange atmosphere they had expected was diluted by the surging crowds. Free admission attracted a large number of non-professional visitors, and money-saving guides even led to long queues in front of some booths. Some lamented that the exhibition was becoming more and more like a market, while others called on the organizers to set thresholds to ensure a better experience. What exactly happened at this coffee exhibition? Let's take a look at the real situation on the ground. [more…]

In recent years, coffee festivals and coffee markets have been held with great enthusiasm all over the country, becoming popular gathering spots for coffee lovers. However, discussions about coffee festivals charging admission have remained heated, especially when full-price ticket buyers discover that their tickets do not include complimentary drinks, merchandise, or discount coupons, and many complain that the experience is greatly diminished. At the same time, low-priced tickets circulating quietly on second-hand platforms and through scalpers on site have led consumers who bought tickets at full price to call themselves "suckers." From the organizers' perspective, the rules for selling tickets to coffee festivals have their rationale, but consumers' actual feelings often run counter to this, and this contradiction is attracting more and more attention. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has gone from its early days of frenzied subsidies to a noticeably reduced level of discounting today, with the price of a single drink generally climbing back into the 15 to 25 yuan range, and some consumers even feeling they are being price-gouged. As its reputation for value for money gradually fades, some netizens have figured out a method of "performative ordering"—repeatedly wavering in the mini-program and ultimately abandoning the purchase, in an attempt to trigger Luckin's retention mechanism and obtain coupons. Does this tactic actually work? And what user behavior analysis logic lies behind it? This article will lay out the full picture of this phenomenon, while also reminding consumers: even when hunting for bargains, one must uphold the bottom line of honesty. [more…]

Recently, a consumer in Hangzhou, Ms. Yang, reported to the media that her long-standing habit of ordering from Luckin Coffee had unexpectedly upset an employee at one of its stores, who even publicly complained, "You can't keep milking the same cow for freebies." This seemingly ordinary consumer friction involves multiple issues, including coupon usage, stores' willingness to accept orders, and the allocation of responsibility for delivery. After being reported by 1818 Golden Eye, the incident quickly sparked heated discussion among netizens. Some understood the pressure on employees, while others believed there was nothing wrong with consumers using coupons normally. This article will recount the incident, sort through the views of all parties, and at the same time provide coffee enthusiasts with a professional channel for discussion. [more…]

The 8th Lujiazui Coffee Festival recently kicked off, with the five-day event bringing together 270 participating coffee shops, the largest scale in its history. In addition to more than a dozen overseas specialty coffee brands from Australia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea and other places, the creative competition among exhibitors over peripheral giveaways is equally eye-catching. From oversized canvas tote bags to red and yellow plastic bags that replicate the style of wholesale markets, brands are using uniquely designed shopping bags to attract attention and generate buzz. As coffee itself becomes increasingly homogenized, these peripheral products, which are both practical and highly shareable, are becoming a "hard currency" more sought after than coffee at the festival. [more…]

In recent years, chain coffee brands have been including limited-edition merchandise with new product launches, from cups to bags to earphone pouches, and these freebies have become even more popular than the coffee itself. Consumers buy coffee just to get a nice-looking freebie, jokingly saying they are reenacting the idiom "buying the box and returning the pearl." This article takes M Stand's Thai-flavored coffee series, which comes with a cork earphone pouch, as an example to analyze the brand strategy and consumer psychology behind this phenomenon, and explore how gift marketing helps brands expand their reach and build a good reputation. [more…]

To celebrate its seventh anniversary, Chagee launched a seven-day giveaway of 700,000 free drinks, and the singing-for-a-free-drink option, being the easiest to participate in, quickly attracted deal hunters. However, after the second round began, customers found that getting the free voucher was not so simple: some stores required two people to sing together and clink cups, some staff outright denied the promotion existed, and even more surprisingly, many participants were filmed or recorded throughout by staff, a requirement not disclosed in advance in the official tweets. Customer service responded that the event was held precisely for filming, and internal notices also required photos of every singing customer to be kept on file. This practice sparked concerns about how customers' personal images would be used, and although several staff members said the content was only uploaded to internal work groups for supervisors to review, the privacy controversy continues to grow. [more…]

