Coffee?

[qiphlow]

any coffee junkies out there? i'm so bad, i roast my own stuff! anyone else?

[ZhuiQuan]

I'm not a "coffee junkie" necessarily, but I do enjoy GOOD coffee. I usually buy my coffee from Trader Joe's because they have a big selection of pretty good stuff. I can't deal with the major brands (Folgers, Maxwell House, Starbucks, etc.)

Where do you get beans that you can roast yourself?

[qiphlow]

www.sweetmarias.com
the site is chock-full of info about coffee, and home roasting and brewing. a pound of beans averages about 5 bucks, with slight discounts if you buy in quantity. they also sell all the roasting equipment you'd ever need. i used to strictly buy from peet's , but once i began roasting my own, peet's tasted old. roasting at home is very easy, too! and the coffee tastes fantastic!

[ZhuiQuan]

That's cool, thanks. I'll check that out

[bodhitree]

I'm a complete coffee junkie, I tried to switch to tea for a little less caffiene, but its too difficult. I have worked in 2 different starbucks (sadly to say, pu ssy as s company). I love the stuff.

[D-FENS]

Doesn't coffee have some medicinal properties if you don't nuke it with sugar and cream?

[bodhitree]

Yes, but with the positive come the negative.

Gain: antioxidants
Lose: normal paced heartbeat and possibly bloodpressure.

[ZhuiQuan]

Gain: Warm yummy feeling and jolt of energy
Lose: Frequent high pressured poop

PS-My wife really loves Bel Biv Devoe and Poison's her favorite song.

[Oso]

Coffee is to the morning as bourbon is to the evening.




My all time favorite is Ethiopian Yrgacheffe...french roast. I used to live in a town with a great coffee shop that roasted just enough every monday to get them through the next monday. I was working as a bartender during the day right next door when they opened...best coffee shop ever...off the wall magazine stand, home made scones and muffins...a chocolate cherry brownie worth killing your mother over. Sadly, the owner died of cancer just a year or two ago.


but, yea, don't ask me for shiat before my first cup.

[lunghushan]

You know, don't even talk to me about coffee. You'd think Seattle would have a ton of great coffee places but it seems like it's all Starbucks and Tully's now.

I have to go down to Olympia now to get any decent brew, Batdorf Bronson's ...

[5Animals1Path]

WaWa cappucino.



Though I'm fairly certain there's only about 5 percent coffee in there, with the rest comprised of sugar, pure fats, and just enough cocaine to keep you coming back.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i love coffee, but only have a cup or two a day (granted they are fairly decent sized cups)

since i quit smoking 2 years ago i started buy the stuff you grind yourself in the supermarket, but i'd really like to get into brewing my own.

ill never buy **** from starbucks though. fu ck starbucks.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

AHHH.. Coffee, the golden nectar of the Gods.. dark, rich, and, the good stuff (light roast) is really buzzy.. i have reduced my intake to about 4 cups a day, 3 in the mornings and 1 after work (5-6:00 pm).. i do like good teas as well.. some of the attraction is in the ritual of preparation, both coffee and tea.. a bit like a ceremony.. i grind my own, or.. go to Barnies, the best local supplier (Orlando).. and, how does Starfcuks stay in business? that is the worst coffee, double roasted which equates to burned.. evenings i find a good coffee and a morsel of dark chocolate to finish off the meal... ummmm, gotta run, there's coffee to brew!

Be well..

[bodhitree]

I drink 2-3 cups a day but if I don't get my coffee in by 11:00am or so I'll start to get a headache. I love dark roast, like a french or itallian roast. I guess its not too bad. I drink tons of water to make up for it.

[bodhitree]

here is an artical about the health benefits of coffee
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/health/nutrition/15coff.html?ex=1156996800&en=1e820ae3eaad2764&ei=5070

[Reggie1]

Coffee rules. I'm hopelessly addicted.

So who takes cream and sugar in theirs? I rarely do. Generally if I'm having an afternoon or evening cup I might take some, but never in my morning brew. I've come to the conclusion that I don't consider people who drink theirs with cream and/or sugar to be 'real' coffee drinkers.

[bodhitree]

i guess I'm not a real coffee drinker then. I do like to take a few sips before adding it, and its different if its from a french press.

[yu shan]

Growing up in central Florida I was reared up on Spanish coffee. There are countless coffee bean companies thru out Tampa. Nothing like the smell of roasting coffee. Cool thing to do is drop into one of the small neighborhood Cuban eateries and order up some bread and coffee. But that chocolate cherry brownie sounds pretty **** good Oso!

[Su Lin]

Coffee,mmmmmm........ Love it. A recent convert to drinking it black, and tastes so much better. I live near a great shop that roasts on the premises, and the smell often wafts over near my house. Too much and I start getting a bit jittery though! Tried giving up, but then actually decided that I didn't need to give it up, so enjoy it all the more now!
Gone right off cappucinos etc as you don't get the real taste , and no one can ever get the froth stiff enough for my liking!

[BruceSteveRoy]

if any of you ever find yourself in china and can get to the yunnan province they make the best coffee i have ever had. they make great potato dishes there too.

[Oso]

I like my coffee like I like my wimmin: strong, sweet and creamy. :cool:

[Lohankuen1]

Espresso for me please. Nothin like a couple of cups of that then working out !!

[bodhitree]

espresso (or exspresso as so many in Pittsburgh say) and espresso based drinks are good, but the person needs to know how to make them right.

[rogue]

It's gotta be black, and don't ever put that flavored crap in front of me.

I'm down to one Dunkin Doughnuts mug (no papercups please) a day and I always have a big bag of DD beans around. I've gotten good cups out of some of the Millstone coffees and the beans at the local high end supermarket here.

Hey TaiChiBob, I'm having a cup of java right now with some chocolate that I picked up on vacation. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

[Mr Punch]

I used to be a coffee junkie, but I found I would get dizzy and would **** through the eye of a needle, so I cut down to about 2 and a half litres a day!

Then I found when I got asthma it made my asthma much worse, so now I have about one cup a day in the morning.

I used to do all the home grinding and organic fairtrade arabicas and whatnot, but now it's whatever. Never touch instant though!

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

rogue: Ahhhh.. yep, i have some semi-sweet dark chocolate baking morsels in a tupperware container right here on the desk.. a good mug of java and a hand-full of morsels.. mmmmmm.. We brew a Kenya AA usually, but.. a nice pot of Haitian Blue works well, too.. ooohh, and after dinner, a square or two of Godiva's raspberry dark chocolate with a strongly brewed Kona... then, Taiji gets interesting..

Be well..

[rogue]

My favorite and what I just finished off was a nice dark chocolate with a caramel filling. I'm now a very happy camper.

