Luckin Coffee recently launched a co-branded campaign with the China Open, only to unexpectedly get caught up in a plagiarism controversy. An original designer posted on social media, accusing Luckin's co-branded phone case stand of being highly similar to their own work from last year, with details from the color scheme and the tennis-spin concept to the font on the base being almost identical. Meanwhile, another sports brand also discovered that its promotional image for a tennis pillow was strikingly similar to Luckin's merchandise, and after comparison, netizens pointed out that the tag position, plush texture, and even the stitching were exactly the same. As the incident continued to escalate, a wave of questioning flooded Luckin's official comment section, but as of press time the brand had yet to respond. This is not the first time Luckin has faced such accusations, and this controversy has dealt a blow to its co-branded marketing image. [more…]

Recently, Starbucks launched a "Good Luck at Work, Fill Up with Expectations" promotion offering a laptop bag with qualifying purchases, but unexpectedly became embroiled in a plagiarism controversy. Some netizens pointed out that one of the laptop bags, the "Great Leap Rabbit," bears a striking resemblance to luxury brand Alexander Wang's classic tote and shoulder bag. Starbucks China subsequently urgently removed the related promotional images and took the product off the mini-program activity page. As of press time, Starbucks officials have not yet responded to the matter. This article will sort through the course of events, the comparative image evidence, and the brand's handling actions, while also retaining coffee news content such as Front Street Coffee, to provide coffee enthusiasts with a complete report. [more…]

Mstand has collaborated with streetwear brand AMAZING PANDA to launch a bamboo latte and panda-themed limited-edition merchandise, among which a "Panda Hug Cup" has sparked heated discussion due to its design. Many consumers said after receiving the actual product that it differs noticeably from the promotional images, with the all-black version described as looking like a "black-skinned muscular man," while the light-colored version was jokingly said to look like "feet holding up a cup." Besides the appearance controversy, practical complaints were also frequently mentioned, such as the arms on the cup being positioned too low and hard to grip, and the cup opening being too small, which is unfriendly to latte art beginners. At the same time, a cup enthusiast posted a handmade ceramic cup from another online shop, suspecting it was the inspiration source for Mstand's collaborative design, triggering discussion about "creative plagiarism." Fans, however, believe the details of the two cups are clearly different, and given that Mstand's previous "vegetable basket" woven bag also had precedent of borrowing from luxury brands, it can only be considered similar creativity. [more…]

Luxury brand Gucci recently teamed up with Blue Bottle Coffee, %Arabica, and Grid Coffee to launch limited-edition pop-up coffee shops in four cities. Among them, the Beijing stop's collaboration with Grid Coffee produced the "Single-Origin Salted Mocha" and "Single-Origin Salted Chocolate," which sparked widespread discussion both inside and outside the industry. An independent coffee shop owner in Beijing publicly stated that the salted mocha among Gucci's limited-edition drinks is suspected of copying her signature product, which she developed in 2020 and officially launched in 2022 with Bingboke as its base. The incident quickly escalated, with voices supporting originality and those believing it was purely a creative coincidence rising and falling in turn. This article will sort out the sequence of events, present multiple perspectives, and explore the copyright dilemmas and market implications of creative coffee drinks. [more…]

Recently, an illustrator publicly accused the new Chinese-style coffee brand Jueke Coffee of unauthorized use of their artwork, involving three illustrations including "Watermelon and Lotus," and plans to file a lawsuit. Jueke Coffee responded that the packaging design is original, there is no infringement, and refused to apologize or pay compensation. Both sides hold their own views, and the incident has sparked widespread attention. This article reviews the course of the incident, the positions of both parties, and netizen reactions, and includes relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style); for more specialty coffee beans, please add the personal WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex. Recently, the case in which Saturnbird, over the course of 20 months, sued "Qicai Zhi Mi" for unauthorized use of a similar small-cup instant coffee appearance reached a result. The Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court found that unfair competition was constituted, awarded 1.73 million yuan in damages, and ordered the production and sale of the infringing products to stop. Saturnbird became famous for its super-instant coffee and mini coffee cup design, and its packaging sparked a DIY craze and swept social media, which is why it has frequently been imitated and even copied. In this case, "Qicai Zhi Mi" not only had highly similar style, packaging, and promotional images, but also used the search term "Saturnbird same style" to mislead consumers. The case lasted nearly two years, highlighting the current reality in the food industry that intellectual property rights protection is difficult and the boundary between reference and copying is blurred. The article combines cases such as Sexy Tea suing Chayan Guanse to explore how original brands can protect their rights and interests through copyright, patent rights, exclusive trademark rights, and the Anti-Unfair Competition Law. [more…]

