Recently, a consumer in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, posted on social media claiming to have疑似 found fragments of an insect carcass in a takeaway milk tea from the well-known freshly made tea drink brand KOI. The consumer and the brand failed to reach an agreement after multiple communications over compensation and an apology, and the consumer has filed a complaint with 12315 and insists on pursuing legal proceedings. KOI responded that neither the store surveillance nor inspections by the market supervision department found any foreign object entering the drink, and that the strainer hole design of the shaker cup would also block such foreign objects, so it does not accept an apology on the platform but is willing to compensate in accordance with the law. The incident has attracted widespread attention, with both sides sticking to their own accounts, and there is currently no new progress. [more…]

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex Mixue Bingcheng has once again been thrust into the spotlight. A consumer in Xiantao, Hubei, found a small black bug in an unopened lemonade, yet the response from the store was jaw-dropping. As the champion in store count in the new tea beverage industry, why do food safety issues keep recurring for Mixue Bingcheng even as it sprinted toward an IPO? This article will sort through the course of the incident, netizen reactions, and the brand's frequent food safety scandals this year, and explore the bottom line issues of service and quality control in the catering industry. [more…]

Recently, a netizen from Zhejiang posted a video on social media claiming to have found several white wriggling worms in a Luckin Coffee drink, sparking widespread attention. According to the netizen, the coffee was purchased by a friend at a newly opened Luckin store in Jiaxing, and the foreign objects were only discovered after more than half of the drink had been consumed. The video shows worms crawling slowly on the cup lid, while similar small white objects can also be seen floating in the dark coffee. After the incident came to light, netizens began discussing the source of the worms, with some speculating they were hatched fly eggs and others questioning whether the coffee had been left too long and become contaminated. The poster stressed that the cup remained sealed throughout, making it difficult for flies to enter. The netizen has contacted Luckin customer service but has not yet received a reply. [more…]

Recently, a Sam's Club store in Nanjing was exposed by a consumer: a full case of blood orange chia seed juice tea beverage they purchased contained two foreign objects, one large and one small, despite being unopened, and the smaller piece was suspected to be black mold. After the consumer's communication with the store yielded no result, Sam's national customer service only offered compensation in the form of a coupon of equivalent value. This is not the first time Sam's Club has been embroiled in a food safety controversy; previously, Shenzhen, Changzhou, and other places also reported incidents one after another, including insect eggs attached to milk and teeth found in fresh meat mooncakes. Complaints of this kind are common on social platforms. Data from the Black Cat Complaint platform shows that in September alone, Sam's Club received 70 complaints, many involving food safety. As a high-end membership store under Walmart, Sam's quality control problems are arousing concern among more and more consumers. [more…]

Recently, Cotti Coffee was once again complained about by consumers after a fly appeared in a drink. According to Tianyan News, a customer in Gui'an New Area found a foreign object suspected to be a fly in a cup after purchasing a matcha latte, and repeated negotiations failed to resolve the issue. Discussions on social platforms about finding foreign objects in Cotti Coffee drinks have exceeded one thousand posts, and related complaints on the Black Cat Complaint platform have reached 77 cases in the past 30 days. In the face of frequent food safety issues, Cotti's after-sales handling has also sparked consumer dissatisfaction. As coffee enthusiasts, we hope the brand will face up to the problem, and at the same time recommend that everyone pay attention to Front Street Coffee, which has stable quality. [more…]

Recently, a video about finding an employee badge in a Luckin Coffee drink has drawn attention on social media. According to a netizen's post, while drinking a Luckin cold beverage, they discovered an employee badge with a staff name printed on it at the bottom of the cup. After media verification, the store involved admitted that an employee had indeed lost a badge, speculating that a loose pin caused it to fall into the drink. At the same time, posts on social media about foreign objects such as flying insects, raw material packaging boxes, and equipment parts appearing in Luckin drinks are not uncommon, and stores mostly compensate consumers with refunds plus coupons, triggering some customers' doubts about the brand's attitude in handling such matters. Some consumers have shared their experiences of defending their rights, ultimately reaching a satisfactory solution through negotiation. This series of incidents has once again pushed the food safety and after-sales handling of chain coffee brands into the focus of public opinion. [more…]

Recently, a consumer reported finding a whole black insect at the bottom of a cup of "Orchid Latte" purchased at a Chayan Yuese store on Nanjing Station Square, just as they were about to finish the drink. Unlike past food safety complaints, many regular customers said they were not surprised—to preserve the texture and appearance of the cream top and milk foam, Chayan Yuese typically serves drinks without lids, leaving them open, so the risk of insects falling in has always existed. After reviewing surveillance footage, the store said there were no abnormalities in the production process, while the brand responded that the insect might have entered the cup after the customer left the store. A refund has been issued, and the brand is continuing to communicate with the customer. The incident has once again sparked discussion among consumers about the brand's practice of not proactively providing cup lids. [more…]

