Orange juice not only helps relieve fatigue, but its refreshing effect is even considered superior to coffee. So what kind of taste experience would combining it with coffee bring? Today, Front Street takes you to recreate at home the Orange C Americano that has swept the country. From choosing the variety for fresh-squeezed orange juice and the extraction parameters for espresso, to the specific steps for both iced and hot versions, we break down the ingredient ratios and production details one by one, helping you make a refreshing specialty drink that has both the rich aroma of coffee and the abundant juice of oranges. [more…]

Although Flat Red and Flat White have similar names, they are essentially two completely different coffee drinks. Flat White is a milk coffee originating from Australia, while Flat Red was born in Ukraine and is made with espresso paired with freshly squeezed fruit juice, with a flavor resembling red wine. This article will introduce in detail the origin story, ingredients, and ratio parameters of Flat Red, and share Front Street Coffee's practical recipe, including suggestions for pairing juice with espresso, extraction parameters, and a description of the finished drink's flavor, helping coffee lovers make a distinctive coffee full of fruity flavor at home. [more…]

Starbucks is deeply associated with milk-based coffee drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, but it once also owned a juice brand called Evolution Fresh. Recently, Starbucks officially announced that it would sell the brand to Bolthouse Farms, allowing it to concentrate more resources on growing its coffee beverage business. The deal involves nearly 300 employees and is expected to be completed later this year. From a high-priced acquisition in 2011 to its resale now, the fate of Evolution Fresh reflects Starbucks' strategic swings under different leaders. This article will sort through the ins and outs of this sale, and how Starbucks, after Schultz's return, is refocusing on the U.S. coffee market and responding to the wave of unionization. [more…]

Are you very familiar with Flat White but have never heard of Flat Red? This red coffee drink from Ukraine is catching the attention of coffee lovers worldwide with its unique combination of juice and espresso. It contains no alcohol, yet has the sweet-and-sour taste and fermented aroma reminiscent of mulled wine, with its color coming from a blend of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice and orange juice. Although both Flat Red and Flat White have "Flat" in their names, the two have almost no connection in origin, recipe, or flavor—the only similarity is that both are topped with a thin, silky layer of foam. This article will introduce you to the background of Flat Red's creation, its preparation method, and share Front Street Coffee's recreation experience, to see why this seasonal drink has taken Ukraine by storm. [more…]

On a hot summer day, a refreshing apple-infused Americano might be exactly what you need. This article centers on the pairing of apple juice and espresso, sharing three different approaches: direct mixing, adding sparkling water, and freezing apple juice into ice cubes. As the star of the coffee, Front Street Mamba Blend Coffee brings the wildness of Mandheling and the cocoa-like balance of Brazilian beans. Whether you have an espresso machine or a moka pot on hand, as long as you get the ratio of juice to coffee and the details right, you can recreate at home an apple Americano with a harmonious taste where the fruity aroma isn't overshadowed. [more…]

The daily work life of milk tea shop employees has always been a hot topic on social media, but recently a post by a ChaPanda employee unexpectedly went viral because the kitchen scenes were too "creepy." Dark red mulberry juice covered the counter, blender, and filter bags, and combined with the scene of black gloves squeezing the juice, many netizens said it looked like a horror movie. It is understood that these scenes come from ChaPanda's daily operation of freshly squeezing mulberry juice when preparing ingredients for products such as "Wu Qi Ma Hei" and "Triple Berry Goodnight Cup." Because mulberries are high in anthocyanins and have a deep color, the juicing process is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also very likely to stain clothes and the work area. Employees have complained one after another on social media, and even turned these scenes into jokes such as the "ChaPanda Mulberry Man-Eating Incident" to share, triggering a lot of resonance. [more…]

As the winter strawberry season arrives, major chain tea brands are launching strawberry-related drinks one after another. ChaPanda has brought back its signature strawberry drink in response to fan demand, while also keeping up with the fruit-and-vegetable juice trend by launching a strawberry version of its Light & Refreshing Kale drink and a brand-new item, Divine Beauty Strawberry. Among them, Divine Beauty Strawberry is made fresh with ingredients such as roselle, strawberries, and pineapple, and has been dubbed a "natural liquid blush" by the official brand, attracting many consumers to try it. However, a production video released by an employee revealed the cumbersome and labor-intensive manual juicing process behind this drink—a full pot of ingredients can yield only two cups after manual squeezing, and the filter bags frequently burst from the pressure, prompting collective complaints from staff. The inefficient production method has also led some netizens to worry about hygiene conditions. [more…]