After Ethiopia and Panama, Luckin Coffee's bean-hunting team chose the Karyo Highlands of Sumatra, Indonesia, as their third stop. The team, led by Pan Zhimin, champion of the 2017 World Barista Championship China region and Luckin's chief coffee master, selected a wet-hulled coffee bean by Lake Tawa and named it "Emerald," which is scheduled to join the SOE Little Black Cup series on the 25th of this month. As Indonesia is the first bean-hunting stop in Asia, its unique wet-hulling process and tropical rainforest terroir give this coffee a cup profile of cherry, cane sugar, caramel, and cedar. This article will guide you through the regional characteristics of Indonesian coffee, the origins of the wet-hulling process, and the behind-the-scenes details of Luckin's bean-hunting trip. [more…]

In the scorching summer, iced coffee has become a favorite for many coffee enthusiasts, and making cold brew at home is a recent popular choice. Mstand, known for its peripheral marketing, launched a cold brew set in early July, including cold brew coffee bags and a glass cold brew pot, quickly attracting a large number of fans to purchase. However, recently, multiple consumers have reported serious quality issues with this cold brew pot—some had the bottom suddenly shatter and got cut by fragments while using it, and more encountered unexplained cracks at the bottle mouth joint. Although the product is labeled as ordinary glass not resistant to high temperatures, users who reported the issues all stated they did not use hot water and operated carefully. This is not the first time Mstand's peripherals have failed; the previously launched woven bag was also criticized for its easily broken handle. While the strategy of using high-appeal freebies to drive set sales is effective, frequent quality control issues are eroding fan trust. [more…]

Recently, the coffee industry has seen a surge in the trend of offering free merchandise with purchases. Brands such as Starbucks, Manner, and Luckin have rolled out limited-edition trinkets, from wooden fish ornaments to co-branded canvas tote bags and blind-box pins, attracting a large number of consumers to place orders just for the freebies. This promotional model of giving items away rather than selling them has gradually turned the coffee brand war into a competition of merchandise design. While consumers chase limited-edition gifts, their attention to the drinks themselves is declining. This article will review recent buy-one-get-one promotions by various brands and analyze the consumer psychology and industry impact behind this phenomenon. [more…]

Luckin Coffee recently posted a job opening on its official WeChat account for a global coffee-sourcing assistant. The successful candidate will travel with the sourcing team to coffee-producing regions around the world, with all travel expenses reimbursed and a generous salary. Once the news spread, many netizens exclaimed that this was a cushy job with paid travel and even social insurance, while others regretted choosing the wrong major because the position requires proficiency in English and Portuguese. At the same time, the little-known profession of coffee sourcer has come into the public eye. On the surface, it involves traveling the world, but in reality, it means going deep into remote villages and unstable regions, cupping hundreds of coffees day after day, writing reports, negotiating prices, and arranging transportation. This article takes you through the real daily life of a coffee sourcer, to see whether this job is truly as easy and pleasant as it seems. [more…]

Every year on Earth Day, Starbucks launches a free coffee promotion for customers who bring their own cups, drawing a large crowd of coffee lovers who show up with all kinds of containers. This year the event fell on a Monday, yet many people still lined up early, aiming straight for the top 30 oat lattes. Among the crowd were creative containers like pots and pans, rice cookers, and pickle jars, and even cups from brands like Luckin and Manner made a "cameo" appearance. This brief and joyful freebie frenzy was both a show of support for environmental protection and a display of coffee fans' humor and enthusiasm. Though the event has ended, everyone looks forward to meeting again next year. [more…]