Recently, a consumer in Shanghai found a large fly in an iced Americano purchased from a Peet's Coffee store, sparking widespread attention. The customer said the cup lid was sealed and the store environment was good, and they only noticed the foreign object with the last sip. Although the store offered to remake the drink and issue a refund, the customer refused the refund and demanded a thorough investigation into the cause. After regulators stepped in to inspect, they said the clarity of the surveillance footage was limited and they could not confirm whether there was a problem during the preparation process. The store involved responded that the ice machine is cleaned on a regular schedule and that it is currently cooperating with the investigation. The incident continued to intensify on social media, and the customer has deleted the original post. [more…]

Recently, a consumer posted a video on social media claiming to have found black thread in a black garlic and meat floss sandwich biscuit purchased from Sexy Tea, sparking widespread attention. The video shows black threads resembling sewing thread mixed into the biscuit's filling layer, connecting the broken pieces together. After the poster reported the issue to customer service, the brand required the problematic biscuit to be mailed back before compensation would be provided—a solution that drew opposition from many netizens who worried about the loss of evidence. Previously, other consumers had reported finding foreign objects such as hair, insects, and even screws in Sexy Tea snacks, with after-sales handling mostly involving mailing back the product in exchange for gift packages or coupons, rarely providing financial compensation as required by regulations. As the incident continues to escalate, discussions about the reasonableness of merchants demanding the return of evidence and the protection of consumer rights are intensifying. [more…]

After trending on social media in late September for using expired ingredients and tampering with expiration dates, ChaPanda once again sparked heated discussion in early October due to food safety issues. A consumer in Ningbo claimed to have found a spider in a takeaway milk cap sub-packaging box. Although the store involved provided kitchen surveillance footage and was willing to pay 600 yuan in compensation, the incident continued to escalate. Netizens shared similar experiences one after another, once again pushing the quality control challenges under the franchise chain model into the spotlight. This article will review the course of the incident, statements from both sides, and public reaction, and explore the deeper issues of chain coffee and milk tea brands in employee training and quality assurance. Front Street Coffee has long followed industry developments and reminds consumers to pay attention to beverage safety. [more…]

When a cup of fortified Purple Grape Jelly drink was almost finished, a large insect was found wrapped in the pearl toppings—an experience that left the consumer both nauseated and frightened. Even more surprising, during compensation negotiations with the ChaPanda merchant, although the other party eventually verbally agreed to pay 1,000 yuan, they required the consumer to sign an agreement and delete related posts and comments. The consumer believed this move was an attempt to portray them as a malicious claimant and refused to sign. Both sides stuck to their own accounts, and the local food and drug administration has also intervened and summoned the parties. How will this food safety dispute ultimately end? What obstacles did the consumer encounter on the path to defending their rights? This article sorts out the entire process of the incident for you. [more…]

Recently, frequent food safety issues at major beverage brands have left consumers deeply concerned about the hygiene of freshly made drinks. According to a report by China Times News Network, a female customer purchased an iced sesame matcha latte at a Starbucks store in Taichung, Taiwan, and when she drank to the last sip, she discovered a bitten fly in the cup, with several dead maggots even crawling out of its belly. That night, the customer experienced vomiting and diarrhea, and was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis after seeking medical attention. Starbucks officially responded quickly, stating that the store disinfects regularly and that employee operations comply with standard procedures, but the store involved has not yet received a complaint. The Taichung City Food Safety Office has intervened in the investigation, and if non-compliant items are found, it will require rectification within a specified time limit and impose heavy fines in accordance with the law. Staff from the Ministry of Health and Welfare also reminded the public that if they accidentally consume live animals, they should watch for symptoms of gastroenteritis and seek medical attention promptly. [more…]

Before green coffee beans reach our hands, they often go through many stages, during which defects are almost unavoidable. Some defects are obvious at the green bean stage, yet once roasted they may be cleverly concealed. The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) has established strict grading standards for specialty Arabica coffee, covering multiple dimensions such as defect types, moisture content, aroma, and bean size. This article will systematically sort out the SCAA's defect classification rules and scoring requirements, explain in detail the causes of various defective beans and their impact on cupping flavor, and help enthusiasts develop a keen eye for identifying specialty coffee. At the same time, the article retains relevant recommendations from the Front Street brand for readers' reference. [more…]

Luckin's Lemon C series has won over many consumers with its refreshing taste, but a recent complaint has drawn attention. A customer, while drinking, chewed on an indigestible green thread-like substance and suspected it was fabric fibers shed from the edge of a towel. Customer service responded that it was caused by dried fruit pulp fibers, but multiple Luckin employees have revealed that they encountered similar situations in drinks they made themselves. Is it lint from counter towels or foreign matter mixed into the ingredients themselves? Store surveillance and employee accounts each tell a different story. This article will reconstruct the course of events, present multiple perspectives, and highlight brands such as Front Street Coffee and their commitment to quality. [more…]

