As soon as 2024 ended, Heytea launched a series of annual merchandise on New Year's Day, including a New Year calendar and hand-woven bags, and even hid Easter eggs in over 2,000 stores nationwide—customer number 8225 could receive a free slimming fruit and vegetable bag. However, this feather-woven bag, which required purchasing a drink to get and worked out to about 37 yuan, was found upon receipt to be made not of cotton or nylon rope, but of paper rope, sparking complaints from many consumers. This article will take you through the whole story of Heytea's New Year merchandise and see whether this "beautiful waste" is actually worth it. [more…]

A café located inside a Singapore museum, partially open-air, was fenced off at night only with barriers and ropes—yet a 48-year-old man climbed in multiple times to spend the night. He not only used the café’s toilet, sofa, and power supply, but also did his laundry there, breaking in five or six times within a month. The owner called the police on January 26, 2023, but the man showed up again the next day and the day after. He later moved on to a nearby gym and was finally recognized and arrested on April 10 this year. Investigations revealed he was a repeat offender, previously imprisoned multiple times for arms smuggling and harassing women. He currently faces five charges under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and was fined S$3,000, which was substituted with imprisonment for non-payment. Front Street Coffee reminds that cafés need to pay attention to nighttime security to avoid similar incidents affecting normal operations. [more…]

Located in Pitalito, Huila, La Pradera Farm is run by producer Dionel Chilito and grows varieties such as Caturra, Colombia, and Geisha. Since Dionel's father bought the farm 45 years ago, two generations of the family have cultivated it together. Dionel constantly experiments with different fermentation and storage techniques to improve coffee quality and cupping scores. The Geisha coffee is selectively hand-picked, depulped on the same day, dry-fermented for 36 hours, and then washed three times through channels. This article will walk you through the acidity profile of this coffee and share the authentic brewing method recommended by Front Street Coffee, helping you fully appreciate its layered flavors. [more…]

Since the broadcast of Wang Yibo's documentary "Exploring the Secret Realm," rock climbing in Gushi Village, Lianjiang, Fuzhou, has quickly gained popularity. Nowadays, while experiencing cliff climbing, visitors can also check in at a café built on the cliff, where they can savor aromatic coffee while gazing at the sea view of the Matsu Islands in the distance. This cliff café, jointly created by teams from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, officially opened on October 1 and has quickly become a trendy new landmark in the Matsu Bay coastal tourism area. This article will introduce this innovative project that blends outdoor adventure with coffee culture, as well as the story and features behind it. [more…]

A viral photo spot at Meili Snow Mountain in Yunnan, known as "a scallion plucked from dry land," has recently been exposed as being cordoned off by a local café, requiring tourists to make a purchase before they can enter to take photos, sparking discontent among outdoor enthusiasts who reported it. After investigation, the local market supervision bureau confirmed that the café has no business license and has ordered it to suspend operations for rectification. This free viewing platform near the Feilaisi observation deck became famous for offering views of the magnificent scene of golden sunshine on the snow mountain, but has now become embroiled in controversy due to commercial activity. The incident has also raised public concerns about damage to the natural environment and safety hazards. [more…]

When ordering milk tea, getting stuck by the minimum delivery price and delivery fees—wanting just a single cup but having to force yourself to add more—is a daily frustration for many consumers. Some people order an extra cup they can't finish just to meet the threshold, while others add toppings and then have to leave a note begging the staff not to include them, going to great lengths just to enjoy one cup. Recently, the established milk tea brand Yidian Dian launched a pack of pocket tissues priced at 0.57 yuan, which netizens have dubbed a "order-filler神器" (order-filling神器), with a post receiving over 19,000 likes. This pocket tissue comes in four fresh designs and is currently only sold in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Henan. As coffee enthusiasts, Front Street also often follows such consumer topics—let's see how single-cup drinkers tackle the order-filling dilemma. [more…]

No sooner had the Qingming holiday ended than Starbucks was already busy preparing for its next round of in-store campaigns. This time, it is not a collaboration with a popular IP, but the annual, uniquely positioned-in-the-zongzi-world Starbucks Crystal Dumpling, which is about to hit the shelves again. Mocked by netizens as "a zongzi that is not a zongzi," the Starbucks Crystal Dumpling, branded with the label of "weird flavors," has once again returned to consumers' view thanks to Starbucks' persistence. According to information circulating on social platforms, this year's Crystal Dumplings follow last year's format: one box of eight, four flavors. Compared with last year, this year's lineup emphasizes a colorful visual route, with crystal-clear outer skins wrapping brightly colored fillings, looking at first glance like rainbow candy. The most eye-catching of all is the sky-blue "Coconut Wave" in the upper right corner. The promotional copy says it uses imported coconut and tastes "as blue and free as the ocean," yet netizens have described it as so abstract that it is hard to imagine. Blue food has always challenged the appetite, and even though the ingredients list shows that food coloring is used, many people still blurt out that it "looks even less appetizing." As for flavors, Starbucks seems to have listened to outside opinions. This year's four new products are all mainly fruit-flavored. Although they are still unconventional compared with traditional zongzi, netizens believe this may be the edition with "relatively normal flavors" in history. Whether improved looks and adjusted flavors can stir up the desire to buy is something most people are still taking a wait-and-see attitude toward. After all, Starbucks Crystal Dumplings are constantly criticized for being unpalatable, yet there are always people willing to pay for this "evil legend of the zongzi world." And in this, the salesmanship of Starbucks employees cannot be underestimated. During every Crystal Dumpling sales period, staff members strongly recommend them to customers ordering at the bar, and in order to sell a box of gift packages, they can truly [more…]