[Badger]

Pumpkin Spice Frap! YOWZA BABY!!!!!!!!

[The Willow Sword]

I too have fallen prey to the delicious addiction of the black water. I have worked in local indie cafe's for years and it never ceases to amaze me the different varieties of coffee that are out there. I recently got into roasting the green coffee(out of vortex hot air roasters to roasting it right in an iron ore skillet on the stove.) The key to great coffee is the grind;)

i do clinical research studies for extra cash and i have to quit caffeine all together for the duration of the studies.(the withdrawl off the caffiene is terrible i tell ya) headaches body aches and restlessness.

I am off the coffee right now and have been for the past few weeks. i am not sure if i am going to get back on it though,this last withdrawl bout was pretty intense. i mean i am an avid green tea drinker(which has caffeine) and i wont quit that. but i am not sure if i should go back to drinking coffee. Im prolly going to stay with green tea and ginseng for my energy levels.

my favorite coffee is KONA and the Costa Rican Coffee's. they are the best in my opinion.
Peace,TWS

[qiphlow]

TWS: hey, another member of the home roasting cult!
i've converted 2 of my taiji brothers since i started home roasting, and they are as addicted as i am! my favorites are the indonesians: sulawesi, sumatra, java. i just finished a 5lb bag of beans from the island of flores in indonesia--really nice stuff. this morning i had some sulawesi in the french press. it was smooth and flavorful, with none of the crampy i-gotta-sh!t-right now! feeling that the commercial coffees can give you. in fact, since i started home roasting, i never get that feeling from my brews.. granted, it still has that effect, it's just MUCH gentler on the bowels.
i was also surprised to find out that india produces some really great beans--very deep, earthy flavors with a very heavy body in the cup.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

how do i get started with the whole home brewing thing.

what all do i need?

[Oso]

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/

pretty much one stop shopping...plus they have a bear in their logo.

start with a kit that has everything you need. then, when you have an idea of how it works you could start messing with stuff on your own.

this is the same style as that Tasgall

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAM_S_WEE_HEAVY_P1076C190.cfm

[qiphlow]

for home roasting shopping i use www.sweetmarias.com
they have a huge selection of green coffee beans, plus a good selection of roasters and related equipment. prices are comparable to williamsbrewing that oso mentioned.
don't be put off by the idea of home roasting--it's so easy, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner.

[The Willow Sword]

Qiphlow,
How long do you let your beans "Mellow and Cure" After you roast and before you grind and brew? I was doing 24hr mellowing and a week tops on curing. And YES there is a difference is how the coffee tastes when it is fresh roasted. Most people have not really tried a FRESH roasted coffee.

Oh and for those here do not know. Mellowing is a term used to describe how long the oils start to seep out of the bean takes. When you fresh roast your coffee at home you have to let it stand in an open container for about 24 hrs. to allow the gasses to escape out of the bean after roasting. you then seal the coffee up and let it Cure for about a week(shaking the container once a day to stir the beans). After a while the oils and such seep out of the bean to create that flavor. the longer you roast the darker and oiler the bean will be. I prefer medium roasts myself.

TWS

[Oso]

for home roasting shopping i use www.sweetmarias.com
they have a huge selection of green coffee beans, plus a good selection of roasters and related equipment. prices are comparable to williamsbrewing that oso mentioned.
don't be put off by the idea of home roasting--it's so easy, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner.

sweet link dude.

i was posting williams from mainly a beer perspective. maria's looks awesome for coffee.

[qiphlow]

i usually will let the beans cool outside for a few hrs after i've roasted, then bring 'em inside and let 'em sit until i have time to put 'em in their jars (one big main jar, and a smaller one for overflow in case i've roasted a bigger than normal batch). i will drink the very next morning, so they rest for about 14-18 hrs depending on when i roasted the previous day. the very best days for drinking for me (flavor-wise) are days 2 and three after roasting (day one being the day immediately after cooking), but the beans stay good for me for about 8 days max. i generally roast every 5 to 8 days depending on how busy i am.
as far as degree of roast, i like to take the beans to the point that they are dark, but not yet oily. when they get all oily like that, they taste burnt to me. but i can't really deal with a light roast either.
and BTW, oso--
i really dig that 7 seconds of love song you've got in your sig. it's in my limewire library.

[Oso]

i think 7 Seconds would be a great bar band or party band.

[kfson]

Is it good or bad for you?

[Lucas]

depends on how much you drink i think. some studies have shown that coffee actually helps fight prostate cancer. i read an article about that a while ago and how this has prompted a trend for a large portion of japanese men to begin drinking decaf coffee.

i personally like coffee but i dont drink a lot.

[kfson]

My doctor of oriental medicine says no, no.

But when the weather becomes cold, I get a craving for the roasted flavor. At least that's what I think I'm craving. Tea just doesn't cut it.

[Lucas]

well it is a diuretic. im sure as with many things we dont need, you would be better off abstaining.

however, and this is my personal take, its not going to kill me. likely even if i drink coffee for the rest of my life, ill live into old age without serious health concerns directly related to coffee. or something else will kill me.

plus coffee helps prevent prostate cancer, thats a plus. someone would have to show me a negative side effect that is worse than giving up an aid against prostate cancer, so far as with anything moderation is the key and I have as yet to notice any negative results from long term coffee intake. I'm a man, so I dont want prostate cancer, anyone with a history of this in their family would probably be happy to take in any all natural aids against developing this.

[GeneChing]

Follow the link for more - I only cut&pasted the China ones.
For the record, I never go to Starbucks.

Is That Really a Starbucks?【Photo Gallery】 (http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/04/28/is-that-really-a-starbucks%E3%80%90photo-gallery%E3%80%91/)
2 days ago by Michelle

http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia3.jpg?w=580&h=386
Starbucks stores throughout Asia3Most Starbucks coffee houses are easily identified by their oversized green umbrellas out on the patio, a huge green and white cap-locked name sign and a twin-tailed mermaid emblem beckoning the caffeine-deprived masses in for a cup of joe. But the following Starbucks coffee houses, some with wooden signs and earth-tone color schemes, are hardly recognizable. In fact, many of these unique Starbucks stores were created in response to opposition from local residents who were concerned that the addition of a cookie-cutter corporate monstrosity would ruin the area’s original ambiance. Take a look at these surprisingly beautiful Starbucks stores throughout Asia.

