During the pandemic, Starbucks employees worldwide faced challenges such as staff shortages, inadequate wages, and deteriorating working conditions. In particular, a wave of union organizing swept through stores in the United States and South Korea. This article delves into why Starbucks employees chose collective action, examining key issues such as pay, workplace safety, and management responses, to help you understand the real struggles and demands of the "partners." [more…]

South Korea’s largest coffee chain, EDIYA COFFEE, has announced its upcoming launch on Tmall. Its first wave of products will focus on instant coffee, capsule coffee, and blended tea, aiming to enter the Chinese market through e-commerce. This isn’t its first attempt to break into China, but previous efforts have failed for various reasons. Now, by testing the market with instant coffee, it may later expand into offline stores. What’s different about this strategy? Let’s take a look at EDIYA COFFEE’s plans and challenges. [more…]

In 2022, Luckin Coffee announced the purchase of over 80 tons of Huakui coffee beans and launched the SOE Huakui 5.0 series, sparking industry discussions on “authenticity” and “market monopoly.” Did Luckin have the right to use this batch of beans? What proportion of the global production does 80 tons represent? Is Huakui 5.0 truly as rare and hard to obtain as rumored? This article takes you through the production volume, purchasing logic, and market impact to view this controversy rationally, and provides practical guidance for selecting coffee beans. [more…]

The iced Americano, a daily staple for Koreans, is now facing the dual challenges of price hikes and plastic ban policies. Starting from April 2022, coffee shops across Korea have completely banned the use of disposable plastic cups, with the previously suspended ban due to the pandemic now officially reinstated. This article delves into the background of the policy, its impact on everyday coffee drinking habits, and practical suggestions for alternatives, helping readers understand the changes and challenges behind the freedom of enjoying an iced Americano. [more…]

Water temperature is one of the key factors that influence the flavor profile of pour over coffee. But what’s the ideal temperature? Does a higher temperature always mean better extraction? This article starts with the principles of dissolution to help you understand how water temperature affects coffee extraction efficiency and flavor expression. Combining experimental data and competition strategies, it offers clear and easy-to-follow guidance to help you avoid common mistakes and brew more balanced, layered coffee. [more…]

In recent years, the free iced water offered by milk tea and coffee shops has sparked a social media posting craze. This "specially cool boiled water"—filtered but not boiled, served in transparent cups filled with ice cubes—has become a new favorite for young people to take photos and share online, thanks to its minimalist style and sense of ritual. This article delves into the reasons behind its popularity, from the demand for minimalist drinks such as ‘milk tea without tea’ and ‘coffee without coffee,’ to the social value of free iced water, taking you through the key logic of this phenomenon. [more…]

Want to enjoy coffee but afraid it might be too sour or bitter? This article selects four well-balanced pour over coffee beans suitable for those seeking a smooth flavor profile. These beans come from renowned regions such as Brazil and Costa Rica, all medium roasted with flavor notes centered around nuts and chocolate. They’re perfect for beginners to practice with and for everyday drinking. In addition to detailed descriptions of each bean’s characteristics, we also provide practical brewing parameter suggestions to help you easily brew rich and smooth coffee. [more…]

Bloom is a crucial yet often overlooked step in the pour over coffee process. This article delves into the core role of bloom—releasing carbon dioxide to optimize extraction—and analyzes how different water amounts (1x to 3x) affect degassing efficiency, recommending the golden ratio of 1.5–2x water. It also guides readers on how to determine the end of the bloom phase by observing changes in the coffee bed, as well as how varying bloom durations impact flavor profiles, helping coffee enthusiasts master this fundamental yet essential step with precision. [more…]

As coffee becomes part of everyday life, even Shanghai’s 1,700-year-old Longhua Temple is joining the trend by setting up a beverage window next to its vegetarian restaurant, offering “vegan coffee” made with oat milk instead of dairy. This thoughtful initiative not only caters to vegetarians and those who are lactose intolerant but also sparks public discussion on whether coffee can be categorized as “meat” or “vegetarian.” This article will delve into the background of Longhua Temple’s move and revisit other cases of temples venturing into the coffee business, showing you the new collision between ancient temples and coffee. [more…]

When a bubble tea enthusiast, due to consistently high spending, unexpectedly wins a cow as a prize, it’s not just a surprise — it’s a model of emotional connection between brand and consumer. This article takes an in-depth look at the details of the “Show Your Bubble Tea Bill to Win a Cow” campaign, exploring how it captured attention through creative marketing, and uncovering insights for coffee businesses. It also retains practical information to help readers better understand trends in the beverage market. [more…]

