Recently, Malaysian homegrown coffee chain ZUS held a unique limited-time event—customers could bring a real banana to a store and exchange it for a free cup of coffee. On the day of the event, from 3 PM to 6 PM, the first 20 dine-in customers could redeem it by showing a banana. Upon learning about this, many netizens dug out bananas from home or rushed to fruit shops to buy some, then hurried to the stores to exchange the "secret code" with the baristas. Interestingly, some participants said the process was both fun and a bit embarrassing, because "banana" has other connotations in different contexts, and asking a staff member in public "Do you want to see my banana?" inevitably invites suggestive thoughts. Some speculated that this was a warm-up for an upcoming banana series of new products, while others noticed that the event date coincided with the opening of Luckin Coffee's Malaysian store and believed it might carry a competitive meaning. [more…]

Recently, the TV drama "Forever Night Star River" has surged in popularity, and the milk tea brand Molly Tea took the opportunity to launch a collaboration, but issues such as delayed merchandise, stock shortages, and reselling have led to collective complaints from fans of the show. Although the official side issued an emergency apology on the 15th and promised compensation, the limited-edition paper bags will not be available until the 30th at the earliest, prompting fans to exclaim that "the timeline is too long, and enthusiasm is being worn down." Why did this highly anticipated collaboration fail? Who exactly was hurt when the brand temporarily changed the schedule and store issues occurred frequently? Join Coffee Workshop as we review the entire incident and also take a look at the heartwarming recommendations Front Street Coffee has prepared for coffee lovers. [more…]

A smartphone launch event unexpectedly caused a sudden surge of group orders at nearby Luckin Coffee stores in the evening, catching staff off guard and keeping delivery riders constantly on the move. It turned out that the Honor CEO demonstrated an AI ordering feature on stage, buying 2,000 cups of Light Jasmine from Luckin with a single sentence. Because of the limit on the number of items per order, the AI spread the demand across multiple stores, causing Luckin outlets near the convention center to be flooded with orders at once. This move showcased Honor's intelligent AI interaction and also, unintentionally, gave Luckin a round of publicity for its efficient order fulfillment. [more…]

Since its launch in March this year, the "curbside pickup" service jointly introduced by Starbucks and Amap has aimed to provide a convenient coffee-buying experience for drivers and passengers during rush hour and on busy roads. However, a special promotion during the National Day holiday sparked considerable controversy. Due to limited stock, many customers were unable to get the cute pet tote bag offered as a gift in the campaign; at the same time, the ordering system had problems such as inaccurate route matching and closed stores still being able to accept orders, greatly reducing the user experience. In addition, the extra 3 yuan service fee also made some users feel it was unreasonable. Although Starbucks hoped to use this service to expand into new scenarios, the various inconveniences in actual operation led many netizens to question whether it was adequately prepared. This article will sort out the highlights of the campaign and user feedback in detail, and explore room for improvement in the curbside pickup service. [more…]

The Starbucks app recently completed an upgrade, officially adding the Diamond tier to its membership system, and simultaneously launched a limited-time lottery event where members can participate using stars. The top prize of 888 stars looks tempting—converted at 9 stars for a grande beverage, that's equivalent to 98 free coffees. However, many users only discovered after spending their hard-earned stars that most results merely returned a small number of stars valid for just two weeks, or even came up empty-handed. The odds of winning, the expiration period of rewards, and issues like accidentally tapping and having stars automatically deducted have led some people to jokingly call this event a "star recycling program." [more…]

Starbucks recently launched a Happy Holiday Member Night event for Gold and Diamond members, allowing eligible users to book free in-store participation through the official App. However, after the event ended, a large number of feedback posts appeared on social platforms, with many members calling the experience extremely poor: the new product tasting consisted of only one mini drink, limited-edition badges were in short supply, the coffee lecture and interactive games were simply canceled, and there were no discounts on merchandise purchases either. Some participants also pointed out that the quality of the event varied by store, and stores that attached greater importance to it still delivered a decent holiday experience. Starbucks employees, meanwhile, revealed that rushed preparation, insufficient bookings, and last-minute situations could all dilute the effectiveness of the event. Why did this member event receive such polarized reviews? This article will sort through feedback from all sides and the reasons behind it. [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…]

