A glass of olive juice selling for 1,000 yuan once put the brand Yecuishan in the trending topics and also drew the attention of market regulators. At the end of 2021, this drink, which was claimed to be made with Golden Jade Sanian olives costing nearly 800 yuan per jin, was investigated by the Shenzhen Municipal Market Supervision Bureau because the actual purchase price did not match the promotion, and the company involved was ultimately fined 500,000 yuan. After Heytea invested in Yecuishan, it also faced questions from netizens. This incident not only exposed the chaos of pricing and promotion in the tea beverage industry, but also prompted people to think about the real cost and authenticity of so-called high-end products on the market. [more…]

In the cold winter, a cup of hot milk tea always brings a bit of warmth. Prices for drinks on the market range from under ten yuan at Mixue Bingcheng to thirty or forty yuan at Nayuki and Heytea, with most still within what consumers can afford. However, recently a thousand-yuan drink has drawn attention on Weibo's trending topics—an olive juice launched by the Shenzhen milk tea brand Yecuishan, priced as high as 1,000 yuan. This drink uses the rare Chaoshan variety Jinyu Sannian olive, with the raw material costing about 800 yuan per jin on the market, and production taking nearly 3 hours. At the same time, Heytea has taken a stake in Yecuishan, holding 60% to become the largest shareholder, and the brand currently has more than 30 stores. [more…]

Recently, Shenzhen's Heytea was investigated by regulators for suspected false advertising over a cup of olive juice priced at a thousand yuan, sparking heated discussion among netizens. Many consumers left comments on Weibo asking whether they could get a refund with their receipt, and the incident once again reminds everyone to consume rationally. Meanwhile, why can Chaoshan olives sell for such a high price? This article analyzes the whole story of the incident, the regulatory investigation, and raw material costs, taking you through the business logic behind the thousand-yuan juice and the preciousness of Chaoshan olives. [more…]

Compared to coffee with its pronounced bitterness, sweet-and-sour milk tea is clearly more to the public's taste. Whether on a busy workday or a leisurely weekend, milk tea has long been part of many people's lives. Recently, a newly opened milk tea shop in Changsha, Hunan, suddenly went viral—not because of its unique flavors, but because a single cup of juice was selling for 108 yuan. The shop, named "Xiaoshanjing · Fruit Molecular Tea," drew attention with its giant tiger tail design and high-priced menu. Staff claimed that the durian drink contains half a cup of Musang King pulp, while the mangosteen drink uses 4 jin of mangosteen. Is the high price worth the money, or is it a marketing gimmick? Consumers have differing views, and some are reminded of the earlier incident in Shenzhen involving Yecuishan's thousand-yuan olive juice. [more…]

Recently, a coffee shop launched a signature drink called "Chaoshan Poison," sparking heated discussion online. In Chaoshan cuisine, "Chaoshan Poison" has long been synonymous with raw-marinated seafood, yet this coffee, priced at 45 yuan, is primarily made with cold brew coffee and green olive juice, garnished with Chaoshan aged medicinal kumquat and bamboo-salt wampee—a far cry from public perception. Chaoshan netizens have voiced their displeasure in dialect, arguing that the name misleads consumers and that the shop lacks understanding of local food culture. This article will review the course of events and explore the boundary between creative local specialty coffee and naming. [more…]

A well-known chain milk tea brand, 1 Dian Dian, recently trended on social media due to a public welfare tweet about assisting children from impoverished families, sparking widespread discussion. The brand claimed to have helped a child living with his father in an 18-square-meter rented room by renovating the room and adding a desk and wardrobe, but netizens noticed from public photos that the aided boy was wearing a phone watch worth over a thousand yuan, and that the living conditions differed from the tweet's description, questioning whether he met the assistance criteria. Additionally, issues such as a large proportion of comic books among the donated items and the concentration of aid recipients in first- and second-tier cities were also raised. As public opinion heated up, the brand deleted and edited some posts but did not respond directly. The local subdistrict office and social work station later confirmed to the media that the recipient was indeed from a low-income household, excelling in both academics and character, and that the items were all donations. Behind the incident, the screening criteria and transparency of public welfare activities have become the focus. [more…]