▼ Beijing, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia1.jpg?w=580&h=394

▼ Beijing, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia2.jpg?w=580&h=580

▼ Chengdu, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia4.jpg?w=580&h=386

▼ Hangzhou, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia5.jpg?w=580&h=385

▼ Hong Kong
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia6.jpg?w=580&h=386

▼ Shanghai, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia7.jpg?w=580&h=435

▼ Shanghai, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia8.jpg?w=580&h=426

▼ Xi’an, China
http://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/surprisingly-beautiful-and-unusually-low-profile-starbucks-stores-throughout-asia9.jpg?w=580&h=339

[David Jamieson]

Not bad ~G
You are raising necros better than Jonah Hex! :p

[GeneChing]

I like to think of it a little more like Re-Animator than Jonah. ;)

Actually, I'm just not that into launching new threads. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

[Drake]

I know my roaster. I hand grind my beans just before brewing, using two small scoops of beans. I preheat my decanter, and bloom and brew my coffee in a Chemex. I brew at around 205-208F.

Bloom with 60g of water. Brew with just under 20 oz of water.

[David Jamieson]

I know my roaster. I hand grind my beans just before brewing, using two small scoops of beans. I preheat my decanter, and bloom and brew my coffee in a Chemex. I brew at around 205-208F.

Bloom with 60g of water. Brew with just under 20 oz of water.

^ Hipster Freak!

[Syn7]

I don't really like starbucks coffee. I'm not into the whole over roast thing. I likes mine oldschool.

I usually use my perc or french press. Not the best coffee ever, but great for the effort I put in. I like coffee, but for me it's just a drug at this point. I have my morning fix, my first coffee break fix and then I stick with water for the rest of the day. As I look around I see people drinking pop, juice, and that watered down juice crap they sell as names like "vitamin water". I'm thinking maaaan, no wonder you people are all fat with skin rashes and ****. Always makes me laugh when people ***** about their health as they inhale chips or fast food and wash it down with the sugar water a gallon at a time. My basic rule is to not eat anything made by a machine. Of course there are exceptions. I'm the same way with my coffee beans. Whole beans, preferably roasted locally.

[wenshu]

I know my roaster. I hand grind my beans just before brewing, using two small scoops of beans. I preheat my decanter, and bloom and brew my coffee in a Chemex. I brew at around 205-208F.

Bloom with 60g of water. Brew with just under 20 oz of water.

Drizzy doesn't **** around.

[GoldenBrain]

**** Drake, you're serious about your coffee! I bet it tastes good though.

I recently planted several Kona coffee trees from seed. Just like many of the other trees and bushes in my little fledgling orchard I won't be harvesting anything for at least 2 to 5 years. Sigh! Ah well, at least they will be pretty to look at until I can get some of those beans.

[Robinhood]

I like coffee too, I use a Saeco Royal Professional grinder coffee maker, grinds and brews by cup, you can choose espresso , or double or full or half size cups, great machine .

[Drake]

My coffee would intrigue your man-bits.

[GeneChing]

The Strange Case of the Starbucks Juice Poison Plot (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/04/starbucks-juice-poison-san-jose/64707/)
Alexander Abad-Santos 778 Views 8:37 AM ET

Very bad news: A woman in San Jose tried to poison orange juice drinkers at a Starbucks by swapping in juice bottles filled with nail polish remover and rubbing alcohol. Somewhat good news: She's not on a tainted OJ rampage, and nobody would really drink a "toxic" smelling bottle of juice at a Starbucks, would they?

Police arrested 50-year-old Ramineh Behbehanian for "felony poisoning" Monday night. The San Jose Mercury News has play-by-play of what happened at the Starbucks on Snell Avenue in Southern San Jose:

According to San Jose police, Behbehanian had walked into the shop around 3:45 p.m. when a customer reported seeing her remove two bottles of orange juice from her purse and placed them alongside other refrigerated items in the store. When the customer alerted store staff, the woman fled from the store.

According to police, one of the bottles Behbehanian temporarily placed in the refrigerated case was filled with a mixture of juice and rubbing alcohol; the other was a mix of juice and acetone nail polish remover. According to the National Library of Medicine, drinking nail polish remover can even put you into a coma and cause shortness of breath. And the Betty Ford Center notes that the "lethal dose of isopropyl alcohol by mouth in adult humans is about 8 ounces."

Thanks to surveillance video cameras, San Jose PD officers were able to track down the suspect's license plate. The question now is if Behbehanian swapped her tainted juices at other stores. Investigators, ABC San Jose reports, don't believe her poison scheme spread to other cafés, but "Starbucks says it is checking its bottled beverages at other nearby stores." If she did infect other OJs, let's hope that customers would be able to smell the acetone and alcohol before they consumed it — the employees and store manager at the tainted Starbucks noticed a "toxic smell," according to multiple reports.

If found guilty of "felony poisoning," Behbehanian could face up to five years in jail — and she could face three more years because she used a substance that "may cause death" or "great bodily injury" upon another person. Police say her motive is unclear at the moment.

And swap man-bits with woman-bits.

Woman Gets Upset After Starbucks Writes "Vagina" Instead of "Virginia" (http://kotaku.com/woman-gets-upset-after-starbucks-writes-vagina-instea-485568240)

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18m7n3lte1s18jpg/k-bigpic.jpg
Whoops. A Hong Kong Starbucks made one customer unhappy after totally screwing up a first name. Imagine that! A Starbucks spelling fail? Impossible.

On the Hong Kong Starbucks' Facebook page (via HongWrong), a customer posted an image of the fail, writing:

This is my sister's cuppa [SIC] from your HKU branch. Fancy your staff not being able to spell an American name like Virginia. Forgiving she has been with every misspelled cup. Her cup was once 'Virgin'. Every Starbucks experience for her has been coupled with fear and anticipation. But THIS is just UNACCEPTABLE. Starbucks HK, you have to buck up or just not spell your customer's name anyway. It is a derogatory attitude even if it is unintentional. What do you have to say about this?

On Facebook, the comment has been liked over a thousand times. Some are calling the photo a fake, while others think it's unfair to expect Hong Kong's non-American staff to be able to spell American names. Starbucks is a global corporation!

If real, I doubt this was done to be mean. Well, I sure hope it wasn't.

[Syn7]

Really, people are feeling anxiety over misspelled names in diff languages?

Really?

Do these people have such uneventful boring thumb up their ass lives that this is even a thought past the whole "haha look they got it wrong in a bad way"???

I'm almost embarrassed for them... almost....!!!

[Lucas]

seriously....my first kungfu teacher called me lustis for years. i didnt care

[Oso]

I don't get why people are so down on Starbucks.

I'd rather go to a Starbucks where I can count on reasonable customer service vs. some ******* who's ****ed about having to work instead of whatever it is they think they'd rather be doing.

and, I happen to like the way their French roast tastes...I like my coffee like I like my women: strong, sweet and creamy :p

[Syn7]

I like how they offer benefits to PT employees. Pretty cool for a franchise.