McDonald's recently launched a "Gold" themed campaign, where consumers who bring their own non-disposable containers with gold elements can get a free milk coffee. Before the event even started, netizens were rummaging through their homes in search of gold containers, from gold bowls and pots to all sorts of bizarre "gold" props, with creativity flowing endlessly. This campaign not only sparked public enthusiasm for participation but also once again reinforced McDonald's "Golden Arches" brand impression. This article will take you through the quirky moves at the event and analyze how McDonald's uses "gold" marketing to play along with consumers. [more…]

At the start of the new year, Starbucks announced a collaboration with Shanghai Animation Film Studio's classic animation "Havoc in Heaven," launching peach-flavored coffee drinks inspired by the "Peach Banquet." This news evoked childhood memories for many netizens, but some consumers were not impressed with the collaboration—because based on the available information, the campaign seemed to offer only limited-edition drinks, lacking themed packaging and merchandise. Compared to other brands that frequently release collaborative cup sleeves, tote bags, and other items, Starbucks' sincerity in this collaboration has been questioned, with some netizens pointing out that the limited-edition drinks are actually a hidden menu item that can be enjoyed in advance through customization services. Whether this collaboration can meet the expectations of "Havoc in Heaven" fans remains to be seen. [more…]

Recently, the Panama BOP (Best of Panama) green bean auction, hailed as a grand event in the coffee world, has successfully concluded. In this year's auction, Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha once again rewrote the historical transaction record: the washed group was purchased by Dubai's Julith Coffee for a staggering $30,204 per kilogram, setting a new global record for the highest unit price in coffee auctions. What excited the domestic coffee community even more was that the top lot in the natural group was won by JD.com for approximately 3.4 million RMB, with 20 kilograms of green beans going through 2,676 intense bids. JD.com subsequently announced that this batch of Geisha will be roasted and processed for exclusive sale on JD Supermarket, accompanied by activities such as a "spend 5,000, save 4,990" coupon and 9.9 yuan tasting slots, giving ordinary consumers a chance to experience top-tier specialty coffee. Front Street Coffee will also continue to follow the subsequent developments after this top lot arrives in port. [more…]

Manner Coffee has once again crossed over into a collaboration, and this time the partner is none other than the luxury brand Louis Vuitton. On September 16, LV will hold its Spring/Summer 2023 menswear show at Aranya Golden Coast, and for this occasion the two parties have teamed up to launch two limited-edition coffee cups, to be used at the Aranya store from September 10 to 18, and will also be offered simultaneously at two designated stores in Shanghai and one designated store in Beijing from September 15 to 16. This is not the first time the two sides have worked together; as early as the 2018 LV event, a Manner coffee cart appeared, but this is the first time they have truly collaborated and invited a Paris design team to create the cup design. This article takes you through the details of the collaboration cup design, the event arrangements, and surrounding highlights such as LV's newsstand in Aranya. At the end, there is also Front Street Coffee's specialty bean recommendation that you won't want to miss. [more…]

The collaboration between Gu Ming and the hit game "Honkai: Star Rail" ignited a consumer frenzy as soon as it launched, with over 1.2 million people queuing in the mini-program, and the topic quickly shot to the top of trending searches. Store orders poured in like snowflakes, and the limited-edition drinks were all fresh fruit smoothies with complex preparation processes. Under high-intensity operation, multiple smoothie machines were overwhelmed, emitting white smoke and even exploding on the spot, while staff were so busy they didn't even have time to drink water. To deal with equipment failures, some stores prepared backup machines in advance, while others had to borrow juicers from neighboring Shu Yi Shao Xian Cao and Luckin for emergency use. Behind this collaboration frenzy, issues such as excessively high thresholds for obtaining merchandise and enormous pressure on stores were exposed, also triggering discussions on optimization measures such as selling drinks and merchandise separately and cup storage services. [more…]

In recent years, collaborations between new tea beverage brands and popular IPs have become the norm, and the partnership between Good-me and Mo Dao Zu Shi is no exception. In early November, the two parties launched a limited-edition collaboration event, covering themed stores in 16 cities across the country. Fans were highly enthusiastic, and the long queues even made it onto trending topics. However, before the event even started, they had to apologize due to the cancellation of a drone show, and the shadow of the previous failed collaboration with Love and Deepspace had not yet dissipated. Despite the bumpy start, Good-me still announced an additional second round of takeout packages, intending to use the popular IP to boost sales again. This article will review the entire process of this collaboration, fan reactions, and brand strategy, while interspersing Front Street Coffee's observations on the phenomenon of industry collaborations. [more…]