After Tea Baidao's lychee iced milk was discontinued with the changing seasons, the brand quickly launched two new iced milk drinks, among which the iced mint iced milk co-branded with Frozen drew a lot of attention thanks to its mint element and co-branded merchandise. However, this drink, made with fresh mint leaves, green grapes, lemon, matcha liquid, and milk, did not deliver the expected cooling sensation upon tasting; instead, the grassy flavor of freshly squeezed mint juice sparked polarized reviews. Some described drinking it as turning into a cow chewing on grass, while others found the plant's fresh fragrance uniquely appealing. Whether this cross-boundary mashup is a stroke of creativity or a flop is worth investigating. [more…]

Recently, a new Luckin Coffee ordering hack has been trending on social media: when ordering an Orange C Americano, note "no coffee liquid" and you'll get a cup of orange juice. Many netizens have followed suit, saying it tastes pretty good, and some even drank three different flavors of coffee-free drinks for three days straight. The discussion this has sparked is quite interesting too—some think it's better to just buy orange juice, while others see it as a new way to grab a 9.9 yuan deal. From the earlier Iced Coconut Latte without coffee liquid to today's Orange C Americano without the Americano, Luckin customers' enthusiasm for DIY ordering seems to never fade. This article takes you through the ins and outs of this "no coffee liquid" trend. [more…]

Tomato scrambled eggs are common, but have you ever tried tomato coffee? After a certain brand launched tomato Americano, Front Street decided to verify it hands-on. We start with the logic of selecting cherry tomatoes, compare the performance differences between large tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in specialty drinks, and analyze why commercially available tomato beverages are not suitable for mixing directly with coffee. Then we document two fresh-juicing attempts—the first failed because the pulp was too thick, and the second, after adding water, blending, and filtering, yielded a clear juice. The final product was made with 90g ice cubes, 120g tomato juice, and 38g Warm Sun coffee liquid. On the palate, sourness and bitterness clash, with a noticeable astringency from the fruit skin. This whole hands-on test tells you: is this specialty drink really worth recreating? [more…]

Heytea's Refreshing Slimming Bottle has gained popularity for its fresh green color and freshly squeezed fruit-and-vegetable concept, but recently some consumers have reported receiving drinks that are orange-yellow or green with a yellowish tinge, questioning whether the product matches its marketing. Store employees explained that the color change may stem from yellowing kale leaves or oxidation of apple juice, and that it is not spoilage—the drink is still safe to consume. However, some consumers remain concerned about quality control. This article reviews the sequence of events, employees' statements, and consumer feedback, and also mentions Front Street Coffee's reference views on quality control. [more…]

On a scorching summer day, the pairing of watermelon and iced coffee is all the rage. Front Street Coffee found that juicy watermelon pairs far better with crisp black coffee than with milk, so they put together three watermelon mix-and-match options: watermelon sparkling Americano, watermelon cold brew coffee, and watermelon iced pour-over. From melon-picking tips and material preparation to detailed steps, Front Street breaks down the key points for making each drink one by one, including using Warm Sun Blend to make the sparkling Americano, Colombia · Rose Valley cold brew paired with freshly squeezed watermelon juice, and the complete parameters for making iced pour-over with Sidamo · Elto combined with frozen watermelon juice cubes. Each of the three methods has its own merits—there are simple, quick everyday versions, and more advanced approaches that require preparing ingredients in advance—making them suitable for coffee lovers to try their hand at during the hot weather. [more…]

Tea Baidao's recently launched "Super Veggie" drink series, from the wheatgrass-starring "Cat Grass Juice" to the bell pepper mixed fruit "Vitamin C Fast Burn Bell Pepper," has attracted a large number of consumers eager to try the novel combinations, and has also driven store sales growth. However, the other side of the product's hot sales is the heavy manual juicing task facing back-kitchen employees. Because stores use smoothie machines rather than professional juicing equipment, the fruits and vegetables are blended into a thick puree, and employees must repeatedly knead and squeeze filter bags to extract juice. During peak periods, demand exceeds supply, leaving many staff members crying out in despair. This article will take you behind the scenes of the real production process and the voices of employees behind this fruit and vegetable juice craze. [more…]

In today's coffee culture, where new trends keep emerging, drinks like Frappuccino, Flat White, and Dirty have taken turns rising to fame, yet one pale red coffee is rarely mentioned by domestic enthusiasts—it is Flat Red from Ukraine. This drink was inspired by locals' love of red wine. Its inventor, Vadym Granovskiy, replaced alcohol with pomegranate juice and orange juice, paired it with espresso, and created a unique coffee whose color resembles red wine and which carries a fermented vinous aroma and fruity acidity. In this article, Front Street will guide you through the background of Flat Red's creation, its making logic, and a complete reproduction of its recipe, from the juice mixing ratio to steam heating and foaming, and finally to the tasting experience, presented one by one. If you also want to try a cup of distinctive Ukrainian-style coffee at home, why not follow Front Street's steps and make it yourself. [more…]