[wenshu]

seriously....my first kungfu teacher called me lustis for years. i didnt care

I was "Ska" until a few months ago. . .

[Lucas]

thats badass ur like op ivy

[wenshu]

thats badass ur like op ivy

I'm just relieved he didn't call me "scat" for 7 years.

[Lucas]

whats your name?

[GeneChing]

Well, okay, actually I live for other things entirely, but making OTs topical does make me happy. :D


Macau's kung fu coffee master (http://travel.cnn.com/leong-kam-hon-secret-kung-fu-coffee-maker-macau-552646)
Amid abandoned shipyards an unusual cafe owner is blending Macau's most intriguing coffee
By Hiufu Wong 15 November, 2013

http://i.cdn.travel.cnn.com/sites/default/files/styles/604x453_gallery/public/2013/11/15/gallery.dsc_0315.jpg?itok=YFq3VJLI
Leong Kam Hon, kung fu coffee maker
“I remember the first night I finished practicing kung fu," says Leong, owner of Macau's small Hon Kee café. "For the first time (in a long time) I slept through the whole night without waking up.” Leong says his kung fu workouts helped him gain the strength to brew Macau's most interesting coffee.

Life-threatening accident, kung fu training, chance meeting with a mysterious foreign couple, encounter with a golden movie star and a pot of instant coffee -- Leong Kam Hon’s story reads like a crazy Chinese adventure movie.

“Two bones, muscles, blood vessels -- all gone," says Leong. "But I told my doctor, giving up my arm means giving up my life.”

Leong, 55, is the Macanese owner of Hon Kee, a small café hidden in an abandoned shipyard in Macau.

He brings up his arm quickly in conversation, because had he lost it, he would never have gone on to brew the most famous coffee in Macau.

The coffee, which appears underwhelming when it comes to you, is as surprisingly flavorful as Leong's life.

From kung fu to coffee

Kung fu coffeeFirst-time visitors may have difficulty finding the cafe amid abandoned shipyards.In 1986, Leong was working at a local shipyard when an accident with a rusty saw nearly severed his left arm just above the elbow.

Fearing an infection could put his life at risk, a surgeon advised Leong to have the arm removed completely.

Leong believed a ship-builder losing an arm would be like a musician losing his hearing. He refused the advice.

"I told the surgeon I'd rather not live than live without my arm," he says.

The arm was reattached and Leong was observed for signs of infection or restricted blood flow. His risk paid off -- the operation was a success.

Following the operation, Leong was transferred to a hospital in mainland China for an experimental nerve transplant.

“At the time of my operation, they were still developing the technology on lab rats in Guangzhou,” says Leong.

“The surgery went well but my arm -- which hadn’t been used for months -- had shrunk as thin as a bamboo stick.”

During the long recovery from the accident and subsequent medical procedures, Leong thought about alternatives to ship building (his arm remained weak long after the surgery), eventually hitting on the idea of opening a cafe that would serve the workers from various shipyards in the port.

"It wasn't an easy process," says Leong, recounting not just the difficult career transition, but the red tape that opening a business requires.

The local government rejected his initial application for a business license in 1990.

"They said it's an industrial area," recalls Leong. "But I had to make a living, so I wrote a letter to the Portuguese mayor of Macau. He granted my request regardless of the (local) official's initial rejection."

Leong got to work, first building his café from scratch, by himself.

In an effort to rebuild the strength in his arm, he also built a wooden dummy and began practicing kung fu on it.

“I remember the first night I finished practicing kung fu, I slept through the whole night without waking up in the middle of the night," he says. "The pain and numbness in my arm prevented me from sleeping well -- that was the first night in a very long time that I managed to sleep through the night.”

Ever since, Leong has practiced kung fu on the wooden dummy each morning.

“I’m no kung fu master, but it certainly helped me regain my strength and even have strength for blending my coffee,” he says.

“Chow Yun-Fat” coffee

Leong says his self-styled kung fu training helped hone his coffee blending skills.

Kung fu coffeeThis is no longer "instant" coffee.Leong's product isn't some sophisticated fresh roasted coffee. It actually comes from -- look away, coffee snobs! -- instant coffee powder.

It's the way Leong blends it, however, that makes it special.

First he stirs a spoonful of thick coffee mixture a few hundreds rounds at high speed, like a motor, until it thickens. The process takes a few minutes.

When water is added to the coffee, a thick layer of foam and cream rises to the top, creating an unusually creamy texture and aromatic smell.

“A foreign couple [Leong doesn't know from which country] taught me this way of coffee-making," he says. "They used to come every year during the Grand Prix, sit here and drink their coffee for the whole day."

“The last time they were here, they came to me and tried to teach me how to make a coffee.”

Unable to speak to each other -- the couple spoke English, Leong speaks only Cantonese -- they communicated through sign language.

That was in the early 2000s. Leong never heard from them again.

“It was so troublesome to make coffee (their) way," he says. "I used to just boil a whole pot of coffee. I didn’t give them much thought and continued to boil my coffee my own way until the day Chow Yun-Fat came to visit the cafe."

A local legend, the Hong Kong-born Chow is known internationally for his starring roles in movies such as John Woo’s “Hard Boiled” and Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

Leong was star struck.

“I thought, 'what kind of coffee is good enough for a star like Chow?” he says.

The rest of the story isn't tough to figure out -- Leong blended the coffee the way he'd learned from the foreign couple.

Chow loved it, Leong says, claiming it tasted better than the coffee he had at his hotel.

Word spread.

Travelers, local and overseas media flocked to Hon Kee café for the “Chow Yun-Fat” coffee.

That was 2004.

The burst of fame came just in time. A sharp decline in the area shipping business had been hurting his business. As his customer base began losing their jobs, Leong was forced to take on outside work.

He feared he wouldn't be able to afford to stay in business, but the unexpected noteriety kept the café alive.

Kung fu coffeeThe pier at Coloane in southern Macau. A few area stores still sell dried seafood. The media attention and fame were short-lived.

With its inconvenient location, Hon Kee is still off the radar for most travelers, and not widely known among locals.

Hon Kee café is in Lai Chi Wun Village in Coloane, on the southern side of Macau.

It’s in the area of one of the last fishing villages left in fast-developing Macau. This fact alone makes it an interesting excursion from the vibrant gaming and tourist scene that dominates most of Macau.

Getting there: If your cab driver doesn't know the way to Lai Chi Wun Village, you can start at Coloane city center and walk toward the shore. Turn right when you see Ponte Cais De Coloane (the pier in the picture above) and walk until you reach the police station. Then crest a small slope and walk by the shipyards. The entire walk takes about 10 minutes.