Recently, Heytea launched a collaborative partnership with the popular game Genshin Impact, releasing themed products and merchandise, which sparked widespread attention among players and consumers. Previously, Genshin Impact's collaboration with Pizza Hut had caused stores to be packed, and this time Heytea built up hype in advance, with the official announcement of the event on September 5. However, some netizens expressed dissatisfaction with having to buy a whole case of juice tea to get a redemption code, as well as the relatively small number of merchandise rewards, considering the participation conditions to be rather harsh. Although general sales will be opened later, this collaboration still reflects the popularity and controversy of IP tie-ins in the food and beverage industry. This article reviews the course of the event and looks at the trend of cross-industry marketing by coffee and tea beverage brands, while also providing a professional communication channel for coffee enthusiasts. [more…]

Starbucks collaborated with Stayreal, the streetwear brand co-founded by Mayday lead singer Ashin and No2Good, to launch limited-edition merchandise, and the news immediately drew a large amount of fan attention. However, before the campaign had even officially started, social media exposed that employees at some stores had sold the not-yet-released co-branded glass cups in advance to acquaintances, and there were even reports of bundling the merchandise with Starbucks rice dumplings to meet performance targets. These actions sparked strong consumer dissatisfaction, with many demanding an official explanation. The brand later responded that it had internally instructed stores to strictly prohibit reserving items for themselves or bundling them, and had recovered the cups that were sold early. [more…]

Coffee cherries: besides the seeds that can be brewed, can the discarded peel also become a drink? In July of this year, at a Yunnan coffee flavor map event held in Shanghai, Nestlé showcased a new coffee species called "Cascara" in the Chinese market for the first time. This drink, made from coffee fruit peel, transforms what was originally considered waste—after drying and brewing—into a beverage with a flavor similar to tea. Nestlé also launched four Cascara specialty drinks, but they are still in the development and experimental stage, and the launch time and format have not yet been determined. Nestlé admits that the real challenge is not technology, but how to make consumers aware of and accept Cascara. This article will take you through the origins and flavor characteristics of coffee Cascara and Nestlé's layout strategy. [more…]

Manner previously announced a giveaway cup event on Xiaohongshu, and the light purple ceramic cup in the accompanying images quickly captured the hearts of many cup enthusiasts. As usual, new merchandise would land on various platforms within a day or two after the official poster was released, and many fans even checked with stores in advance about stock availability, gearing up for the rush. However, this event has yet to appear, with some people setting alarms for several nights in a row only to come up empty-handed, while store employees also said they had not yet received notice. Is it the weather that has delayed the nationwide launch, or has there been a problem with the brand's communication? This article will reconstruct the course of events and explore the communication shortcomings exposed by Manner during the event delay controversy. [more…]

Blackpink member Lisa inadvertently showed off a cup of Heytea's Triple Thick Matcha on social media, quickly sparking global fan attention. Multiple Heytea overseas official accounts swiftly claimed it and seized the moment to launch a "Lisa Custom Edition," then further rolled out a buy-one-get-one-free matcha series promotion at stores worldwide. However, on the day of the promotion, consumers in many parts of China found that the matcha drinks were sold out early, and some even received incorrectly made beverages. Stores explained that ingredients were consumed too quickly and prep took time, but some fans were not buying it, arguing that if the brand wanted to ride a celebrity's hype, it should have prepared adequately in advance. [more…]

Starbucks and the classic Peanuts character Snoopy launched their first co-branded campaign in mainland China, originally scheduled to go live on March 25, but it was suddenly moved up to March 21, leaving many stores unable to receive the limited-edition cup sleeves and takeout bags in time. Consumers who bought the co-branded drinks could not get the Snoopy packaging they had expected and voiced their disappointment and dissatisfaction. Starbucks employees explained that the materials were unevenly distributed, and some staff even hand-drew Snoopy designs as a makeshift fix. This co-branding campaign exposed the brand's chaos in event coordination and material allocation, and also sparked discussions about ensuring a proper co-branded experience. [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…]