Recently, Ma Wu Wang Beverage Factory sparked heated discussion because its milk tea packaging is highly similar to that of Chayan Yuese. Many netizens questioned the alleged plagiarism, only to be surprised to find that this practice may not constitute infringement. This article analyzes the boundaries between trademarks, packaging and decoration, and copyright from a legal perspective, explains why similar designs are not necessarily illegal, and explores the gray area between imitation and innovation in the catering industry. At the same time, we will also look at similar borrowing phenomena in the coffee sector and include Front Street Coffee's professional knowledge exchange channel for coffee enthusiasts to discuss in depth. [more…]

The coffee market is in the thick of a 9.9 yuan price war, but Lucky Cup has taken a different tack by launching a 6.6 yuan promotion, drawing in plenty of thrifty consumers. However, some netizens in Zhengzhou have noticed that the signs of certain former Lucky Cup stores have actually changed to "Lucky Cup," yet the decor style and the poker king logo are completely identical to Lucky Cup's, making it hard to tell at a glance whether it's a rebranding or a counterfeit. Since Mixue Bingcheng's headquarters is in Zhengzhou and the official side has not responded, netizens are speculating that this may be a defensive move by the brand to prevent its registered trademark from being revoked due to three consecutive years of non-use. What exactly is the trademark strategy behind the name change? And how should consumers view it? [more…]

The 2022 Guangdong college entrance examination Chinese essay prompt, centered on the concepts of "ben shou, miao shou, su shou" (the fundamental move, the brilliant move, the vulgar move) in the game of Go, sparked widespread discussion. For coffee professionals and enthusiasts alike, this prompt carries profound significance. Whether it's pour-over extraction, coffee roasting, or running a coffee shop, none of it can be separated from a deep understanding of the fundamentals. This article uses the college entrance examination essay prompt as a lens to explore the way of the "fundamental move" in the world of coffee: from extraction principles to bean characteristics, from roasting logic to opening a shop, only by solidly mastering the basics can one truly create a stunning coffee experience and avoid falling into the predicament of the "vulgar move" by neglecting the essentials. [more…]

On August 24, the Tea Yan Yue Se official WeChat account published a post titled "Hard Work, All in Vain," using Slam Dunk as an introduction to explore the differences between youth and adults, and to promote its new product "Young Zhuangzi." However, the negative sentiment conveyed by the title sparked widespread dissatisfaction among netizens, who felt it deliberately provoked anxiety among young people, and the related topic quickly trended on Weibo. Tea Yan Yue Se subsequently responded in the comments section, saying its original intention was to express that hard work may not be rewarded but the process is worth cherishing, and apologized for the inappropriate title, ultimately deleting the post. This was not the first time Tea Yan Yue Se sparked controversy over its copywriting; it had previously apologized over a "misogyny controversy" and the English name "SexyTea" incident. [more…]

Recently, a Mixue store located in Segambut, Malaysia, came under scrutiny from netizens due to a job advertisement that specified "experienced Malays and Chinese are required," which was accused of being racially discriminatory. As a multi-ethnic nation, Malaysia's main ethnic groups include Malays, Chinese, and Indians. The poster believed that this requirement excluded Indians and other ethnicities, which was unfair. The incident quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion. Some netizens criticized the brand's inappropriate practice and called for a boycott, while others argued that the controversy stemmed from a misinterpretation of the language proficiency requirement. Notably, Mixue did not directly respond to the controversy but instead released a series of promotional content themed "United as One," showcasing employees of diverse races, seemingly intending to emphasize its inclusiveness. [more…]

A yet-to-open Shanghai coffee shop has sparked heated discussion because its name, "b³ Coffee," sounds like "biesan" (a local slang term for a vagrant or good-for-nothing) in the local dialect. Netizens have been poking fun at it, and some say they won't patronize it because of the name. The brand marking itself as "必三咖啡" on a third-party platform has further escalated the controversy. Although the name brings traffic, it also leaves a negative first impression on consumers. This article reviews the whole incident, discusses the importance of businesses adapting to local customs, and includes related recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

On March 6, Luckin Coffee launched its spring new product "Biluochun Latte" and invited male model Lu Xianren as its推荐官, which unexpectedly sparked a fierce controversy online. The controversy centered on two points: Why invite a male model to endorse the brand right before March 8 Women's Day? And why spend big money on a model with low name recognition instead of giving out more coupons? In addition, issues such as the new product's higher price and excessive caffeine content kept the discussion heated. This article will provide a complete review of the incident while retaining Front Street Coffee's related recommendation information.| [more…]