Hon Kee Cafe, Lai Chi Wun Road, Coloane City Center, Macau; +853 2888 2310; open daily except Monday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

[YouKnowWho]

Someone sent me this article.

If you are under 55 and you drink more than 4 cup of coffee daily, your death rate will be increased

- 56% if you are male.
- 100% if you are female.

The "cup" we are talking about here is "small cup".

美國有研究指出，平均每天喝4杯或4杯以上咖啡的55歲以下男性，其死亡風險比每天喝4杯以下的同齡男性高 出56%；平均每天喝4杯或4杯以上咖啡的55歲以下女性，其死亡風險甚至比每天喝4杯以下的同齡女性高出 1倍。值得注意的是，此研究所謂的「1杯」咖啡，僅約超商的小杯咖啡.

[GeneChing]

You mean to say that all those years hanging weights off my junk (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?20348-Iron-Crotch) could have been replaced by just drinking more coffee!?!?

Just kidding. I've never practiced IC. I just write about it. :o



Caffeine and Erectile Dysfunction
The Daily Drink That Could Fight Off Erectile Dysfunction (http://www.menshealth.com/health/daily-drink-could-fight-erectile-dysfunction)
Guys who guzzled this beverage reported having stronger *****es. Fill up a cup and you might enjoy the benefits, too
By Jada Green, June 02, 2015

http://www.menshealth.com/sites/default/files/2015/06/drink-coffee.jpg
Image from Thinkstock

Your daily cup of Joe keeps you up in more ways than one: Caffeine could reduce your likelihood of having erectile dysfunction (ED), suggests a new study from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Researchers found that guys over the age of 20 who consumed the caffeine equivalent of 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day were less likely to report ED issues than men who steered clear of the stimulant.

The connection was strongest in overweight guys, says study author David Lopez, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., but he plans to dive further into how the caffeine/ED link can affect different weight groups.

Related: 8 Simple Strategies for Stronger Erections

Caffeine has properties similar to ED drugs like Viagra, says study coauthor Run Wang, M.D. The stimulant triggers a series of effects that cause the arteries in your ***** to relax and your blood flow to increase—both keys to a strong erection.

Feeling limp lately? Blame your bulging belly, says Men’s Health urology advisor Larry Lipshultz, M.D. Too much excess baggage can harm your vascular function, which messes with your blood flow.

To flatten your belly—and bolster your boner—check out The Lose Your Spare Tire Program. It’s the easiest and most effective way to drop 20, 30, or even 50 pounds!

[MarathonTmatt]

You mean to say that all those years hanging weights off my junk (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?20348-Iron-Crotch) could have been replaced by just drinking more coffee!?!?

Just kidding. I've never practiced IC. I just write about it. :o

It all makes sense. I think hot peppers like habaneros are also good for this, both ingested and topical, which i discovered by accident.

so, organic apple cider vinegar everyday. a cup or two of coffee every day. and habanero/ scotch bonnet/ thai chilis every day.

i also used to make a mix combining garlic, cayenne pepper powder, raw apple cider vinegar, ginger and horseradish root- mix together in jar (with apple cider vinegar as a base) and let ferment for 2-5 months. drink everyday.

this is an over-all energy boost, also boosts the system up and helps with the blood/ sugar levels in the body for balance/ cleans the system out.

[Featherstone]

I've been using one of these to brew my coffee in for the past few months. Makes a really good cup! Any of you use one or ever hear of it? Heat the water to around 175f and invert the press and do a short steep for an awesome brew. You get a clean clean cup of the dark nectar! :D
Aeropress coffee maker. (http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm)

[GeneChing]

I take my coffee black, but this ad makes me think I should add a little milk next time.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUWutkifbI0

[GeneChing]

What is it about Wing Chun and coffee (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee&p=1258549#post1258549)? If another comes up, this totally deserves it's own indie thread. ;)


Leon baristas learn Bruce Lee kung fu Wing Chun to combat stress and speed up service (http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/leon-baristas-learn-bruce-lee-kung-fu-to-combat-stress-and-speed-up-service-a3361436.html)
FRANCESCA GILLETT 5 hours ago

https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_large/public/thumbnails/image/2016/10/05/10/leoncoffee0510a.jpg
Staff well-being: Leon restaurants have trained their staff in martial arts to speed up service. Gareth Richman

Baristas across London have been trained in the same martial art as Bruce Lee to help speed up their hands so they can serve coffee faster.

Healthy fast food chain Leon confirmed it has sent its baristas on a six week intensive course in Wing Chun – a type of kung fu mastered by the martial arts superstar.

The company, which has branches all over London, said they have seen speed of service and quality of their coffee improve after baristers took on the training.

They are also less stressed, the firm claims.

Some of the workers had even decided to continue with the martial art technique in their free time because of the benefits they experienced.

Orla Delargy, who works for the company, said: “We noticed that the baristas, some of them were feeling quite stressed. It’s quite a stressful job.

“We tested their heart rate and their confidence levels then we did six weeks’ intensive Wing Tsun training.

"We found the quality had gone up and heart rates had gone down.”

Ancient martial art Wing Tsun helps to increase spatial awareness and a better relationship between body and mind.

The trial was started by co-founder of Leon, John Vincent, in March this year. The aim of pilot scheme was to improve performance, reduce wastage and promote staff wellbeing.

After the initial experiment on six workers, 30 seconds had been knocked off the time it took them to make a coffee.

Not all baristas in London have yet been trained, Leon said.

Leon Restaurants (http://leonrestaurants.co.uk/)

[GeneChing]

I could easily cobble a Starbucks thread by copying previous posts. There are plenty of them through various threads.

Meh, that would be work. :p

There's an embedded vid if you're that interested...