Heytea recently launched the "Fire-Clearing · Slimming Bottle," the second product in its "Super Plant Tea" series, featuring kale and bitter melon as the core ingredients, paired with apple, lemon water, tea infusion, and white pomelo pieces. The official emphasis is on 100% fresh ingredients freshly squeezed, with no added concentrated juice, and only about 100 calories. Just one day after its launch, the new product was sought after by young consumers, with many reporting that the bitter melon taste is not very noticeable and the drink is refreshing and easy to drink. However, the hot sales of this beverage have also brought enormous pressure to store employees, with the workload of apple washing and juicing surging, and back-of-house partners complaining endlessly. This article will take you through the features of this new product, consumer feedback, and the real situation behind the stores. [more…]

The first product in Naixue's newly launched "Daily 500 Fruit & Veggie Bottle" series, "Slim Little Green Bottle," focuses on the daily 500g fruit and vegetable ratio recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society, and claims to have no added sugar and to be freshly squeezed to order. After hitting the market, however, quite a few consumers reported that it tasted noticeably sweet, with some even describing it as "syrup-like," and others posted photos showing the drink looking yellowish, questioning whether it was really freshly squeezed. Naixue employees responded on social media that the sweetness comes from fruits such as apples, pears, and sweet oranges that naturally contain sugar, while the yellow-green color is a normal phenomenon after apples oxidize, and stressed that all ingredients are processed the same day and kept refrigerated for a limited time. The controversy also sparked playful online discussion about the kale leaves at the bottom of the cup. [more…]

After the National Day holiday, Heytea launched the third product in its Super Plant Tea series—the Beetroot Beauty Bottle. This fruit-and-vegetable tea drink, starring beetroot, continues the previous slimming bottle line and claims to have beauty-enhancing and slimming benefits. Beetroot, an ancient ingredient originating from the Mediterranean, is rich in betalains and dietary fiber and holds a high status in European folk tradition. The new product is made from 100% freshly squeezed beetroot, combined with apple juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and a fragrance-free Green Yan tea base, offering a fresh and light taste. However, consumer feedback has been polarized: those who like it appreciate the balance between the slight astringency of the whole food and the tartness of the apple, while those who don't describe it as tasting like a mouthful of dirt. Heytea's previously launched Champion Slimming Bottle and Fire-Clearing Slimming Bottle both achieved impressive sales, and competition in the fruit-and-vegetable tea segment is intensifying. [more…]

In recent years, the salted pomelo Dirty has become quite popular online, but many people frequently fail when trying to recreate it at home. The core difficulty lies in the acidity of the pomelo juice, which causes milk proteins to denature and curdle, seriously affecting the taste. Through multiple experiments, Front Street has found a method that is closer to the original: using concentrated pomelo juice combined with sucrose syrup to make a homemade pomelo syrup, then combining it with milk and espresso, and finally sprinkling on sour plum powder to create a unique experience of intertwined salty and sweet flavors. This article will share the complete production parameters and flavor layers of this drink, from material selection, syrup ratios, coffee bean recommendations, to specific operating steps, helping coffee enthusiasts make a rich, well-balanced salted pomelo Dirty at home. [more…]

Since Heytea launched its Super Botanical Tea series, fruit and vegetable juice drinks have quickly gained popularity, with major brands rushing to follow suit. ChaPanda recently rolled out its "Super Veggie" series in 14 cities including Beijing and Shanghai, among which "Detox Wheatgrass" sparked heated discussion online because its main ingredient closely resembles cat grass and livestock feed. This drink pairs wheatgrass with fresh fruits such as apple, pineapple, and Shine Muscat grapes, and the company emphasizes that no concentrated juice is used. Consumers report that it tastes refreshing, but kitchen staff's workload has increased accordingly, while some customers have raised concerns about the food safety of fruit and vegetable juices. [more…]

Following its light-body fruit and vegetable bottles and vitamin A fruit and vegetable bottles, Gu Ming has once again incorporated espresso into freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice, launching the new Light-Body Fruit and Vegetable Americano, in an attempt to attract more consumer groups with a combination of health and coffee. According to the official description, this product is centered on kale, paired with apples, yellow lemons, pineapples and other ingredients freshly squeezed on the same day, then infused with coffee liquid to add layers. However, after the new product launched, consumers' actual feedback presented a completely different picture: the appearance gradually changed from fresh leafy green to a dark yellow tone, and the taste was described as grassy, medicinal, or even like cold sour vegetable soup. This article compiles the formula information, visual changes, and genuine netizen reviews of this fruit and vegetable Americano for coffee lovers' reference. [more…]