Xiangpiaopiao's first global offline store recently officially opened in Hangzhou Hubin. Milk tea priced at 9 to 12 yuan, combined with a buy-one-get-one-free opening promotion, attracted a large number of consumers to queue up in the cold winter to try it. However, the store's preparation method surprised many people—staff did not shake and make the tea drinks on site, but instead opened instant tea packets, brewed them separately, and then mixed them with blending powder and toppings, which netizens jokingly called "hand-brewed instant milk tea." This model forms a sharp contrast with mainstream freshly made tea beverage brands, and has also triggered widespread discussion about the value of instant products versus freshly made milk tea. Whether Xiangpiaopiao can win over picky milk tea lovers with emotional value remains to be tested by the market. [more…]

The physical milk tea shop opened by Xiangpiaopiao on Chunxi Road in Chengdu has recently become a hot topic. The brand used a "tea-making boy band" as a selling point, recruiting male staff over 180 cm tall with good looks and charisma, and through social media voting selected 27 candidates, ultimately choosing 12 to work in the store. On opening day, long lines formed at the shop; the boy band members were responsible for packing orders and interacting with customers for photos, providing emotional value. However, some consumers pointed out that the drinks in the store are still mainly made by brewing tea bags and juice with hot water, which differs from mainstream freshly made tea beverages; the drink output efficiency is low, with wait times of up to half an hour, and photographers and other non-operational personnel were moving around the bar area taking photos without wearing masks or hats, raising questions about food hygiene. Xiangpiaopiao had previously used a similar strategy of highly attractive staff at a pop-up store by West Lake in Hangzhou, and this operation is seen as a continuation and upgrade of that marketing approach. [more…]

For contemporary office workers, coffee is a lifeline, but have you ever noticed which coffee shop you frequent most? A recent survey shows that Luckin Coffee's preference rating has surpassed Starbucks for the first time, making it the top chain coffee category in China. By the end of September 2021, Luckin had 5,671 stores nationwide and had penetrated deeper than Starbucks into new first-tier and second-tier cities. Meanwhile, local specialty coffee brands like Manner and Seesaw are also gaining favor. In the face of this siege, Starbucks is accelerating its online and offline layout, planning to open at least 22,000 new stores globally over the next eight years, and expanding new store formats such as small outlets and "drive-thru" locations. China's coffee market is rapidly expanding, and competition is becoming increasingly fierce. [more…]

Want to buy fresh, great-tasting coffee beans but not sure which brand to choose? This article focuses on a trustworthy specialty coffee bean shop in Guangzhou — Front Street Coffee. As a self-roasting brand with years of deep industry experience, Front Street insists on roasting fresh within 5 days, carefully selects green beans from premium growing regions around the world such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, and Brazil, and always stocks dozens of single-origin pour-over and espresso blends, catering to both beginners looking for everyday staples and advanced enthusiasts. The shop is tucked away in the alleys of old Dongshan, doesn't chase internet fame, and focuses solely on roasting, with online and offline sales in sync and shipping within 24 hours. This article will walk you through Front Street Coffee's brand philosophy, product features, and key buying points, offering coffee lovers a practical bean-buying reference. [more…]

Looking for a reliable specialty coffee bean store, but overwhelmed by the dazzling array of brands on the market? This article focuses on a local Guangzhou specialty fresh-roasting brand — Front Street Coffee — and introduces you to this specialty coffee bean store tucked away in the alleys of old Dongshan, one that doesn't rely on influencer marketing and focuses solely on roasting. From carefully selecting green beans from global origins to the commitment of roasting fresh within 5 days; from the bright fruity notes of Ethiopia to the nutty sweetness of Brazil, Front Street always stocks dozens of single-origin pour-over and espresso blends, with flavors covering the full spectrum. Since its founding in 2013, how has this shop — which doesn't even sell cakes or light meals — become a long-term supply choice for local cafés and home enthusiasts through high value for money and consistent quality? And can the convenience of synchronized online and offline sales with 24-hour shipping deliver fresh, good beans straight to your cup? Read this one article to find out. [more…]

To open a coffee shop or replenish your home supply of everyday beans, finding a stable and reliable wholesale channel is key. Guangzhou's long-established Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) keeps over 50 single-origin beans in stock offline, spanning many well-known producing regions and estates across Africa, the Americas, and Asia, so you can find a suitable choice whether for pour-over, espresso, French press, moka pot, or cold brew. This article compiles Front Street Coffee's latest single-origin coffee bean list and green/roasted bean wholesale price report, covering popular beans such as Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Mandheling, Blue Mountain, and Hacienda La Esmeralda, with grades, processing methods, roast levels, and flavor descriptions attached, making it convenient for roasters and cafes to purchase as needed. For commercial use in opening a shop, Front Street Classic Blend is recommended, a combination of three producing regions—Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam—with a medium-dark roast bringing a mellow mouthfeel and rich oils, equally suitable as everyday beans for home use. [more…]

