After Starbucks exited the Russian market, its assets were acquired by a local company and rebranded. On August 17, 2022, rapper Timur Yunusov revealed the new name "STARS COFFEE" and its logo on Instagram, and the official website went live simultaneously. The new brand replaced the mermaid logo with a girl wearing traditional Russian headwear, and officially opened in Moscow on August 18, with all 120 stores planned to resume operations by the end of September. The new stores no longer write cup names by hand, switching to thermal printing, and food has also become pre-made and heated. Marketing experts pointed out that the new owners are striving to maintain continuity between the old and new brands, but the effectiveness of the rebranding still needs to be tested by the market. Russian netizens have been discussing it extensively. [more…]

HEYTEA has made another move, officially announcing a co-branding collaboration with the nationally beloved TV drama Empresses in the Palace, launching two new products: "Zhen Guo · Da Ju Hua Li" fruit tea and "Zhen Nai · Xue Niang Han Cui" milk tea, both priced at 18 yuan. This is the first time Empresses in the Palace has crossed over into a co-branding partnership with a new-style tea beverage brand, and it is also HEYTEA's latest IP collaboration attempt following A Dream of Splendor and Genshin Impact. From "Meng Hua Cha Xi · Dian Cha" selling nearly 300,000 cups on its launch day, to the Genshin Impact co-branded fruit juice tea's first batch selling out within 59 minutes, HEYTEA's cross-brand collaborations have become increasingly frequent and remarkably effective. This collaboration not only enriches the drama's connotations but also provides a new direction for exploring cultural experiences in new-style tea beverage brands. Follow Coffee Workshop to learn more about specialty coffee and beverage industry trends, and Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) also continues to bring you professional coffee knowledge exchange. [more…]

Cotti Coffee's official announcement of a new brand ambassador triggered a surge in store orders, and Luckin Coffee's livestream channel promptly featured group-buying links that appeared to be riding the traffic. A coffee business war revolving around celebrity traffic seems to have quietly begun. As the traffic-driving effects of price wars and co-branded merchandise gradually wear off, brands are turning their eyes to fan groups willing to keep paying for their idols. Can this consumption shift from "buying the trinket while returning the pearl" to "spending for love" become a new path for coffee brands to break through? Under the halo of celebrity, will coffee itself be forgotten by consumers? [more…]

In recent years, new-style tea beverage brands have no longer been content with their original track and have turned their eyes toward the coffee sector. From Tea Yanyuese launching an independent coffee brand, to Heytea investing in a specialty coffee chain, and then Naixue Tea taking a stake in AOKKA, cross-sector moves have been frequent. At the same time, Mixue Ice Cream & Tea had long been deeply cultivating the coffee market with "Lucky Cup," and CoCo都可 was even earlier, taking the lead in testing the waters back in 2014. As China's coffee market scale approaches 500 billion, capital and companies of all kinds are accelerating their entry, and the number of financing events has surged. This article will sort out the journey of new-style tea beverage brands entering the coffee track, key cases, and market data, and explore the strategic considerations and industry impact behind this trend. [more…]

Recently, Starbucks launched two special kombucha drinks in some stores, drawing consumer attention. Behind this move lies a certain bottleneck in product innovation among coffee chain brands today—from flavored syrups to fruit coffee and fruit tea, new products keep emerging yet are often teased as "old wine in new bottles." Meanwhile, as healthy eating concepts spread, consumers' enthusiasm for high-sugar drinks is gradually fading, and brands are turning to new ingredients such as fruit juices and jams. Can Starbucks' attempt to venture beyond the coffee track and test kombucha bring truly fresh ideas to the industry? This article will analyze this topic and share related observations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

The NAIXUE store in Bao'an Uniwalk, Shenzhen, debuted as the "second NAIXUE Tea · green light drinks and light meals store nationwide," but customers noticed that the wording on the light sign had changed from "by NAIXUE" to "by Naisnow NAIXUE." On social platforms, some netizens also shared that two stores had adopted the "Naisnow NAIXUE" name and a new snowflake-shaped logo, sparking widespread discussion. NAIXUE was originally called "Nayuki," but because it was often mistaken for a Japanese brand, it gradually changed to "NAIXUE" in 2023. Tianyancha shows that its parent company submitted 8 trademark applications in March this year, including "Naisnow NAIXUE." Netizens have mixed opinions on the new name. Some speculate that it is paving the way for overseas expansion, while others think it is neither Chinese nor Western, hard to remember and hard to pronounce. The new logo has also been said to resemble a biotech company or a software icon. Whether frequent brand name changes affect brand awareness has become a point of concern. [more…]

