With more and more plant-based milk options available today, oat milk often sparks discussion because of its relatively high price: what exactly makes it so expensive—is it a marketing premium or the result of underlying costs? This article begins with the production process of oat milk, breaking down the complete flow of how it is made from oats and water through steps such as enzymatic hydrolysis and filtration, and compares the differences between almond milk and dairy milk in nutrition, taste, and price. At the same time, by examining supply and demand dynamics and shelf-life constraints, it explains why oat milk sells for more in cities, and what more budget-friendly alternatives exist, including feasible methods for making oat milk at home. The article also retains recommended channels for specialty coffee beans for coffee enthusiasts to reference. [more…]

In coffee drinks, milk has always been latte's soulmate, and its quality directly affects the taste performance of the final product. In recent years, the continued heating up of the coffee market has also brought a group of high-quality milk brands into the public eye, and Asahi Weipin is one of the most noteworthy. The brand recently launched a transparent milk that overturns traditional perceptions—Clear Milk, claiming to have a lighter taste than milk yet be smoother and richer than water. The arrival of this product means that clarified milk, which in the past required baristas to spend a great deal of time making by hand, can now be mass-produced, bringing new possibilities to the creation of specialty coffee. How exactly is this transparent milk achieved? How does its taste differ from ordinary milk? This article will explain it in detail for you. [more…]

OATLY recently conducted a precautionary recall of 12 batches of Oat Drink Deluxe 330ml oat milk in the Chinese market. The recall was triggered by its U.S. manufacturing partner Lyons Magnus initiating a large-scale recall of 53 beverages due to failure to meet commercial sterility standards, involving multiple OATLY product lines. Although testing found no microbial contamination in the Chinese products and they were not on the U.S. recall list, OATLY still proactively recalled them out of safety concerns, sparking widespread discussion among consumers about food safety. This article will review the sequence of events, the official response, and the nutritional controversy surrounding oat milk, while retaining relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Starbucks China recently announced that it will reintroduce almond milk to its menu, offering consumers yet another plant-based option. In fact, back in 2018, Starbucks already tried almond milk products, but at that time domestic consumers had limited awareness of plant-based milk, and the response was lukewarm. Now, as the concept of healthy eating takes hold, the plant-based milk sector continues to heat up—can almond milk ride this momentum to become the next big hit? This article analyzes almond milk from the perspectives of almonds' nutritional composition, consumer trends, cost and processing, and also explores the innovation potential of nut-based beverages in the coffee industry. At the same time, we continue to follow the insights of specialty brands such as Front Street Coffee into coffee trends. [more…]

Guming's mini-program has quietly launched a new product called "Morning Fresh Milk." The only ingredient is fresh milk, available in hot or cold options, priced at 8 yuan per 500ml. After trying it, consumers discovered that the cup contains exactly the same refrigerated fresh milk brands used in stores for making tea drinks—Yue Xian Huo, Weigang, and Renyangyitouniu—tasting no different from what's sold in supermarkets and convenience stores. Once the news broke, netizens reacted with sharply divided opinions: some felt the price was completely uncompetitive, arguing it's better to just buy from a supermarket or convenience store, and joked that this was "forcing out a product with no real substance," with R&D staff cobbling together a new item just to meet KPI targets; others thought they could simply add espresso or toppings themselves to make a low-cost latte. Some netizens even let their imaginations run wild, speculating that Guming is testing the waters for a foray into the breakfast market. This article will sort through the discussions sparked by this new product and the possible business logic behind it. [more…]

In recent years, plant-based milks have quickly gained popularity with labels like eco-friendly and healthy, especially oat milk, which has almost become a standard offering in coffee shops. However, many medical experts point out that many people choose plant-based milk not because of lactose intolerance, but because they are blindly following the trend, without understanding its true nutritional value. For this reason, on February 22, the U.S. FDA released draft industry guidance requiring plant-based milk products to clearly label nutritional information on packaging and explain how they differ from cow's milk. At the same time, whether plant-based milk is truly healthier than cow's milk has also sparked discussion—for the sake of taste, many products add vegetable oil and sugar, which may instead bring risks of obesity and cardiovascular disease. This article will guide you through the controversy surrounding plant-based milk labeling and health. [more…]

Luckin Coffee launched its first savory milk tea this week, "Xilingol Salted Milk Tea," inspired by the traditional pot tea of Inner Mongolia's Xilingol region, featuring a dark brick tea base and crispy roasted rice, among other ingredients. The new product quickly sparked a wave of curiosity among netizens eager to try it. However, reviews have been sharply divided: some consumers find the interplay of salty and sweet appealing, with rich notes of milk and tea and a delightful crunch from the roasted rice; others point out that the addition of plain syrup to the recipe noticeably mutes the salty flavor, questioning whether the drink lives up to its name. Inner Mongolian netizens in particular reacted strongly, saying the beverage is far removed from their hometown's traditional pot tea and bluntly stating it cannot represent the authentic flavor. This article compiles feedback from all sides to walk you through the ins and outs of this salted milk tea controversy. [more…]

