Introduction:Luckin Coffee’s recently launched pistachio latte and merchandise in collaboration with the Lunar New Year blockbuster film “Creation of the Gods II” have sparked widespread discussion. Many consumers who tried the new drink reported that it had an overly greasy taste and could not be made with regular milk. Meanwhile, the much-anticipated limited-edition cup sleeves were recalled en masse due to printing flaws. This article details the sequence of events, the flavor controversies surrounding the product, and analyzes market reactions and phenomena on second-hand platforms.
Luckin Coffee recently partnered with the highly anticipated Lunar New Year film “Creation of the Gods II” to launch a collaborative campaign, simultaneously debuting the “Pistachio Latte” and a series of movie-themed merchandise aimed at building hype for the upcoming release. However, this carefully planned collaboration has sparked polarized discussions since its launch, with the flavor of the new drink and the supply of the merchandise becoming hot topics online.
According to feedback from several early testers, this Spring Festival limited-edition beverage is made with pistachio paste, oat milk, and espresso. However, its overall performance fell short of expectations. Some drinkers described the texture as “greasy and heavy,” even going so far as to say it “tasted like drinking a cup of oil.” The main issue was attributed to the nutty oils in the pistachio paste itself, which, when combined with oat milk, resulted in a richer, more intense flavor. This led to the drink being perceived as overly oily, with an excessively sweet and cloying taste, which some consumers referred to as “cloyingly rich.”
Even more surprising was that many customers with specific dairy preferences expressed a desire to substitute oat milk with regular milk to improve the greasy mouthfeel. However, Luckin staff stated that according to brand production standards, the latte can only be made with oat milk. Regardless of whether customers noted the request in their order or raised it in person, no adjustments could be made. This policy left some consumers who hoped to improve the flavor by changing the base ingredient feeling disappointed.
Meanwhile, another highlight of the collaboration — the limited-edition merchandise — also sparked discussions due to various details. Although official movie character playing cards and themed paper bags successfully attracted some fans for collection, many consumers noticed that the widely popular limited-edition cup sleeves were notably absent from this campaign. Compared to Luckin’s previous collaborations with well-known IPs, where cup sleeves were almost always included, their absence this time left many merchandise enthusiasts puzzled.
Further investigation revealed that the originally planned limited-edition cup sleeves were urgently recalled due to printing errors. According to insiders, photos of the actual cup sleeves circulating on social media showed that one design had significant printing flaws, sparking heated online discussions. Luckin’s headquarters immediately initiated emergency measures, recalling all cup sleeves that had been distributed to various stores, and announced before the campaign officially launched that no themed cup sleeves would be offered this time. While stores could still provide Lunar New Year-themed or standard cup sleeves as alternatives, for those specifically looking to collect limited-edition merchandise, it was still a major disappointment.
Notably, although the official team had fully recalled the misprinted cup sleeves, on some second-hand trading platforms, accounts have already begun selling the so-called “out-of-print” defective cup sleeves at high prices, with quotes even soaring to over 60 yuan per set. Online posts have also emerged from consumers who have already paid and are waiting for delivery, indicating there is still demand for these flawed items. In response, many netizens have expressed confusion, questioning how the recalled cup sleeves are still circulating in the market, and are surprised by the high prices on the second-hand market.
Overall, while Luckin’s collaboration with “Creation of the Gods II” has successfully captured attention at the marketing level, controversies over the product’s flavor and the execution details of the merchandise have still posed challenges to the brand’s image and consumer experience. For readers planning to give it a try, it is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the drink’s ingredients and preparation limitations, and to mentally prepare for the possible absence of limited-edition merchandise, in order to avoid unmet expectations.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