Li Guoqing, founder of Dangdang.com, recently accused Luckin of allegedly monopolizing the coffee bean market, particularly questioning whether its popular “Hua Kui 5.0” beans are genuinely from Ethiopia’s traditional Yirgacheffe region. This article delves into the origins of the controversy, examining supply chain transparency, roasting techniques, and consumer experiences to uncover the industry dynamics behind this best-selling bean, along with professional brewing reference data to help you assess its authenticity. [more…]

In early 2022, the Korean coffee market underwent a major shift when Starbucks' Korean subsidiary completed a restructuring of its shareholding and was renamed SCK Corporation, officially severing ties with Starbucks International’s ownership. At the same time, influenced by the sharp rise in global coffee bean futures prices, the brand began studying an adjustment to the price of its Americano for the first time in eight years, drawing widespread attention from the market. This article delves into the reasons behind the renaming and price hike, as well as their potential impact on consumers and the market. [more…]

Are freshly roasted coffee beans really suitable for brewing right away? From the science of degassing to the evolution of flavor, learn why coffee beans need a resting period, how different roast levels affect resting time, and more. This article dives deep into the science of coffee resting, helping you find the optimal flavor window for each bean and answering whether sealed resting is viable — so you can easily brew rich, layered pour over coffee. [more…]

Since its debut in 2017, the Huakui series of coffee beans has consistently been a focal point in the global specialty coffee market. Not only favored by professional competition baristas, it has also garnered enthusiastic attention from consumers. The new 2022 crop of Huakui 6.0 is about to arrive in Hong Kong. How does its flavor profile differ from the previous generation, 5.0? This article delves into the actual taste differences between Huakui 6.0 and 5.0, reviews the evolution history of this series, and provides practical flavor descriptions and brewing references to help you better... [more…]

With the global pandemic lasting over two years, the beverage industry has not been spared from soaring costs. Well-known brands, from Xiang Piao Piao milk tea to Cha Yan Yue Se, have successively raised their prices, drawing widespread attention from consumers. What exactly are the factors driving up these costs? How significant are the price increases? This article delves into the shipping challenges during the pandemic, the sharp rise in coffee and dairy futures, and how raw material shortages are affecting end prices—offering an insight into the current state and future of milk tea and coffee freedom. [more…]

Although one-pour pour over may seem to involve only a single pour after the bloom, it is an ultimate test of a barista’s understanding of bean characteristics and ability to control parameters. This article delves into the scientific principles behind the one-pour method, operational details, and compares its practical differences with multi-pour techniques. It helps you master key skills such as determining the right bloom time, maintaining water flow stability, and assessing the state of the coffee bed—so that even a simple method can extract a balanced and layered-flavored cup of coffee. [more…]

Have you ever noticed that freshly brewed pour over coffee has a rich aroma and smooth taste, but becomes sour and astringent—or even develops off-flavors—once it cools down? This is actually closely related to how coffee's flavor profile changes at different temperatures. This article will delve into the three main reasons behind the flavor shift as coffee cools, including differences in human taste sensitivity to temperature, aroma evaporation, and the oxidation of oils and pigments. We’ll also provide practical recommendations on the optimal drinking temperature to help you better appreciate every cup of coffee. [more…]

When consumers found foreign objects resembling paper scraps and tree branches in a drink from Heytea, it raised many concerns about beverage quality control. The merchant responded that these objects were actually sweet potato roots contained in the taro paste, which are part of the natural ingredients. This article will take you through the full story of the incident, the official statement from the merchant, and supplement it with practical knowledge related to coffee quality control to help you gain a deeper understanding of the details and challenges in beverage production processes. [more…]

During the Lunar New Year period, Starbucks launched tiger-themed limited edition cups in various Asian markets. From adorable tiger-cat designs to traditional Japanese Daruma elements, each design carries heartfelt New Year blessings. This article provides a detailed overview of the Year of the Tiger specialty cup designs available in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Japan, including the highly anticipated Daruma cups and the cute tiger-linked teddy bear figurines, helping coffee lovers and collectors fully understand the highlights and cultural meanings behind each design. [more…]

Kenyan coffee is renowned for its vibrant berry notes and vibrant acidity, making it a significant player in the global specialty coffee market. This article will take you through the historical origins, major growing regions, and coffee varieties of Kenya. It will also explain its unique E to MH/ML grading system in detail, and explore the captivating berry and fruit flavors brought by washed processing, helping you gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics and charm of this representative African coffee. [more…]