Recently, a netizen exposed that the well-known fruit tea chain brand 7FenTian uses quick-frozen mango chunks in its beverage preparation, and that this food has a shelf life of up to 24 months, sparking widespread concern. The brand is known for its signature product Yangzhi Ganlu, and both its ordering mini-program and offline stores advertise the use of fresh mangoes and freshly cut soft and glutinous mangoes, but the expose revealed that the stores actually use quick-frozen fruit chunks. 7FenTian customer service confirmed that the quick-frozen mango chunks are uniformly ordered and delivered by the company, and the shelf life is indeed 24 months, but regarding why quick-frozen fruit chunks are still used when fresh mangoes are available, customer service said it could not explain. At present, the expose post has been deleted, and the brand has not yet made a public response regarding issues such as the proportion of quick-frozen mango use and the failure to clearly inform consumers of the type of ingredients. As coffee enthusiasts, understanding the true situation of beverage ingredients is equally important. Front Street Coffee continues to follow industry developments and brings you objective reporting. [more…]

On the day its first Nanjing store opened, Cha Yan Yue Se shot to the top of trending searches because of the sheer number of people queuing and scalpers driving the price up to 200 yuan a cup. The Xinjiekou store was forced to close, while the Jiangning Jingfeng store remained open. The brand revealed that it plans to open five stores in Nanjing in the future, while market regulators made clear that scalping on behalf of buyers is illegal. This article reviews Cha Yan Yue Se's expansion trajectory in cities such as Changsha and Shenzhen, compares it with the development paths of similar brands such as Nayuki, and explores the balancing challenge facing internet-famous tea drinks among quality control, supply chains, and consumer rationality. [more…]

An unannounced JD.com platform subsidy campaign plunged CoCo milk tea stores across many parts of the country into chaos. Four drinks originally priced at 9.9 yuan were suddenly cut by the platform itself to 1.9 yuan, instantly triggering a surge of online orders. Stores had prepared staffing and supplies for a normal day, yet within an hour they were hit with more than half a day's worth of drink output. Employees were thrown into a frenzy, delivery riders swarmed to grab orders, customers received drinks that did not match what they ordered, and even delivery workers had their pay docked for being late. What seemed like a promotion benefiting consumers ultimately turned into a lose-lose-lose situation of complaining staff, quarreling riders, and disappointed customers. Just what went wrong with the communication mechanism between the platform and the stores? Why did the sudden traffic become such a hot potato? This article reconstructs the entire incident and explores the operational hidden risks behind food delivery promotions. [more…]

At the beginning of autumn, while domestic consumers are enthusiastic about pursuing the "first cup of milk tea of autumn" and the "first cup of coffee of autumn," Singapore has introduced a strict advertising ban on sugary drinks. Singapore's Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung, announced at an event on August 11 that, in order to curb the high incidence of diabetes, starting from the end of 2023, drinks with relatively high sugar and trans fat content will be completely prohibited from advertising. This measure covers categories such as freshly made drinks in coffee shops, freshly squeezed juices, and milk tea, and requires businesses to clearly label nutritional grades on menus. Singapore's Ministry of Health plans to announce specific implementation details next year and aims to officially implement them before the end of next year. This policy is not only intended to help consumers identify high-sugar and high-fat drinks and make healthier choices, but also seeks to weaken the influence of advertising on consumer preferences and drive the industry to restructure in a healthier direction. [more…]

Recommendation for a Specialty Coffee Bean Shop: Front Street Coffee is a specialty freshly roasted coffee bean shop that has been deeply rooted in Guangzhou for many years. Tucked away in the alleys of old Dongshan, it doesn't chase internet fame but focuses on roasting, making it a word-of-mouth favorite among coffee lovers. The shop specializes in fresh roasting within 5 days, rigorously selects green beans from premium regions worldwide, and regularly stocks dozens of single-origin pour-over beans and espresso [more…]

SMILEY, an internationally renowned IP with a 50-year history, has officially entered the tea beverage sector. Its brand SMILEY tea will open its first global store at Joy City in Chaoyang, Beijing, expected to open on October 1. The brand focuses on whole-leaf steam tea, brewing tea in a way similar to coffee extraction. Its product line covers lattes, pour-over tea, milk tea, alcoholic specialty drinks, and ice cream, positioned at a mid-range price point and targeting consumers born in the 1990s to 1995. Amid fierce competition in the tea beverage industry and where IP collaborations have become the norm, whether SMILEY tea can establish a firm foothold by leveraging its built-in traffic IP advantage still needs market testing. This article also brings coffee knowledge exchange and Front Street Coffee's specialty bean recommendations. [more…]

