Luckin Coffee's collaboration with Line Friends' dog character officially returned this Monday, bringing back last year's beloved Little White Pear Latte, and fans eagerly placed orders to snap up the co-branded merchandise. However, many consumers discovered upon receiving the actual products that the limited-edition metal badges had issues such as scratches, bubbles, black spots, and even missing logos, while the blind-bag stickers were also complained about being insufficient in quantity. Faced with co-branded merchandise that they had waited a year for yet varied in quality, merch enthusiasts expressed their disappointment one after another, calling on Luckin to strengthen quality control. [more…]

On a sweltering 40°C day, most people would rather stay cocooned in air-conditioned rooms, yet an unusual queue formed at Suzhou's Yanlord Cangjie Commercial Plaza—outside the nation's first MUJI coffee pop-up store, customers were lining up under the scorching sun, umbrellas in hand. What drew them was not a new matcha product, but two Suzhou-exclusive brand badges. However, the queuing process was nothing short of a "roasting" ordeal, with indoor areas also unable to escape direct sunlight, weakening the air conditioning and leading to frequent complaints about insufficiently cold drinks and ice cream melting in seconds. This pop-up event will continue until November, and those who have already "braved the battle" are advising: if you're not set on the giveaways, it might be better to wait for cooler weather before going. [more…]

As Christmas approaches, Luckin Coffee, in addition to launching new holiday products, is also bringing back its former hit Christmas Sweetheart Thick Milk Latte and the Tom and Jerry co-branded limited edition that caused a frenzy in October. However, the news of this return did not come from official sources, but was leaked in advance by netizens on social media, including the launch time of next Monday (December 18) and the designs of the three-piece set of paper bags, cup sleeves, and stickers. The festive Christmas packaging has prompted many consumers to declare they "must grab it," and pre-sale links have already appeared on second-hand platforms. Nevertheless, the frequent co-branded campaigns have also left some netizens feeling weary, complaining that they haven't yet collected all the badges and can't keep up with drinking them all. Meanwhile, netizens suspected to be Luckin employees nervously pleaded for the posts to be deleted, worried that revealing company information in advance would lead to serious consequences. This co-branded campaign that went viral before it was even announced once again demonstrates netizens' "extraordinary" intelligence-gathering abilities. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has officially entered the Hong Kong market, with five stores opening simultaneously, located at Mira Place, MCP New Town Plaza, New City Mall in Mong Kok, Shatin Centre, and Des Voeux Road Central in Sheung Wan. During the opening period, region-exclusive packaging materials and limited-edition sticker badge activities were launched. However, its Hong Kong pricing has sparked widespread discussion—the signature Coconut Latte is priced at HK$42. Although members can enjoy an opening offer of HK$15.9, it is still considerably higher than the mainland price of 29 yuan in Futian, Shenzhen, or 18 yuan after discount. Compared with brands such as Starbucks and Pacific Coffee, Luckin's price advantage is not obvious, and some consumers bluntly say they would rather buy it in Shenzhen. Industry analysis points out that Hong Kong's rent and labor costs are higher than those on the mainland, and mainland restaurant brands going to Hong Kong generally raise prices. Whether Luckin can continue its mainland coupon marketing model and maintain a平价 positioning remains to be seen. [more…]

Heytea has made another collaboration move, and this time the partner is the national-level office software WPS Office. The two parties launched limited-edition cup sleeves and badges themed around "Monday," and simultaneously made Heytea asset templates available on the WPS Docer mall. From film and television IPs to office scenarios, Heytea is trying to break out of its user scenario boundaries. At the same time, the trend of new tea beverage brands laying out in the coffee track is becoming increasingly obvious, and Heytea's moves to invest in specialty coffee brands such as Minor Figures and Seesaw have also attracted attention. This article will analyze the strategies and challenges of new tea beverage brands against the backdrop of normalized collaborations, starting from the creative details of this collaboration, WPS's brand background, netizen feedback, and Heytea's recent series of actions. [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…]

The co-branding campaign between Chagee and "Ne Zha 2" had not yet been officially announced, but a large number of leaked merchandise images had already surfaced on social media, sparking heated discussion among fans. However, as more images were exposed, merchandise enthusiasts who had been full of anticipation discovered that the square badges in this design bore a striking resemblance to competitor Cotti's fridge magnets, and the quality also fell short of expectations, with disappointment written all over their faces. Facing the growing public discourse, Chagee's official account appeared in the comments section to debunk rumors and try to soothe fans' emotions. Meanwhile, Cotti, which was the first to launch its co-branded campaign, won praise for its sincerity and after-sales service, invisibly putting comparative pressure on Chagee. How will this co-branding controversy unfold? And what gaps exist between fans' expectations and the brand's preparations? [more…]