As the Lunar Year of the Rabbit approaches, the New Year marketing battle in the coffee beverage industry has quietly begun. Major brands are launching creative campaigns around the zodiac "rabbit," from puns and auspicious sayings to limited-edition new products, from co-branded designs to merchandise, all trying to capture consumer mindshare in the fierce market competition. Luckin has teamed up with artist Han Meilin to launch the "Double Rabbit" series, Starbucks offers three limited-edition drinks paired with cute rabbit merchandise, and Nestle Nespresso has collaborated with designer Angel Chen to create an eco-themed gift box. This article reviews the Chinese New Year marketing moves of major coffee brands, analyzes how zodiac IPs help brands build emotional connections with consumers, and explores that, amid the trend, product quality and creative output are the key to standing out. [more…]

Nayuki Tea recently quietly changed its store signage at a new outlet in Nanning, Guangxi, with the original "奈雪の茶" becoming "奈雪的茶," and the English logo also changing from NAYUKI to the pinyin NAIXUE. The company officially responded that this is an upgrade move for the brand's seventh anniversary and will be rolled out gradually nationwide. This new tea beverage brand, founded in Shenzhen in 2015 and listed in Hong Kong in 2021, is turning a new page in its eight-year brand history through a visual rebranding that removes Japanese-style elements. Since June this year, its parent company has intensively applied for multiple NAIXUE trademarks, and the signage replacement work at nearly a thousand directly operated stores nationwide has already begun. [more…]

Specialty coffee consumption continues to heat up globally, with particularly rapid growth in emerging markets such as China and India. Buying coffee beans online has become a new trend, new brands keep emerging, and market competition is becoming increasingly fierce. Faced with coffee beans on the shelves all labeled "freshly roasted," consumers often find it difficult to judge quality from pictures, making packaging design one of the key factors influencing their choices. However, packaging is only the first step in attracting new customers. What truly determines whether a brand can develop over the long term is a sustainable philosophy, an authentic brand story, and consistently excellent coffee quality. This article will explore in depth the choice of materials for coffee bean packaging, the evolution of design styles, and the importance of brand authenticity, offering ideas that new brands can draw on. [more…]

Recently, the hit drama "The Tale of Rose" has sparked widespread discussion, and news of Luckin Coffee's co-branding with it was also exposed in advance on social platforms, with photos of merchandise, cup sleeves, paper bags, and other materials quickly circulating. Internal employees shared new test questions, indirectly confirming the authenticity of the co-branding campaign and revealing that the limited-edition new product is Yellow Rose Latte. The campaign is expected to launch on the 24th, but the news became known to the public nearly two weeks in advance. Some believe that releasing information while the drama's popularity is at its peak is a win-win for both the brand and the production team; others have noticed that employees are required to comply with social media confidentiality rules, yet material leaks occur repeatedly. Behind this "double standard" phenomenon, who exactly should be responsible for internal information leaks? This article will sort out the sequence of events and explore the delicate relationship among the brand, employees, and netizens. [more…]

In recent years, chain coffee brands have been including limited-edition merchandise with new product launches, from cups to bags to earphone pouches, and these freebies have become even more popular than the coffee itself. Consumers buy coffee just to get a nice-looking freebie, jokingly saying they are reenacting the idiom "buying the box and returning the pearl." This article takes M Stand's Thai-flavored coffee series, which comes with a cork earphone pouch, as an example to analyze the brand strategy and consumer psychology behind this phenomenon, and explore how gift marketing helps brands expand their reach and build a good reputation. [more…]

The combination of coffee and alcohol is becoming a new trend in the food and beverage industry, with "C in the morning, A at night" evolving from a skincare concept into a consumption model of "coffee in the morning, alcohol at night." Post Coffee, a coffee brand under China Post, recently launched the country's first daytime coffee and nighttime alcohol concept store in Fuzhou, along with two Fuzhou-exclusive drinks. Since its first store opened in Xiamen in 2022, Post Coffee has expanded to ten stores across four cities. Can this new business format offer new ideas for coffee brands venturing into nighttime operations? At the same time, brands such as Starbucks, Seesaw, M Stand, Tims, and even Cotti Coffee have also been entering this track, and coffee brands' attempts to expand from coffee into alcohol and extend operating hours are accelerating. [more…]

Competition in the new tea beverage sector is growing ever more intense. While defending their existing advantages, major brands are exploring diversified business paths, among which the "coffee + bakery" combination is particularly eye-catching. Recently, Chagee launched its Zhencui Tea series in its 4.0 stores and ventured into the bakery sector for the first time, rolling out three bagel products in one go, marking this new tea beverage brand's official entry into the bagel race. Meanwhile, chain coffee brands such as Starbucks, Tims Coffee, Peet's Coffee, and Seesaw had long since established bagel product lines. With their healthy attributes of low sugar, low oil, and low fat, their consumption scenarios covering all dayparts, and their fit with the customer profile of coffee shops, bagels are gradually becoming a standard bakery item in specialty coffee shops. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of the specific products and pricing strategy behind Chagee's cross-category attempt, as well as the deeper logic behind the rise of bagels. [more…]