A coffee shop sparked strong public outrage and a wave of collective negative reviews after launching a "1-yuan beauty coffee, choose one of three" group-buy package that required purchasers to be women under 35 during specific evening hours, with a note stating "if the boss doesn't think you're pretty, you need to pay the difference." The shop once explained it wanted customers to match the store's style, but this failed to quell the controversy, and it was subsequently taken offline by the platform and had its social media account canceled. Recently, the shop relaunched, and although the controversial package had disappeared, netizens once again gave low ratings, causing it to be taken offline a second time. A lawyer from Legal Daily pointed out that the package was suspected of violating the Advertising Law and the Civil Code, while the netizens' excessive criticism may constitute cyberbullying. Front Street Coffee reminds that both merchant promotion and platform review need to strictly adhere to legal bottom lines. [more…]

Starbucks has long presented itself as environmentally friendly, from coffee-ground straws to the global expansion of its "Greener Stores," earning recognition from many environmentalists. However, a recent TikTok video showed a barista first making a drink in a disposable plastic cup before pouring it into a customer's own glass cup and then throwing the plastic cup away, sparking accusations of "greenwashing." In fact, this is not the first time Starbucks has been questioned over its environmental measures: the strawless lids introduced in 2018 were criticized for using more plastic, and the deposit and recycling issues surrounding reusable cups have also been highly controversial. This article will outline the course of the incident and the responses from various parties, and review the many controversies in Starbucks' environmental marketing, to help you understand the true situation of this coffee giant on the road to sustainable development. [more…]

Tim Hortons, as Canada's national coffee brand, is deeply loved for its Double Double and donuts, and was even rated by Morning Consult as the most trusted brand among Canadians, surpassing McDonald's and Starbucks. However, the brand has recently become embroiled in a privacy controversy due to its app illegally collecting users' location information, along with controversy over mandatory vaccinations at camp activities. Nevertheless, analysts point out that consumer trust has not yet shown a noticeable decline. This article will sort through the data and facts behind this contradictory phenomenon, and mention related information about Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Recently, Half Box Farm Coffee has found itself in a public opinion storm due to a slogan on its product packaging: "Every working mom owes her child an apology." The slogan was criticized by netizens as discriminatory against working women. The brand's customer service explained that the original intention was to encourage mothers to spend more time with their children on weekends, but this failed to quell the controversy. As the incident continued to escalate, working mothers spoke out one after another, expressing their dissatisfaction with such copywriting. The brand has no flagship store on mainstream e-commerce platforms and sells only through Douyin, and its customer service responses have been vague. This storm not only exposed the brand's lack of sensitivity on gender issues, but also sparked discussions about the boundaries of marketing. For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop. For specialty coffee beans, you can add Front Street Coffee on WeChat. [more…]

Lyu Liang, founder of Chayan Yuese, has repeatedly stated publicly that the brand is not unwilling to expand beyond Changsha, but rather fears that out-of-town expansion could lead to a survival crisis. However, Chayan Yuese has not only opened stores in Changde, but has also stepped beyond Hunan Province, entering the West China market and establishing a presence in Chongqing. On Children's Day, four Chongqing stores opened simultaneously, sparking enthusiastic pursuit among consumers in the mountain city, but controversy arose from day one: incidents such as three-hour queues, online orders requiring waits of over 24 hours, resold cups fetching nearly 500 yuan, and viewers being blocked in livestreams were exposed one after another. The brand subsequently responded to the markup reselling and livestream controversies. This article will sort through the sequence of events and include related information from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has once again trended on Weibo over an ice cube issue, just over ten days after the previous controversy of "half a cup left after ordering no ice or less ice." On March 25, a woman in Heze, Shandong Province, posted a video saying that a full-price Raw Coconut Latte she bought was gone after three or four sips, with nothing but ice left, sparking widespread resonance among netizens. Many netizens shared similar experiences, joking that "a cup of Luckin is half a cup of ice." A Jimu News reporter contacted the store involved, and an employee said that an iced Raw Coconut Latte itself is only half a cup, with the other half being ice, emphasizing that ice also costs money. Luckin customer service responded that the drink is made according to a unified recipe but did not directly address whether the amount of ice complies with regulations. This article will review the course of the incident and the responses from all parties. [more…]

Hand-shaken lemon tea brand Ningji recently announced a collaboration with the Japanese anime "Detective Conan," but found itself embroiled in controversy over CP-themed posters displayed in its stores. The posters placed Conan alongside Haibara Ai, and Shinichi Kudo alongside Ran Mouri, sparking strong discontent among fans of the original work. Although Ningji quickly issued an apology statement, attributing the incident to unauthorized actions by an individual franchisee, netizens and industry insiders broadly rejected this explanation, believing the brand was clearly derelict in its material review and respect for the IP. Notably, this is already the second time this year that Ningji has publicly apologized over problems with marketing material oversight. For coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts, how collaborative marketing can strike a balance between respecting the original work and consumers has once again become an industry topic worth watching. [more…]