The collaboration between Goodme and Honkai: Star Rail was supposed to be a fan frenzy, but it turned into a reputational crisis due to severe merchandise shortages. On the first day of the event, the official mini-program queue exceeded 1.2 million people, stores in many locations sold out within 3 hours, and high-priced complete merchandise sets appeared on second-hand platforms. Although the brand claimed to have prepared "the largest inventory in history," compared with the previous Love and Deepspace collaboration, whose stock was only one-third of this amount, it clearly underestimated players' purchasing power. What dissatisfied fans even more was that many stores explicitly stated they would not restock, causing the collaboration to end early. This imbalance between traffic and reputation sounded a warning for co-branded marketing in the coffee and tea beverage industry. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's collaborative campaign with the hit mobile game Honor of Kings has officially launched, coinciding with the game's tenth anniversary celebration and drawing widespread attention from players. The collaboration features a special drink inspired by in-game equipment called "Pain Mask · Tamarind Americano," along with merchandise such as hand fans, insulated tumblers, and gold-stamped badges. During the campaign, stores nationwide are using a three-piece collaboration set consisting of takeaway cups, cup sleeves, and paper bags, with the most eye-catching item being as many as 10 themed cup designs covering 5 game characters. The rich variety has thrilled players but placed a double burden on store staff in terms of identification and stocking. Front Street Coffee continues to follow developments in the coffee industry and brings you frontline observations. [more…]

In recent years, the promotional methods in the coffee industry have quietly changed, shifting from pure price wars to marketing battles over limited-edition freebies with purchases. Chain brands like Starbucks, Manner, and Luckin have rolled out distinctive gift promotions, enticing consumers to buy coffee in order to collect coveted merchandise. This "gift-only, never-for-sale" model not only helps brands stand out in fierce competition, but also reflects the younger consumers' psychology of valuing the container more than its contents. This article reviews the latest buy-and-get promotions from major brands and explores the market logic and consumer mindset behind this phenomenon. [more…]

On the morning of August 23, the KFC app and mini-program experienced a collective malfunction, rendering the ordering interface unusable and quickly trending on social media. Netizens discovered that the crash was not due to the Crazy Thursday promotion, but rather a surge of users rushing to buy KFC's limited-edition collaboration meal with the mobile game "Love and Deepspace." Official customer service responded that an overwhelming number of orders in a short period caused the system to lag. As coffee enthusiasts, while paying attention to fast-food brand marketing trends, we might also turn our attention to specialty coffee brands that focus on quality, such as Front Street Coffee, which has consistently earned a reputation for stable output and professional roasting. [more…]

On a cold, windy weekend morning—the kind of day meant for sleeping in until you wake up naturally—hundreds of people were already queuing for hundreds of meters outside Manner stores in several cities across China before dawn. Seven Gingerbread Man–themed stores in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and elsewhere attracted a large crowd of young people to get up early and endure the cold by offering a 9ml Jo Malone perfume and a Christmas badge with the purchase of a new coffee. The queue at the Shanghai Xuhui Binjiang store was the most spectacular: some people got up at 6 a.m. and arrived at 7 a.m., and by the time the store opened at 9 a.m., the line had already reached number 300. What exactly is the magic of this collaboration that makes young people willing to wait two or three hours in the freezing 0°C wind? Let’s take a closer look. [more…]

Mstand recently launched a co-branded collaboration with Audrey Hepburn, releasing a Brown Sugar Macchiato and a series of Hepburn-style limited-edition merchandise. Among them, the pearl chain Mini Crossbody Bag sparked a buying frenzy thanks to its high aesthetic appeal. However, after the first batch of consumers received the actual product, they discovered that the bag was extremely small—too small to even fit a single lipstick—making its practicality far lower than expected. It was jokingly dubbed a "beautiful piece of junk that can only hold emotional value." Mstand had previously earned the nickname "the luggage factory of the coffee world" for practical merchandise like its "grocery basket" and denim bag. This collaboration, however, left many fans disappointed. This article will review the actual situation and consumer feedback regarding this collaborative merchandise, and explore the balance between aesthetics and practicality in brand merchandise development. [more…]