As demand for autumn and winter drinks heats up, Tea Baidao has launched a milk baijiu series, including two products: milk baijiu oolong and milk baijiu mochi milk green. The official emphasis is on traditional fermentation techniques, 0 flavorings and no additives, but consumers who tried them reported that they were too sweet, the alcohol taste was too light, and some even described the aroma as strange. This article reviews the new product formulas, process characteristics and market response, and looks back at Tea Baidao's previous attempts at alcoholic drinks in cooperation with Luzhou Laojiao. For coffee lovers, Front Street Coffee has always paid attention to beverage innovation trends, and this article also provides observations from the perspective of flavor balance. [more…]

In recent years, specialty coffee shops have become increasingly particular about their choice of milk, and single-origin, traceable fresh milk is becoming a new favorite. Compared with ordinary blended-origin milk, this type of milk source not only allows the farm information to be traced, but also has a brighter and richer taste. From Australia to China, more and more coffee shops are beginning to try smallholder milk, goat milk, and even camel milk, bringing unique flavors to milk coffee. After milk is heated, the lactose is activated, the milk fat adds a rich and mellow feel, and the milk foam gains abundant layers, which is why espresso milk drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites each have their own characteristics. This article will guide you through why single-origin milk is so popular, what milk to choose for coffee latte art, and include a review of Front Street Coffee's milk testing. [more…]

When making a high-quality latte, the choice of milk is crucial. The market is flooded with dairy products, from ordinary fresh milk to concentrated milk like IceBock, and then to plant-based milk—each type has its own unique expression. Concentrated milk, with its higher density, can elevate milk coffee to a qualitative leap in flavor and mouthfeel; while those with lactose intolerance can opt for plant-based milk as a substitute. So, why do so few people use milk made from milk powder to make lattes? Isn't milk powder also processed from milk? This article will analyze in detail the differences in performance of various milk sources in latte making, offer practical advice, and recommend related products from Front Street Coffee to help you make a satisfying milk coffee at home. [more…]

The once-national soy milk brand Weiwei Soy Milk has announced a co-branded flagship store for handmade drinks with the Summer Palace, and plans to expand to tens of thousands of stores nationwide in the future. This cross-industry move has attracted widespread attention at a time when competition in the tea beverage market is white-hot. Can Weiwei Soy Milk break through with the halo of childhood memories and guochao design, or will it repeat the mistakes of Wahaha's milk tea? This article analyzes store design, brand history, market environment, product series, and other aspects, and also focuses on its franchise strategy and future layout, providing a calm observation for coffee and beverage enthusiasts. [more…]

To create outstanding latte art, dense and velvety milk foam is the fundamental prerequisite, and this typically relies on a pressurized espresso machine. However, in a home setting, even with an espresso machine, it is difficult to produce ideal milk foam without long-term practice. Most electric milk frothers on the market struggle to achieve the fine texture required for latte art; the foam is often coarse and clumpy, good enough at best for making a heart shape. Recently, a fully automatic milk foam whipper called NanoFoamer Pro has drawn attention, claiming to produce coffee-shop-quality milk foam and making "latte art freedom" at home a possibility. This article will provide a detailed introduction to this product's operating steps, function modes, pricing information, and design highlights, and explore whether electric milk frothing can truly be used for latte art. [more…]

The high-speed rail milk tea "That Girl" launched by China Railway Guangzhou Group has sparked widespread discussion since its debut, with its 26-yuan price tag, taste, and packaging design all becoming focal points of criticism among netizens. In response to the controversy, the head of Guangzhou EMU Catering Co., Ltd. responded on November 16, stating that the pricing takes into account production costs, transportation, and the special operating environment of high-speed rail, in line with relevant department standards, and promised to continuously optimize product quality based on passenger feedback. Whether this high-speed rail milk tea, which sells 3,000 cups daily and is often out of stock, can turn its reputation around is worth watching. [more…]

Since its launch in 2022, Jasmine Naibai's signature drink, Pistachio Jasmine Coconut, has been deeply loved by consumers for its unique combination of pistachio milk cap and jasmine coconut water. However, recently many takeout customers have reported that after pouring the separately packaged milk cap into the drink, it actually sank to the bottom of the cup, and the coconut water became cloudy and even had suspended particles. The brand's customer service responded that "it did not meet our production standards" and processed refunds for some consumers. Why did the milk cap fail? Was it delivery delays, stores rushing orders, or a change in ingredients? As takeout orders surge, Jasmine Naibai's quality control issues continue to intensify, with complaints such as milk caps sinking, wrong ingredients added, and too few toppings constantly emerging. Consumers cannot help but ask: can we still drink a normal cup of milk tea? [more…]