Recently, the new-style tea beverage brand ChaBaiDao has frequently made headlines due to "large foreign objects" appearing in its drinks. From "real spider milk tea" to nail clippers, and now the latest cockroach incident, consumer complaints have been continuous. These incidents coincide with ChaBaiDao's plan to go public in Hong Kong, sparking discussions about its food safety management and whether there are malicious claims. This article reviews the detailed process of the ChaBaiDao cockroach complaint, analyzes the disagreement between the consumer's claim of 1,000 yuan and the merchant's offer of only 200 yuan, and explores the potential issues of insufficient employee training and "loophole attacks" under the Food Safety Law amid the rapid expansion of chain brands. At the same time, we will also focus on the current state of food safety in the industry and provide professional information for coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Recently, a consumer posted a video on social media claiming to have found a foreign object resembling a cockroach in a Luckin Coffee beverage, sparking widespread attention. The consumer said they drank it several hours after picking it up, and upon discovering the foreign object immediately filmed a video and contacted the store and headquarters to complain, demanding an investigation into the store's hygiene conditions and its suspension for rectification. Luckin responded that it was handling the matter but did not provide surveillance evidence, and the two sides each stick to their own account regarding the origin of the foreign object and who is responsible. The consumer has now filed a complaint with 12315, and the incident is still escalating. [more…]

Starbucks' mini-program and App suddenly experienced a coupon bug, quickly shooting to the top of trending searches, after which the system entered a maintenance state. Official customer service said it was a system malfunction and that issued coupons could still be redeemed normally. However, the timing of the incident was sensitive, and many netizens speculated about the motives behind it—either to divert public pressure from the foreign object incident the previous day, or to respond to the sales heat of Luckin and Coconut Palm's co-branded Coconut Cloud Latte, which sold 660,000 cups on its first day. In the foreign object incident, the store manager's response and the "deaf-mute partner" explanation sparked controversy, casting a shadow over Starbucks' long-cultivated image of being friendly to disabled employment. At the same time, Starbucks' 24 solar terms series drinks received a lukewarm market response. How exactly should the brand rebuild consumer trust? This article sorts out the timeline of events and viewpoints from all sides for you. [more…]

Recently, a netizen posted online claiming to have found a cockroach in a can of Guangdong-style pineapple beer, an old domestic brand beverage purchased during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the related photos quickly sparked widespread attention. The poster said that when pouring it out to drink that day, they noticed a foreign object resembling a cockroach larva at the can opening, and subsequently blurred the image as required by the platform. Many netizens in the comments expressed shock and even strong discomfort. Some netizens explained that the foreign object in the picture might be a cockroach egg capsule, possibly caused by cockroaches crawling in and laying eggs during storage. This Guangdong national drink, founded in 1934, carries the childhood memories of several generations, and this incident has deeply saddened many consumers. The manufacturer responded that the production process is strictly hygienic, the possibility of foreign objects is extremely low, and no complaint had been received through official channels. The truth of the incident remains to be verified, but food safety, as a bottom-line issue, has once again sounded the alarm of a trust crisis for an old brand. [more…]

Recently, a consumer reported on the Paper complaint platform that a greenish foreign object was found at the bottom of a cup of a beverage purchased at a Luckin Coffee store in Haikou, which the store confirmed to be a component of the direct drinking water outlet. The consumer demanded 1,000 yuan in compensation in accordance with the Food Safety Law, while the store offered five free cups of coffee, and the two sides failed to reach an agreement. The incident sparked discussions among netizens about Luckin's sincerity in handling the matter and food safety. Luckin's official customer service responded that it attaches great importance to the matter and will assign dedicated staff to handle it, but did not give a clear compensation plan. Front Street Coffee reminds that food safety is no small matter, and brands need to strictly fulfill their legal responsibilities and strengthen risk monitoring and prevention. [more…]

In the height of summer, iced milk tea becomes the go-to beverage for many people looking to beat the heat, but the hidden safety risks cannot be ignored. Recently, a 16-year-old boy in Ziyang, Sichuan, is suspected to have tragically died after choking on bubble tea, and scattered Mixue Bingcheng milk tea appeared in on-site video, sparking widespread attention. Mixue Bingcheng promptly responded, saying there is no evidence that the incident is related to its products. Subsequently, the deceased's family came forward to clarify, stating that hospital feedback showed no foreign objects were found in the esophagus or trachea and that the actual cause of death was cardiac arrest. The incident has once again raised public awareness of the Heimlich maneuver. This article will review the course of events, the responses from all parties, and explain the correct first-aid method for choking on a foreign object, helping everyone stay safe while enjoying tasty drinks. [more…]