On August 29, Luckin Coffee's co-branded campaign with the cartoon IP Little Liu Duck officially launched, but it sparked consumer dissatisfaction because participation was limited to online channels only. Many fans rushed to stores early in the morning only to find nothing, and later discovered that the campaign was actually run by Luckin Instant Coffee, which belongs to a different system from the offline stores. The co-branded merchandise was available only as gifts, not for sale, including limited-edition items such as thermos cups, stickers, and desk mats, and had already attracted widespread attention during the teaser phase. However, the mismatch between online and offline information left many consumers disappointed and also triggered discussions about brand co-branding strategies and the essence of coffee. [more…]

Recently, a Luckin Coffee employee posted footage on social media showing a store destroying co-branded packaging overnight, with trash bins full of unopened cup sleeves and takeaway cups, quickly sparking discussions among netizens about waste and environmental protection. According to the employee, on the eve of the end of each co-branding campaign, stores must cut and destroy remaining materials under surveillance, including previously co-branded Chengdu Cultural Tourism small panda keychains. Some netizens compared this with Cotti Coffee's approach, arguing that continuing to use expired packaging materials both reduces waste and gives customers surprises; others with knowledge of the matter pointed out that the destruction may be forced by the licensing period granted by the co-branding partner, and using them beyond the period could lead to breach-of-contract compensation. Behind this controversy lies the dilemma of materials management and intellectual property compliance amid the co-branding boom. [more…]

Nayuki launched a collaboration with Japanese virtual singer Hatsune Miku, releasing a theme song, limited-edition drinks, and merchandise, attracting a large number of fans to visit stores and check in. However, some store employees cosplayed as Hatsune Miku in exaggerated ways, such as wearing masked headpieces, and were jokingly called by netizens "the century's meeting of the realist and abstract schools," sparking heated discussion. The brand subsequently issued an urgent notice strictly prohibiting employees from cosplaying as Hatsune Miku again, believing that such behavior damages the brand image and may invite complaints. But many fans said they were not offended and instead found it amusing. This collaboration controversy reflects the delicate balance between employees' individualized expression and brand management when tea beverage brands cooperate with ACG IPs. [more…]

Luckin Coffee launched the Drum Deer Deer series metal badges this week, paired with a blind box promotion where buying two cups earns a badge, quickly sparking a buying frenzy among consumers. However, the random distribution mechanism of the blind boxes has left many Luckin fans struggling to collect their desired styles—some drank multiple cups without success, while others opened sixteen blind boxes in two days just to complete a set. To crack the blind box challenge, some consumers took a creative approach by bringing electronic scales to stores to weigh the packaging boxes and determine which badge was inside, with some even compiling the precise weights of the five badges for others' reference. This trend of weighing to pick badges has gradually evolved from a spontaneous act by netizens into a common practice at stores, and Luckin employees have shifted from initial confusion to understanding, even actively helping with weighing during idle times. This article provides a comprehensive overview of this amusing phenomenon triggered by coffee blind boxes. [more…]

Not long ago, the incident of an employee badge being found in a Luckin drink drew public attention to that little silver deer badge for the first time, and recently it has gone viral again—Luckin has required employees to replace their old badges and adopt English names or pinyin, along with unified font specifications, which the QC department will strictly inspect. Some people honestly use pinyin or proper English names, while others have turned their badges into a comedy show: the handmade group, the phonetic group, the weird word group, the undercover group, and the ultimate god-tier group all take turns stepping up. This article compiles these wildly creative badge names, showcasing the humorous daily lives of coffee workers while also reminding stores of the importance of compliant naming. At the end, Front Street Coffee-related recommendations are kept for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

On September 14, Chagee launched a new freshly brewed milk tea called "Golden Crow Soaring," combining Xinhui green tangerine with Yunnan Pu'er and championing the concept of modern Eastern tea. The accompanying "Golden Crow Soaring blind-bag badges" merchandise sparked a collecting frenzy, with the four zinc alloy badges becoming a new target for figure collectors. Yet reviews of the drink itself are sharply polarized—some praise its rich layers, while more people complain that the oolong flavor is too heavy, with a medicinal taste or even a dog-poop note. Veteran tea drinkers suggest drinking it with regular sugar to ease the bitterness. This article sorts through the taste controversy surrounding the new product and the merch-collecting guide, offering reference for coffee and tea enthusiasts. [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…]