Introduction:The Shanghai-based chain coffee brand Manner has drawn widespread public attention due to a discrepancy between the number of employees enrolled in social insurance and the pace of its store expansion. Its parent company, Shanghai Yinhao Industrial Co., Ltd., had only 1,225 employees enrolled in social insurance in 2023, yet the number of its directly operated stores had already exceeded 1,000 by October of last year and reached 1,295 as of June 10 this year. This stark gap has led to external scrutiny regarding the brand’s implementation of employee welfare policies. Subsequently, the local human resources and social security enforcement team stepped in to investigate, and the brand has also responded to the related allegations and its operational model. This article delves into the origins of the incident, the truth behind the data, and explores common issues related to manpower and social insurance in the chain coffee industry.
Recently, the well-known chain coffee brand Manner has become the focus of public discourse due to a mismatch between the number of employees enrolled in social insurance and the actual scale of its store operations. It is understood that its parent company, Shanghai Yinhao Industrial Co., Ltd., had 1,225 employees enrolled in social insurance in 2023. However, the number of the brand’s directly operated stores had surpassed 1,000 as early as October last year, and by June 10 of this year, it had reached 1,295 — showing a clear discrepancy in the figures.
This situation quickly sparked online skepticism, with netizens questioning whether Manner lawfully enrolls all full-time employees in social insurance — especially given the rapid store expansion and increased manpower needs, while the number of insured individuals remains far below expectations. Some observers have pointed out that even if each store were staffed with only one or two full-time employees (in reality, some busy stores may have three to five), the total number of insured individuals would still significantly lag behind the actual staffing level.
In response to public concerns, the human resources and social security enforcement team conducted an on-site investigation at Manner’s Shanghai headquarters. According to the findings shared after the investigation, Manner’s parent company stated that it implements a comprehensive working hours system on a quarterly basis, arranges employee shift rotations and overtime pay in accordance with regulations, and emphasized that there are no instances of failing to sign labor contracts, not enrolling employees in social insurance, or withholding overtime pay. Currently, the enforcement authorities have requested the company to submit relevant written documentation for further detailed verification.
Meanwhile, the Manner brand has also responded to several controversies related to this incident. Regarding the recently circulated in-store video footage, a brand representative stated that the company has reached preliminary conclusions internally but is not yet ready to make them public. As for the “one-person store” model where some outlets are staffed by only a single employee, the representative admitted that this is a complex operational issue and that it is difficult to fully adjust to a two-person configuration in the short term, though gradual improvements may be made in the future.
When discussing the treatment of frontline baristas, the brand representative noted that this is actually a common challenge across the entire chain coffee industry. However, they added that according to market research, Manner’s salary levels are above average within the sector. Additionally, the brand has pledged to introduce a series of measures aimed at improving the working comfort and overall environment for baristas.
Behind this social insurance controversy lies not only the management and institutional challenges Manner faces during its rapid expansion, but also highlights common issues within the broader chain coffee industry regarding workforce allocation and employee welfare protection. For example, many brands may adopt lean staffing strategies in certain stores to control costs, or even rely on part-time workers during peak hours to sustain operations, which in turn affects the stability of social insurance for full-time employees and their working conditions.
Industry insiders point out that for chain coffee brands, balancing workforce allocation, labor compliance, and employee welfare while pursuing store growth will be key to sustainable operations in the future. Especially in today’s environment, where consumer expectations for corporate social responsibility are continually rising, transparent and fair systems are even more crucial.
At present, the social insurance controversy surrounding Manner continues to unfold. The subsequent investigation results and the brand’s specific improvement measures will further influence its corporate image and market trust. This incident also serves as a reminder to the entire industry that, beyond pursuing business expansion, greater emphasis should be placed on the basic protections and working environments of every employee.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