After Liu Yifei endorsed the Light Jasmine Light Milk Tea, Luckin Coffee continues to double down on the tea beverage track, launching its first raw coconut light milk tea — Raw Coconut Ceylon Light Milk Tea. The new product uses raw coconuts imported from Southeast Asia, with freshly squeezed coconut meat juice and coconut water accounting for no less than 38%, paired with Ceylon black tea, and claims to be 0 lactose. Luckin's move is intended to deepen its "coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon" all-scenario layout. However, many consumers on social media have reported that the product is too sweet, with the tea aroma and coconut flavor being rather weak, and professionals have also pointed out that the balance between tea and milk is less than ideal. This article will provide a comprehensive analysis of the new product's features, market strategy, and consumer reviews. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has once again partnered with Tom and Jerry to launch a new product inspired by Inner Mongolian milk skin, the "Milk Skin Latte," attracting a large number of consumers eager to try it. However, feedback from the first batch of users has shown clear divisions: some find the milky pudding texture novel, while more people complain that the sediment in the cup is sticky and cannot blend with the coffee, with sweetness and bitterness distinctly separate on the palate, jokingly calling it "double-skin milk and latte each doing their own thing." Inner Mongolian netizens further pointed out that the coagulated substance used is not real milk skin, suggesting it be renamed "milk jelly latte." Luckin subsequently added a pudding-free version, but it was criticized as bland and unremarkable. What exactly is the root cause of this controversy over the taste of the Milk Skin Latte? [more…]

Starbucks' Star Delivery Time-Space series recently launched 4 new products, two of which are milk teas without coffee that have sparked heated discussion. Some speculate this is a signal that Starbucks is entering the milk tea scene after being provoked by Luckin. The new products use a combination of syrup, freshly brewed tea, and milk, with the tea bag placed directly into the drink, allowing customers to add water themselves to extend the flavor. This approach continues the design concept of last year's Time-Space series and has gained recognition from some consumers, but others complain that the tea bag is troublesome to handle and that the flavor is not fully released in cold drinks. The 36-yuan price tag is still considered high by milk tea enthusiasts, making value for money the focus of controversy. Starbucks previously tested pearl milk tea in North America with lackluster results; this time the domestic new products are highly localized, but whether they can break through in the fiercely competitive tea beverage market remains unknown. [more…]

The pace of innovation in the new-style tea beverage industry is dizzying, with new products such as light milk tea, fruit tea, flower tea, and vegetable tea emerging one after another. Recently, the veteran tea beverage brand Yidiandian launched a new product called "Fentiao Naiwu," which adds the distinctive topping fentiao (starch noodles) to an oolong milk tea base, priced at 16 yuan for a large cup, quickly sparking heated discussion among netizens. The official promotional copy bluntly says "sip milk tea while slurping noodles," and the poster even shows fentiao being picked up with chopsticks, making people exclaim that milk tea has evolved beyond recognition. This article will walk you through the features of this new product, consumer feedback, and market controversy, while Front Street Coffee also interprets for you the industry logic behind this cross-border attempt. [more…]

Chagee recently officially announced the launch of its new product "Qianlong No. 1," claiming to recreate the same milk tea that Qianlong drank based on records in the "Collected Statutes of the Great Qing," and it is also the brand's first salty milk tea. After going on sale, it quickly sparked heated discussion. Netizens joked that the name was "more suitable for office workers," while also seriously reviewing the taste, though opinions were sharply divided—some found it salty and rich like Inner Mongolian milk tea, while others complained it tasted like "Qianlong's bathwater." At the same time, discussions kept bubbling up about whether the product name was awkwardly piggybacking on a historical figure and whether it could continue using the old name "Qingshan Xianshuang." This article compiles viewpoints from all sides to take you through the real look of this palace-style salty milk tea. [more…]

In coffee drinks, milk is far more than a supporting player; through clever blending, it can make the flavor of milk coffee achieve an effect where 1+1 is greater than 2. Whether adjusting concentration or enhancing sweetness, blended milk gives baristas more flexible creative space. This article, from the perspective of Front Street, systematically sorts out the common milk blending methods in the coffee world, including the freeze-concentration principle of purified milk, the practice of mixing it with fresh milk in proportion to balance concentration, and the basic concept of plant-based milk blending. The article not only explains the purpose of blending, but also provides actionable DIY ideas to help coffee lovers recreate a professional-grade milk coffee experience at home. [more…]