Starbucks launched its Oleato olive oil coffee line on February 22, combining extra virgin olive oil with coffee, inspired by CEO Howard Schultz's travels in Sicily. The new products debuted in Italy and include an olive oil latte, an iced shaken espresso, and a foamy cold brew, priced from $4.8 to $6.9. Yet just three days after launch, Italian consumers complained that the drinks were too greasy and that the oil and coffee were hard to blend in the cold beverages. The deputy manager of the Starbucks Milan Roastery explained that the move was intended to fuse Italy's tradition of drinking oil before a meal with coffee after a meal, creating a multisensory experience. This article walks you through the product details and the market reaction. [more…]

The coffee industry never stops innovating, yet products that truly break the mold are few and far between. Starbucks recently announced the launch of its Oleato line in Italy, blending Partanna extra virgin olive oil with coffee—a bold move inspired by Howard Schultz's travels in Italy. The new offerings include lattes, iced shaken espressos, cold brews, and more, with plans to expand to the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and other markets. Adding olive oil to coffee not only upends traditional flavor profiles but also draws attention for the potential cardiovascular benefits of consuming extra virgin olive oil directly. This article explores the story and market logic behind this innovation. [more…]

Starbucks plans to introduce Oleato olive oil coffee to the Chinese market. This innovative beverage, strongly promoted by former CEO Howard Schultz, has successively landed in the United States and Japan since its debut in Italy in February this year. However, consumer feedback has not been optimistic, with complaints frequently arising over the greasy mouthfeel caused by olive oil congealing when cold and diarrhea after drinking. Nutritionists point out that the double stimulation of caffeine and olive oil can easily trigger gastrointestinal discomfort. Despite the ongoing controversy, Starbucks remains committed to global promotion. This article will sort out the background of Oleato's birth, its market performance, and its prospects for entering China. [more…]

Starbucks' launch of olive oil coffee has sparked quite a bit of discussion, with some people conflating it with bulletproof coffee, but the two are actually fundamentally different. Nutritionists point out that extra virgin olive oil is not suitable for ordinary people to drink directly, and those with sensitive stomachs especially need to be cautious. This article will analyze the differences between olive oil coffee and bulletproof coffee from a professional perspective, and share the actual experiences of coffee enthusiasts. Follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) for more professional coffee knowledge. For specialty coffee beans, add Front Street Coffee's private WeChat qjcoffeex to learn more. [more…]

Starbucks recently announced that it will launch the Olive Oil series in selected stores nationwide, including two olive oil coffee beverages. This series is actually Oleato, which was introduced to China a year late—a "groundbreaking" creation once strongly promoted by former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. From Dongpo pork latte to olive oil coffee, Starbucks has launched frequent new products this year but has also sparked continuous controversy. Some people have placed olive oil coffee on the "dark coffee" list, while others have been conquered by its peculiar taste, and even more consumers have become fans due to its laxative effect. This discussion about coffee innovation reflects the various dilemmas Starbucks faces in product development and localization strategies. [more…]

Starbucks has announced that it will permanently remove the Oleato olive oil coffee line from its core North American menu starting November 7, less than a year after the product first debuted. The decision is seen as one of the moves by new CEO Brian Niccol to simplify the menu and return to the company's coffeehouse roots. Oleato was conceived by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz, inspired by Sicilian culinary traditions. It first launched in Milan, Italy, in 2023 and was gradually rolled out to multiple global markets, entering mainland China in March 2024. However, the line drew widespread criticism for causing gastrointestinal discomfort after consumption. Starbucks China responded that this adjustment only involves the North American market and has no impact on the Chinese market for now. [more…]

It has been over a week since Starbucks' olive oil coffee hit the market, and consumer reviews are sharply divided. Some people love the aroma and smooth mouthfeel of the olive oil, while others find it nothing special. Recently, however, customers have noticed that when this drink sits for a while, it shows an obvious separation phenomenon—a thick layer of oil floats to the surface, and even stirring fails to disperse it, giving it an appearance that brings to mind various kinds of soup. Is this a mistake in the preparation process, or is it simply the natural rising of oil after standing? Netizens are each offering their own take, and the discussion is lively. [more…]