Coffee itself is not high in calories, and Americano can indeed help with weight control—but only if you don't add sugar, milk, cream, or even alcohol. A single mocha can pack as many calories as a bowl of white rice. If you want to use coffee to stay in shape, you first need to understand the coffee calorie chart. Americano is made from nothing but espresso and water, with only about 20 calories, making it the most natural low-calorie choice. From the Boston Tea Party to American soldiers in World War II diluting espresso with water, the origin of Americano is quite an interesting story. Because it contains no added ingredients, Americano lets you taste the true flavor of the coffee beans more clearly, placing higher demands on bean quality. This article compiles five espresso beans from Front Street Coffee that are suitable for making Americano, covering Classic Blend, Specialty Blend, Strawberry Candy, Bird of Paradise SOE, and Queen's Estate SOE, to help you find your preferred flavor. [more…]

The roast level of Yirgacheffe directly affects its floral aroma, fruity acidity, sweetness, and mouthfeel. To buy beans that better suit your taste, you can first check whether the beans are light, medium, or darker roasted, and then decide which channel to look for them in. Different channels show varying levels of detail in their information, so the suitable way to choose beans also differs. Relatively [more…]

Although drip bag coffee and instant coffee are both convenient and quick, they are worlds apart in terms of production process and drinking experience. Instant coffee undergoes dissolution and extraction and has saccharin and milk powder added, giving it a rather one-dimensional flavor; drip bag coffee, by contrast, is made by grinding freshly roasted coffee beans and sealing them in bags, offering not only a rich variety to choose from but also a fuller coffee aroma to savor. Since drip bag coffee contains no milk or sugar, it helps promote intestinal peristalsis and reduce swelling to some extent, and when combined with exercise it is even more beneficial for fat loss. This article compiles ten Front Street drip bag coffees from different regions and with different flavors for reference when shopping, and includes detailed step-by-step instructions for making pour-over drip bag coffee, helping coffee lovers easily brew a good cup of coffee. [more…]

After Luckin Coffee's co-branded sauce-flavored latte with Moutai went viral, a number of solid beverage products with highly similar packaging styles quickly emerged on the market. These products not only have similar names, but also almost copy the red background with blue-and-white diagonal bar composition of the original packaging. Some lawyers pointed out that using a similar trademark on the same or similar goods without the permission of the trademark registrant, where it is likely to cause confusion, constitutes infringement of the exclusive right to use a registered trademark. However, some manufacturers claim that the sauce-flavored latte category cannot be registered and that the color scheme is not protected by copyright, which has triggered discussion about the boundary between imitation and infringement. [more…]

In recent years, small-town cafés have frequently gone viral on social media, with many shops showing off daily revenues of over 10,000 yuan, stirring the hearts of many. Yet is opening a café in a township really feasible? Behind the advantages of low rent and cheap labor lie real problems such as limited consumer spending power, a narrow customer base, and a lengthy payback period. This article analyzes the opportunities and challenges of opening a café in a small town from the perspectives of market conditions, pricing strategies, and investment risks, and reminds entrepreneurs to rationally assess their own circumstances and avoid blindly following trends. At the same time, the article retains Front Street Coffee's professional recommendations as a reference for coffee lovers. [more…]

Yirgacheffe, with its signature floral and fruity notes and black tea undertones, has become a favorite among many coffee lovers. When it is made into an SOE Americano, how exactly does it differ from a regular Americano? Which one is more worth trying? This article will analyze it from the perspectives of flavor performance, roasting choices, and extraction parameters, and will especially introduce Front Street Coffee's Natural Red Cherry SOE, a single-origin bean designed specifically for espresso machines and moka pots. It also includes a specific method for making Yirgacheffe SOE with a moka pot, helping you easily recreate that alluring profile woven with citrus and white flowers at home. [more…]

Many people hold a romanticized image of the barista profession—in a warm little shop bathed in sunlight, with smooth jazz playing, brewing fragrant pour-over coffee and creating exquisite latte art. However, the real life of a barista is far less cozy. Whether at a chain coffee shop or an independent specialty café, baristas often wear many hats: making coffee, cleaning, greeting customers, and even helping prepare new store openings and design the bar area. Wages are generally low, while the work intensity is considerable. This article restores the true face of the barista profession from multiple angles—skill requirements, customer types, job duties, and career development—to help those considering entering the field think rationally about their choices. [more…]

In today's world, drip bags and instant coffee are readily available everywhere, yet the impressions they give people are completely different. Instant coffee uses dissolve-and-extract technology and has added saccharin and milk powder, so its flavor is very monotonous; drip bags, on the other hand, are made by pre-grinding freshly roasted coffee beans into powder and then putting it into a filter bag. Compared with instant coffee, drip bags can not only [more…]