The world of coffee is made colorful by the zodiac, and every sign has its own cup. Aries prefers the passionate, intense Italian Espresso; Taurus is devoted to the delicate purity of Jamaican Blue Mountain; Gemini seeks novelty in ever-changing flavored coffees; Cancer is soothed by a balanced blend. Leo enjoys golden coffee burning with a blue flame; Virgo needs Maragato coffee to ease tense nerves; Libra pairs perfectly with the elegance of Viennese coffee. Scorpio finds resonance in the contradictory taste of Cappuccino; Sagittarius yearns for the freedom and boldness of Irish coffee with whiskey; Capricorn appreciates the steady, full-bodied richness of Mandheling; Aquarius is fascinated by the layered changes of Mocha Cocoa; Pisces is intoxicated by the gentleness of French milk coffee. Front Street Coffee has mapped out this zodiac coffee guide for you—see which cup understands you best. [more…]

Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, where people regard coffee as a part of life, even beyond the category of a crop. Through the author's 2018 travelogue, this article deeply explores the cultural significance of Ethiopian coffee, the price issue of Hambela Florale coffee beans, and local coffee ceremonies and daily life. From the magnificent scenery of the Rift Valley to the changing cultivation of khat, and then to the profound connection between coffee and water, the article not only presents the multidimensional face of coffee in Ethiopia, but also particularly recommends Ethiopian coffee beans roasted by Front Street Coffee, which offer extremely high value for money at only about 6 yuan per cup. Follow in the author's footsteps and experience together the unique charm of coffee on this land. [more…]

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is renowned worldwide for its exceptional quality, and the stylistic differences among various producing regions and estates often determine the caliber of flavor in the cup. This article will systematically review the main producing origins of Blue Mountain coffee, including representative estates such as Wallenford, Amber, MoyHall, and Mavis Bank, comparing their output, packaging, market destinations, and quality tiers. At the same time, we will also introduce the Clifton Estate Blue Mountain No. 1 purchased by Front Street Coffee, covering everything from the estate's background and certification information to its flavor performance, giving you a comprehensive understanding of what makes this top-tier Blue Mountain coffee so unique. [more…]

How to choose an espresso machine when opening a coffee shop? Many people are drawn in by claims that high-end brands hold their value, but the second-hand market hides risks. This article analyzes the arms race phenomenon in coffee machines, examines value-retention cases of brands like La Marzocco, reveals price traps and equipment pitfalls in second-hand transactions, and advises people to act within their means, consider more cost-effective equipment such as those recommended by Front Street Coffee, and keep funds for operations. [more…]

Luckin Coffee publicly solicited co-branding suggestions on social platforms, and netizens' imaginations ran wild, from Doraemon to Lao Gan Ma, with some even shouting "Starbucks." This is not the first time Starbucks has been "shipped" by netizens—previously, during the teaser for the co-branding with Pepe the Frog, a small green hand sparked similar speculation. Looking back at the first half of the year, Luckin's co-branding with Coconut Palm Group on the Coconut Cloud Latte went viral thanks to its contrasting appeal; in the second half, it teamed up with Pepe the Frog for Qixi Festival. Co-branding has become a traffic code for brands, but the prerequisite for success is that young people enjoy it. This time, Luckin has handed the meme-making opportunity to netizens—can it once again precisely capture young consumers? [more…]

Recently, a strong cold front swept across China from north to south, hitting North China first before strong winds continued southward, dispersing the earlier muggy heat in South China. On this cool weekend, Nanning in Guangxi and Ningbo in Zhejiang each hosted outdoor coffee festivals, attracting many residents to visit and check in. However, the weather did not cooperate, and both events were hit by sudden fierce winds. Tents on site were uprooted, stall facilities were overturned, and the losses were heavy. Fortunately, there were no casualties. The meteorological observatory had issued a strong wind warning in advance, but the organizers did not adjust the event arrangements or take effective emergency measures, triggering widespread public questioning online. This article will take you through what happened at these two outdoor coffee festivals and discuss issues related to safety management for outdoor events. [more…]