Nayuki, once hailed as the "first stock of new-style tea drinks," has delivered a less-than-stellar half-year report card: revenue dipped slightly year-on-year, and after adjustments, it swung from profit to loss. Facing multiple pressures—questions over price cuts, the impact of the pandemic, and competition from peers—Nayuki has begun setting its sights on the coffee track, seeking new growth points by investing in brands like AOKKA. Meanwhile, brands such as Heytea and Chayan Yuese are also making their own moves to save themselves. Is the collective push by new tea drink brands into coffee a move of desperation or a new trend? This article reviews Nayuki's latest performance and investment moves, and takes stock of the self-rescue paths within the industry. [more…]

At the start of 2022, office workers lost both their milk tea freedom and coffee freedom in quick succession. But then new-style tea drink brands proactively cut prices, with Heytea and Nayuki even offering cups for 9 yuan, while coffee brands such as Starbucks and Luckin raised prices one after another due to rising raw material costs. Behind this divergence—one cutting prices, the other raising them—lies the reality that consumers are returning to rationality, the traffic dividend for new-style tea drinks is fading, and the coffee market is still in its early stage of expansion. This article sorts out the logic behind the price divergence between the new-style tea drink and coffee industries, and looks ahead to the future market landscape. [more…]

The fate of Starbucks in Russia has finally been settled. From suspending operations in March of this year to announcing its exit from the market in May, 130 stores were once at a standstill. At the end of July, Russian rapper Timati announced via social media that the local catering company Pinskiy&Co had successfully completed the acquisition of Starbucks' assets in Russia. The new brand name and logo have not yet been determined, but the first store is scheduled to open in August, and the number of stores will exceed 200 by September. What are the details behind this acquisition? How will the new brand make a fresh start? This article takes you through the entire course of events. [more…]

Major changes have occurred in %Arabica's partnership in the Philippine market. The brand announced via Facebook that it has terminated its partnership with its former Philippine partner Allue Hortaleza and has found a new agency company, with new stores expected to open within the year. Allue Hortaleza subsequently confirmed the news on social media and launched the local Philippine coffee brand Angkan Coffee on February 10. Since the original %Arabica store locations belong to it, the new brand will open directly at the original sites. Angkan Coffee draws somewhat on %Arabica in its business philosophy and brand aesthetics, while emphasizing the sourcing of local Philippine coffee beans and the integration of local aesthetics and hospitality. Allue Hortaleza insists that the two are not the same and believes the new brand will influence %Arabica's future restart in the Philippines. This article sorts out the course of events and the brand details. [more…]

After Starbucks' franchise in Russia was terminated in March of this year, 130 stores remained closed for a long time. Now, Anton Pinsky, founder of Russian catering company Pinskiy&Co, plans to take over the lease rights of all stores and launch the local coffee chain brand Magadan Krasnodar. This deal is similar to McDonald's previous exit path, but the new brand will no longer use Starbucks' recipes and ingredient supply. Local market analysts believe that local brands have advantages in operating costs and delivery services, and are expected to provide consumers with high-cost-performance, high-quality coffee. [more…]

In recent years, coffee and milk tea brands have been rolling out all kinds of merchandise giveaways beyond the drinks themselves—from cup sleeves and paper bags to hair clips, coin purses, and even coffee-scented candles and co-branded perfumes. These seemingly inconspicuous little items are becoming a key factor in attracting consumers. When many customers buy drinks, their focus has shifted from taste to whether they can get limited-edition merch, and some even place repeat orders just to complete a giveaway set. Behind this marketing strategy lies both the consumer psychology of non-monetary promotions and an attempt by the tea beverage industry to break through amid intensifying competition. Starting from this phenomenon, this article will analyze how giveaway promotions influence purchasing decisions, and explore how cases such as Saturnbird's "Return Flight Program" achieve a win-win for brand publicity and environmental image, while also retaining relevant recommendations for Front Street Coffee. [more…]

In the scorching summer, iced drinks are back in the consumer spotlight. To stand out in fierce competition, new tea beverage brands keep reinventing their marketing tactics—from early niche fruits and co-branded limited editions to today's popular milk tea scratch cards, blind box draws, and even giveaways of gold, lottery tickets, and cars. Suguo Fresh Fruit Tea uses its new yellow skin (wampee) product to promote "scratch for real gold," Heytea and Nayuki use puns plus tear-open cards and lottery tickets to grab attention, while Chagee uses high-end lipstick blind boxes to precisely target female customers. Behind these gimmicks is the thrill and sense of participation brought by "eliminating uncertainty." Of course, for those who just want to quietly enjoy a good coffee or milk tea, returning to the product itself may be the lasting way forward, and Front Street Coffee has always advocated focusing on flavor and quality. [more…]