China will get a new Starbucks every day for 5 years (http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/19/investing/starbucks-howard-schultz-china-growth/index.html)
by Jethro Mullen and Mallika Kapur @CNNMoneyInvest
October 19, 2016: 7:53 AM ET

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is unfazed by China's slowing economy.
Even with China growing at its slowest pace in 25 years, Starbucks is planning to open more than one new store a day for the next five years in the world's second largest economy.
"I think if you look at the 45 year history of our company ... one of the things that we've done really well is that we've always played the long game," Schultz told CNN in an interview in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Powered by SmartAsset.com
By 2021, Starbucks (SBUX) aims to have nearly 5,000 stores across China.
It's been a long road already for the coffee giant in the world's most populous nation, where it opened its first store 17 years ago.
"We had to educate and teach many Chinese about what coffee was -- the coffee ritual, what a latte was," Schultz said. "So in the early years, we did not make money."
His critics on Wall Street and elsewhere said Starbucks "was never going to succeed in China," he recalled.
But his patience paid off.
"If you look five years ago, most of our business, believe it or not, was expats and tourists in China," he said. "Today, it's mostly Chinese."
Schultz expects China to eventually overtake the U.S. as the company's largest market, although he hasn't said exactly when. (It's already No. 2.)
"One of things I think we've done very well is we've invested significantly ahead of the growth curve -- in people, in systems," he told CNN. "We just finished a fantastic year in China where the results are as strong as they've ever been."
Such talk is enviable for huge U.S. firms that have failed to get into China -- like Facebook (FB, Tech30) and Netflix (NFLX, Tech30) -- or been pushed out -- like Uber and Google (GOOG).
Schultz says it helps that Starbucks is selling coffee, and not active in a more sensitive market.
"We're not in a high tech business, so we're not trying to change behavior in terms of technology," he said.
Other big American brands that had enjoyed years of success selling food and drink in China are now faring less well.
KFC, which is owned by Yum Brands (YUM), is spinning off its China business and bringing in outside investors. McDonalds (MCD) is also looking for a partner to take over the franchise of its China stores.
"They have other challenges ... I can't speak for them," Schultz said, ruling out the possibility of Starbucks following a similar path.
"Whether we're in a small city or a large city, we think that the way in which we can be successful is if the stores are operated by Starbucks people," he said. "We believe that the future of Starbucks in China is still very early."
-- Reed Alexander contributed to this report.

[GeneChing]

I bet Starbucks tea is yuge in China... :rolleyes:


Starbucks is opening more than a store a day in China and only plans to get faster there (https://qz.com/943502/in-china-theres-starbucks-and-then-theres-everything-else/)

https://qzprod.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/starbucks-opens-in-china.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&w=1600
A man walks past an advertisement board of Starbucks in Wuhan, Hubei province, in this October 29, 2013 file photo. A China state television investigative report accusing Starbucks of overcharging local customers for coffee triggered enormous disquiet among journalists at the network and even some soul-searching after it aired.
Lining up early. (Reuters/Darley Shen)

WRITTEN BY Josh Horwitz
OBSESSION China's Transition
March 28, 2017

KFC and McDonald’s have spent the better part of the past year getting out of China. The world’s best-known American coffee chain, however, is only getting bigger there.
Last week during its annual shareholders meeting Starbucks announced that it had reached a minor milestone when it revealed it had opened 2,600 stores in China. That figure is up from a store count of around 2,500 by the end of 2016, and over 2,300 from the start of October, when the company’s most recent financial year ended.
That means that almost 10% percent of the company’s stores—both company-operated ones and licensed outlets—now reside in the China. In 2009 the country was home to just 2.9% of Starbucks stores around the world.

https://www.theatlas.com/charts/ByE1QPD2x

Company data show that during the company’s fiscal 2016, China surpassed Japan (pdf, pg 4) as the company’s number-two market for company-owned stores—the outlets that generate a majority of Starbucks’ revenue. By January 2017, it had 1,212 wholly-owned stores there.

https://www.theatlas.com/charts/S1bDvvv3g

The company’s growth comes as China’s rising middle class, which has a taste for the cosmopolitan, sent sales for fresh-brewed coffee served at retail restaurants surging. Research firm Euromonitor International estimates that the market size for coffee served in cafes hit 20 billion yuan (about $2.9 billion USD) in 2016, up from a mere 1.1 billion yuan 10 years earlier.

https://www.theatlas.com/charts/SJMr0Dv3l

Starbucks captures a majority of this market in China. Three-fourths of coffee shop sales went to the Seattle-based giant in 2014, with the remainder shared by Costa Coffee, McDonald’s, and Hong Kong chain Pacific Coffee, according to Euromonitor.
Last year Starbucks announced plans to increase its store count to China to 5,000 by 2021, which will require opening an average of a dozen stores each week to achieve. The company’s bet on expansion bucks a trend as other foreign restaurant chains struggle to maintain a foothold in China. In January McDonald’s announced it successfully sold 80% of its business in mainland China and Hong Kong to franchisees, as it struggled in the face of competition from local fast food chains. Yum! Brands, meanwhile, spun off its China division last autumn as slowing sales at KFC and Pizza Hut in China burdened the company’s share price in New York.
What has insulated Starbucks from meeting a similar fate? The company’s marker as a status symbol ensures that its brand remains aspirational. As a result, it can charge its famously high prices—which at times dwarfs those in the US. In 2013, various media outlets ran pieces noting how some Starbucks beverages in China were more expensive than they were in the US. State broadcaster CCTV even ran a 20-minute smear piece (link in Chinese) on the price difference, which remains one of the more memorable examples of government-backed media targeting foreign companies (sometimes, but not always, with good reason).

[GeneChing]

Starbucks opens its second Roastery, the biggest Starbucks coffee shop yet, in Shanghai (https://en.rocketnews24.com/2018/01/18/starbucks-opens-its-second-roastery-the-biggest-starbucks-coffee-shop-yet-in-shanghai/)
Richard Simmonds about an hour ago

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_shanghai_roastery_8.jpg

Shanghai, already home to more than 600 Starbucks, is now only the second place to get an extra-special Starbucks Reserve Roastery.

With a new Starbucks opening up every fifteen hours in China, adding to the more than 3,000 shops already built in the country, one more is hardly newsworthy stuff. But the Reserve Roastery that opened up last month in Shanghai is something special, an architectural mishmash of luxury hotel and whisky distillery floor that covers a ginormous 2,700 square metres (30,000 square feet), and has a two-storey copper cask dominating its centre. As with some of its stores in Japan, Starbucks have embraced aspects of the local culture, incorporating Chinese designs such as the more than 1,000 Chinese character-engraved wooden boards that decorate the copper cask, detailing the history of Starbucks and their coffee.

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_starbucks_roastery_shanghai_-_top_10_things_8.jpg

The Shanghai Roastery, the second to be built after the first opened in Seattle three years ago, features three wooden coffee bars, including one that’s 27-metres (88-feet) long, a Teavana Bar, and an on-site Italian bakery.

▼ A special branch needs a special name. Why have a cup of coffee in a coffee shop on the way somewhere, when you can be “greeted by a multi-sensory coffee experience in an interactive coffee and retail destination”?
https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_starbucks_roastery_shanghai_-_top_10_things_22.jpg

▼ If coffee isn’t your thing, because you can’t beat a proper cuppa, then the new Roastery also caters to tea-lovers with their Teavana range.
https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_starbucks_roastery_shanghai_-_top_10_things_5.jpg

▼ Not a laptop in sight, so who is writing all the movie scripts that will never be made?
https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_starbucks_roastery_shanghai_-_top_10_things_6.jpg

The first team of Chinese Starbucks artisan roasters at the Roastery are trained to make unique, small-lot Reserve coffee, roasted on-site from green beans right through to the finished article at the counter where baristas will prepare your ever-so-fancy beverage of choice.