It's job-hunting season again, and many job seekers see barista as an ideal career, believing that the rapid growth of the coffee industry brings abundant opportunities. Yet in the actual job-hunting process, they find that this job is not easy to land. From experience and certification requirements to age and appearance restrictions, and from the gap between salary and job duties, job seekers face challenge after challenge. Chain brands and independent cafés each have their pros and cons, and how to choose becomes the key. This article takes an in-depth look at the plight of barista job seekers, explores the current state of the industry and paths for personal development, and offers practical advice for job seekers. [more…]

Chain coffee brands typically rely on well-developed membership mechanisms to boost user loyalty, maintaining emotional connections with customers through occasional perks and birthday surprises. However, a recent announcement from Peet's Coffee about changes to membership benefits has drawn attention: starting April 29, the birthday cake slice voucher for V2 members will be canceled, and the half-price drink voucher in the upgrade gift for lower-tier members will be adjusted to a 30% discount voucher. This means V5 members and below who have spent less than 1,000 yuan will no longer enjoy the birthday cake perk, leaving many loyal customers caught off guard. The brand's move may be aimed at curbing freebie hunters, but it could also drive away some long-term supporters. [more…]

Every year on April 22, World Earth Day, Starbucks launches a bring-your-own-cup free coffee event, and this year is no exception. During the designated time slot, bring a non-disposable container to the store and you can get a free medium Americano; the first 30 people can even upgrade to a Berry Berry flavored Americano. Although the size is limited to medium, there are no restrictions on the type of container, so this event has gradually evolved into an annual "BYOC Cup Showcase" for coffee lovers. From buckets and milk bottles to pickle jars and gourds, all kinds of wildly imaginative containers make their appearance, with office workers quietly taking advantage of the freebie and attention-seekers using the opportunity to show off their cups. This article takes you through the highlights of this year's event to see which containers left the deepest impression. [more…]

Luckin Coffee once again demonstrated its "champion harvester" prowess, officially announcing on February 20th the signing of Anthony Douglas, the 2022 WBC World Barista Champion, bringing him into the "Luckin WBC Champion Team." Starting in March, Anthony will lead a bean-sourcing team deep into Ethiopia and Panama, two renowned origins, to participate in green bean procurement. This marks Luckin's fifth collaboration with a WBC champion, following Hidenori Izaki, Andrej Latuada, Pan Zhimin, and Agnieszka Rojewska. Anthony won the championship with his innovative technique of concentrating milk using freeze-drying technology, and previously served as a global ambassador for La Marzocco. Having come up through Melbourne's Axil Coffee Roasters, his addition will inject new vitality into Luckin's specialty coffee line. Whether the future "Little Black Cup" series will feature Panama Geisha is something worth looking forward to. For more specialty coffee news, welcome to follow Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee). [more…]

Chaozhou Fenghuang Town is the core production area of Fenghuang Dancong oolong tea, and what story lies behind the peculiar name "Duck Shit Fragrance"? This article records our tea-seeking experience in Fenghuang Village: this year's climate has been on the cool side with less rainfall, slowing tea growth but bringing a more lingering aftertaste. We reserved several old tea trees and purchased excellent-quality Milan Fragrance, Wenzhong Dancong, as well as Old Bush Duck Shit Fragrance and Old Bush Song Zhong. Among them, the Wenzhong tea tree was rescued from the brink of death and revived; the owner, Mr. Wen, out of gratitude, finally agreed to sell the fresh leaves, but starting next year it will switch to auction, and the price may more than triple. Front Street particularly recommends this batch of old bush tea with excellent value for money, worthy of attention from coffee and tea enthusiasts. [more…]

Many people choose to become baristas because they don't know what else to do, while others enter the industry with a passion for coffee. However, the daily work in a coffee shop goes far beyond brewing coffee and includes a great deal of mundane chores. Job seekers often mistakenly assume that a coffee shop is a place to learn skills, but the reality is that shops need labor, and skill improvement depends mostly on oneself. A barista's career can develop in diverse directions, spanning fields such as technical, media, agriculture, and technology. Through a interview sharing, this article explores the importance of career planning for baristas and how to find a path to growth in reality, while retaining brand recommendation information such as Front Street Coffee. [more…]