Front Street Coffee has recently added a Kenyan SL28 washed bean from El Salvador's Olive Tree Estate, a bean closely linked to the 2017 WBC champion bean. Olive Tree Estate is located near a volcanic national park, at an altitude of 1,800 to 1,950 meters, with fertile volcanic soil and a rich ecological shade system, and has obtained organic and Rainforest Alliance certifications. The SL28 variety is known for its excellent sweetness, balance, and citrus and smoked plum notes. This article will introduce the estate's background, variety characteristics, washed processing flow, roasting curve analysis, and cupping flavor performance, along with Front Street's recommended pour-over parameters for coffee lovers' reference. [more…]

Starbucks' Oleato olive oil coffee line, which sparked controversy after its debut in Italy, has now officially landed in the U.S. market. The product aims to attract health-conscious consumers by adding olive oil, but it has drawn complaints in both Italy and the U.S. about its greasy mouthfeel and clumps of congealed oil. American netizens have even jokingly dubbed it "lard coffee." Although Starbucks plans to roll it out to the UK, Japan, and the Middle East, market acceptance remains to be seen. This article takes a detailed look at the background behind the launch of this product line, consumer feedback, and its future prospects. [more…]

Starbucks hosted a high-profile exclusive dinner at its Shanghai Roastery, with founder Schultz personally taking the stage to promote the Oleato olive oil coffee series. However, this lavish promotional push failed to generate the expected splash among consumers. Meanwhile, Luckin's newly launched Huangshan Maofeng Latte also suffered a reputational flop. Behind the密集 new product launches from chain coffee brands, is it a lack of innovation or consumer fatigue? This article will take an in-depth look at the recent market performance of new coffee products and explore how brands can find the right R&D direction amid fierce competition. [more…]

In recent years, Heytea has continuously pushed the boundaries of tea drinks, from cross-brand collaborations to incorporating each city's signature foods into beverages and baked goods, launching a series of unexpectedly creative limited-edition products. Shenzhen's coconut chicken hot pot, Guangzhou's rice roll cake, Changsha's mini clay pot bubble rice wine, Chengdu's Sichuan spicy fairy dew… each one precisely captures the taste memories of local people. These products are not only wildly imaginative but also build emotional resonance by awakening shared city memories. This article will comprehensively review the limited-edition items Heytea has launched in various cities and explore the communication logic and secrets behind its "neglecting its proper business." [more…]

El Salvador, as an important coffee-producing country in Central America, nurtures many outstanding Strictly Hard Beans thanks to its unique rainforest climate conditions. Los Naranjos Estate, located in the country's high-altitude region, is one of the most representative specialty origins. This article will systematically introduce the flavor characteristics of this Arabica blend—from variety, origin location, and altitude conditions to actual tasting experience—including its smooth texture on entry, bright fruity acidity, and highly recognizable wild olive aroma. At the same time, Front Street Coffee will also draw on the characteristics of this bean to provide reference directions for daily brewing and bean selection, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a more comprehensive understanding of the charm of El Salvador's producing region. [more…]

Lemon slices with coffee powder is a minimalist coffee dessert made with just lemon slices, coffee powder, and granulated sugar. It became popular thanks to the Taiwanese variety show "Kangxi Lai Le," and rumor has it that it is connected to the Italian Mafia. Behind this dessert lies a piece of lemon-growing history from Sicily: in the 19th century, citrus fruits soared in value because they were rich in vitamin C. After Sicily switched to growing lemons, bandits were drawn to them, farmers hired the Mafia to guard the orchards, and lemon slices with coffee powder became a refreshing dessert for the night watchmen. In addition to sorting out this origin story, this article will also have Front Street Coffee share key preparation points, including removing lemon seeds, choosing dark-roast beans, the choice between yellow sugar and white granulated sugar, and an advanced way to eat it with a torch-caramelized finish. [more…]

Starbucks has recently launched the Iced Energy line of iced energy drinks at its stores nationwide in the United States, with three new products in total, one of which is available in limited supply only on the App, while stores offer two flavors, Tropical Citrus and Melon Burst. This drink is brightly colored, low-calorie and sugar-free, yet contains as much as 205 milligrams of caffeine, far exceeding a Starbucks grande latte, equivalent to 6 cans of cola or 2 cans of Red Bull. In recent years, the U.S. energy drink market has grown rapidly, but Panera Bread's high-caffeine drink previously led to a death and litigation, and Starbucks' entry into the market this time has sparked online discussion about its safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents and children avoid energy drinks, and Starbucks responded that its store menus already disclose ingredient and nutrition information. [more…]