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_starbucks_roastery_shanghai_-_top_10_things_20.jpg

It isn’t just the coffee-making (apparently they use six different brewing methods) that’s state-of-the-art. The whole site has been designed to immerse customers in an augmented reality environment; by waving their devices around them, customers are able to learn about the coffee roasting process.

https://sociorocketnewsen.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/rsz_augmented_app_-_shanghai_roastery_1.jpg

Starbucks are also working with Alibaba’s Tmall online marketplace so that customers are able to order Shanghai Roastery and Reserve coffee or merchandise to their doors, or sign up for special coffee tasting sessions.

Now, we’ll need to hop on a plane to Shanghai if we want to experience the Roastery ourselves (and perhaps take our own eggs?), or just hope that Japan will be the next place to receive the honour. Which, given the unseemly amount of money we spend at Starbucks, shouldn’t be too much of a push for the company.

Source, images: Starbucks

When my master Shi Decheng came to town last month (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?27822-Shaolin-Warrior-Monk-Shi-Decheng-Seminars&p=1306414#post1306414), I took him for some sightseeing for a day and we got ahead of schedule. When we got back to the school where he was going to teach, it was still closed, so we went out for coffee. I didn't know the area and did a quick smartphone search and said, "There's a Starbucks nearby". Decheng and his pupil just laughed. They said there are so many Starbucks in China now that it is the last place they wanted to go. Fortunately, we found a little indie coffee shop near by that was delightful.

[highlypotion]

I love coffee but I'm not good in making my own coffee. I just regularly buy Starbucks' ready to drink in cup or bottle.

[GeneChing]

I'm not sure how I feel about Starbucks being a barometer for global economic power, but we're in the Mirror Universe now, so it seems.


JUNE 20, 2018 / 5:35 AM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO
Starbucks sales forecast raises questions about China, U.S. growth (https://in.reuters.com/article/starbucks-forecast-stocks/starbucks-sales-forecast-raises-questions-about-china-u-s-growth-idINKBN1JG1NK)
Reuters Staff
3 MIN READ

(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp shares fell 4 percent on Wednesday after a dim sales forecast from the U.S. coffee chain prompted Wall Street analysts to question the sustainability of its growth at home and next biggest market China.

http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20180620&t=2&i=1274631517&r=LYNXMPEE5J14O&w=1280
FILE PHOTO: The Starbucks logo is seen outside its coffee store in front of Zhengyangmen Gate at Qianmen Commercial Street in central Beijing, April 19, 2012. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

Several analysts downgraded their ratings and cut their 12-month targets on Starbucks’ stock, after the company on Tuesday forecast sales growth at established restaurants to rise by just 1 percent in the third quarter, below Wall Street expectations of a 3 percent increase.

Starbucks also expects same-store sales in China to see no growth in the three months ending June.

With Wednesday’s decline, Starbucks’ shares were on track to enter negative territory for 2018 - a year in which well regarded Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz stepped down and the company found itself at the center of an embarrassing racial profiling incident.

Morgan Stanley analyst John Glass, who downgraded the stock to “equal-weight” from “overweight,” expressed surprise at Starbucks’ expectations for China, and said the overall forecast raised questions about the sustainability of Starbucks’ growth back home. Just three quarters ago, same-restaurant sales in China had risen 8 percent, Glass noted.

Other analysts echoed Glass’ surprise, noting that the Seattle-based company had been upbeat about growth in China just a few weeks ago at its investor day event, saying it was highly focused on that market.

Wells Fargo’s Bonnie Herzog said the forecast for China was the most discouraging, “putting a damper on some of the optimism we came away with after visiting China last month.”

On Tuesday, Starbucks also announced plans to close some 150 U.S. cafes and open much fewer locations in fiscal year 2019, a result of intensifying competition that has seen new coffee chains, convenience stores and fast-food chains improve quality and cut prices aggressively.

Analysts also pointed to lower-than-expected same-restaurant sales in five of the previous six quarters at Starbucks’ Americas business that is dominated by its roughly 8,000 U.S. cafes.

Some analysts said a sharper focus on digital initiatives - promoting Starbucks’ mobile app and online ordering - could make up for some of the slowdown in the company’s key markets.

“In reaction to what is now a clearer pattern of slower U.S. sales, more product and digital innovation is in the works, but it’s hard to see how much that impacts sales,” Morgan Stanley’s Glass said.

Morgan Stanley’s downgrade on Starbucks’ shares brings the total number of “hold” or equivalent ratings on the stock to 15. Still, 16 analysts maintain a “buy” or higher rating.

The average Wall Street price target on Starbucks shares was $62.08. The stock dipped 3.7 percent to $55.28 before the bell on Wednesday.

Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar

[highlypotion]

My friend from UAE gave me an Arabic coffee and I'm so loving it.

[GeneChing]

I'm not sure how I feel about Starbucks being a barometer for global economic power, but we're in the Mirror Universe now, so it seems.

Yeah, about that...

A startup challenging Starbucks in China is now worth $1 billion (https://qz.com/1325403/luckin-coffee-startup-challenging-starbucks-in-china-worth-1-billion/)
Workers make coffee at a branch of the Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee in Beijing, China, in May 2018. Luckin is now valued at $1 billion as it takes on Starbucks.

https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/luckin-coffee-china-starbucks-rival-e1531299378506.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&w=3200
No copycat. (EPA-EFE/Roman Pilipey)

WRITTEN BY
Josh Horwitz
July 11, 2018

Starbucks’ second-largest market after the US is China, where it has over 3,300 stores and operates with virtually no serious competition.

A Beijing-based startup could change that. Luckin Coffee has opened 525 outlets across China’s major cities less than nine months after its launch (link in Chinese). Today the fast-growing company confirmed it’s closed a $200 million funding round giving it a $1 billion valuation. Investors include Centurium Capital, a private equity fund founded by the former China head of Warburg Pincus, and GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund.

In domestic Chinese media, Luckin has aggressively courted comparisons to the world’s best-known coffee chain. In May, it even wrote an open letter accusing Starbucks of “monopolistic behavior” (Starbucks called the move a “publicity stunt”). But Luckin isn’t a Starbucks copycat—rather, it meshes trends in China’s tech industry with the coffee-shop model mastered by its rival.