Recently, many loyal customers of Manner Coffee have been complaining on social media that they keep getting stumped by the minimum order fee when trying to order a drink through delivery—a 30-yuan minimum is now the norm, and in some areas it is as high as 80 yuan. To get a cup of coffee, some people search everywhere for a "coffee buddy" to pool an order with, some are forced to add bottled water or bread to their cart, and others end up drinking two cups in a single day. By comparison, brands such as Starbucks and Luckin have lower delivery thresholds, which makes Manner's delivery strategy stand out all the more. What exactly is the reason Manner sets such a high delivery threshold? And how should consumers respond? This article takes you through it. [more…]

Coffee shops are usually opened in city centers or places with heavy foot traffic, but a man in Xin'an County, Luoyang, Henan, opened his shop in a wild mountain cave. In August of this year, 36-year-old Mr. Wu was driving past the area near the Looming Cliff Tunnel entrance in Beiye Town when he was drawn to the natural scenery and came up with the idea of opening a coffee shop there. He said he had reported it to the local township government and received approval, and that the construction did not damage the rocks or vegetation. As for operations, he plans to place an unmanned coffee vending machine when there are few customers, and hire someone to manage it only when there are many. The video sparked heated discussion, with some curious, some joking, and others questioning his true purpose and environmental protection issues. [more…]

Every year around the Dragon Boat Festival, Starbucks' Frappuccino Zongzi (星冰粽) always becomes a hot topic on social media. This product, which defies categorization for both the savory-leaning South and the sweet-leaning North, has appeared in Starbucks' Dragon Boat Festival lineup for thirteen consecutive years. Netizen comments have evolved from blunt criticism to all sorts of creative mockery. Despite the sharply polarized reputation, Starbucks has never given up on this controversial zongzi. This year's Frappuccino Zongzi comes in four flavors with eight pieces, still priced at 198 yuan, and adds a new spicy popping candy dipping sauce. Caught between consumer complaints and employees' helpless sales pitches, what exactly is the business logic behind this product? Is it a clever gift-bag marketing strategy, or a commitment to brand exposure during the holiday? This article will take you on a deep dive. [more…]

The food delivery platforms have once again kicked off a subsidy war, with Meituan and Alibaba distributing large numbers of milk tea redemption vouchers to users, triggering a collective surge in orders at chain stores such as Mixue Bingcheng, Chabaidao, Goodme, and Shanghai Auntie. On the night of July 5, orders flooded into tea beverage stores in many places like a tidal wave, receipt printers nearly collapsed, and employees kept busy from the evening shift until the early hours of the morning yet still could not clear the backlog of orders. Some stores urgently called back off-duty employees for support, while delivery riders and customers surrounded the stores so tightly that not a drop could get through. While consumers got milk tea for 0 yuan, the workers behind the counter experienced a night comparable to "doomsday." This game between platforms ultimately shifted the pressure onto the frontline tea beverage workers. [more…]

When a long-running independent coffee shop decides to put itself up for a full transfer, what it leaves behind is not only equipment and décor, but also a story of the tug-of-war between dreams and reality. Recently, coffee shop transfer listings have surged on social platforms, and many one-person shop models are facing closure. From the initial passion for starting a business to the feeling of being trapped after losing their freedom, what kind of shift have shop owners gone through in their mindset? Why do they prefer transferring the entire shop as a lease rather than selling it off in parts? Amid this wave of transfers, industry observers such as Front Street Coffee have also begun to wonder: is starting a coffee business really this difficult? [more…]

In recent years, animal-themed cafes have rapidly expanded around the world, with everything from cats and dogs to owls, meerkats, raccoons, and other wild animals being brought into the shops. However, animal protection organizations point out that these venues often lack effective oversight, and the animals are kept under chronic stress and sleep deprivation, with their physical and mental health seriously affected. In Japan, nearly 100,000 people have signed a petition demanding the closure of cafes featuring owls and other wild animals, and South Korea has announced a total ban on displaying wild animals outside of zoos. Should consumers also reflect: without demand, how can there be a market? [more…]

Does putting coffee beans in the freezer really extend their peak flavor window? Some friends have found that beans that have been frozen brew up with weaker aroma and a thin body, and so they suspect freezing is useless. In fact, freezing really can slow down coffee bean degassing and extend freshness, but only if storage and brewing are both done right. This article covers everything from airtight portioning and preventing condensation, to the two routes of brewing frozen beans directly versus brewing after thawing, and uses comparison data from Front Street Yirgacheffe · Gutingding to help you fully understand the complete operational logic of frozen coffee beans in one go. [more…]