First, Luckin Coffee revolves around the smartphone. When customers walk into one of its blue-and-white shops, they’re immediately asked to download the Luckin app to order coffee (assuming they haven’t done so already). They can pay using WeChat payments or Luckin’s own “coffee wallet”—but not cash. This fits into China’s so-called “new retail” trend, in which tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent partner with supermarkets and convenience stores on mobile payments, analytics, and inventory management.

Luckin has also aggressively promoted its delivery services—of its 525 outlets, 231 are kitchens dedicated exclusively to filling orders placed in offices, homes, or elsewhere. This mimics China’s boom in e-commerce and food delivery, which has thrived on the back of low-wage couriers.

When it comes to marketing, Luckin has more in common with a Chinese gadget company than with its Seattle-based coffee rival. Whereas Starbucks typically shuns traditional advertisements, Luckin has plastered China’s cities with billboards featuring popular actors Chang Chen and Tang Wei holding blue-and-white coffee cups. Chinese smartphone makers Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi employ similar tactics, using celebrities to pose with products.

Finally, Luckin’s beverages are relatively cheap. In Beijing, a large Americano costs 21 yuan ($3.15), a matcha latte 21 yuan, and a Hawaiian pineapple wrap 9 yuan. That’s roughly 20%-30% lower than comparable items from Starbucks in China (which is more expensive than Starbucks in the US).

Despite the company’s early emphasis on delivery, it insists that bricks-and-mortar retail is the future—a spokesperson tells Quartz the company expects delivery kitchens will make up just 15% of its locations in the future.

But with such low prices and rising expansion costs, can the company justify its valuation and take on the world’s coffee retail giant?

Jeff Towson, who teaches investment at Peking University in Beijing, says that Luckin Coffee is “easily worth $1 billion if it can execute on the business—but that’s a big if.” A large part of Starbucks’ success globally has to do with real estate—many of its stores are placed in expensive, high-traffic locations that rivals can’t afford. Most Luckin outlets are not in such spots, Towson notes. The company uses the app to draw people to less-bustling locations that are cheaper to rent. “It may be that that real estate power can be overcome if you’ve got a really sticky hold on people’s smartphones,” he adds.

[highlypotion]

Have you tried Nescafe Dolce Gusto?

[GeneChing]

Have you tried Nescafe Dolce Gusto?
I live right near a gourmet coffee roastery which has converted me into a coffee snob. And I'm really not much of a coffee drinker. I drink tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49674-Tea). Is this truly 'sweet taste'? Actually, for me personally, I'm not into sweet. I'm asking for a friend, or at least the rest of the forum here. ;)

I'm fascinated with the rise of coffee drinking in China and delighted that this thread has become so topical. :cool:

https://japantoday-asset.scdn3.secure.raxcdn.com/img/store/16/68/4e782f35563b044d49c0b552b911ec9921fe/16684e782f35563b044d49c0b552b911ec9921fe/_w850.jpg
Tim Hortons is planning to open 1,500 stores in China over the next decade Photo: GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Canada coffee chain Tim Hortons to open 1,500 stores in China (https://japantoday.com/category/business/canada-coffee-chain-tim-hortons-to-open-1-500-stores-in-china)
July 11 11:50 pm JST
By Aaron Vincent Elkaim
MONTREAL

Canadian coffee shop chain Tim Hortons announced Wednesday it will open more than 1,500 branches in China over the next decade.

"China's population and vibrant economy represent an excellent growth opportunity for Tim Hortons in the coming years," said Alex Macedo, president of the company known for its coffee and donuts.

"We have already seen Canada's Chinese community embrace Tim Hortons and we now have the opportunity to bring the best of our Canadian brand to China," his statement said.

Burger King bought the chain in 2014 for CAN$12.5 billion (U.S.$11.4 billion), and Tim Hortons now boasts 4,700 locations worldwide, mostly in Canada and the United States.

The chain -- named after its creator, former professional ice hockey player Tim Horton -- has become a staple along Canada's roadways since opening its first counter in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario.

The company came under fire earlier this year when some franchise owners reduced employee breaks to compensate for Ontario's rising minimum wage.

Silence from the company's headquarters sparked calls to boycott the restaurant, causing its popularity among Canadians to drop in polls.

[GeneChing]

Maybe we'll need a Luckin thread soon. Anyone try this yet?


FEELING THE HEAT
A Chinese coffee startup has Starbucks sweating (https://qz.com/1343339/starbucks-china-starting-to-sweat-because-of-startup-luckin-coffee/)

https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/starbucks-luckin-coffee-delivery.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&w=1600
A Starbucks staff member hands out free coffee to customers at an event to mark the 10th anniversary of Starbucks' launch in China, at the the company's original outlet in Beijing Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. The Coffee chain Starbucks has started producing coffee grown by farmers in China and hopes to bring the blend to stores all over the world.
Will they lose her to Luckin? (AP Images/Greg Baker)

WRITTEN BY Josh Horwitz
5 hours ago

Starbucks has said publicly it will ramp up its delivery services across China, as its most recent earnings report showed signs of a potential slowdown in the country.

While details about the rollout are scarce, its pending launch suggests that Starbucks is acknowledging competition in China from a fast-growing rival.

Chinese media outlet Caijing reported last week (link in Chinese) that Starbucks, in partnership with food delivery service Ele.me, will let Chinese consumers order coffee from their phones starting next month. Ele.me became a subsidiary of Alibaba in April, when the e-commerce giant acquired the startup for $9.5 billion (paywall). Its chief rival is Meituan, a delivery and services provider that recently filed to IPO in Hong Kong.

“Alibaba and Starbucks are always exploring new ways to deepen our long-term partnership in China,” Alibaba told Quartz. “We have nothing more to share at this point.” Starbucks China did not respond to Quartz’s request for comment.

On July 27, in its financial results for the quarter ending on July 1, Starbucks revealed that comparable store sales in China declined 2% annually. Somewhat worryingly, the drop comes amid a broad expansion in China. Earlier this year, the company said it hopes the country will house 6,000 stores by 2022—roughly double its current count, amounting to a new store opening every 15 hours.

What explains the drop? It’s possible that Starbucks’ new retail stores are cannibalizing sales from its existing ones. But it’s also possible that it’s facing a squeeze from Luckin Coffee, a Beijing-based rival that launched last October. The Chinese company already has over 500 outlets and has marketed itself with ubiquitous ads, steep discounts, and an aggressive media campaign. Central to Luckin Coffee’s premise is delivery: Half of its outlets are kitchens dedicated solely to fulfilling online orders.

For years, Starbucks operated in China with no serious competition, occupying 58.6% of China’s coffee market in 2016, according to research firm Euromonitor International. Its closest rivals were McDonald’s and Costa, which held 6.1% and 3.8% of the market, respectively.

Even if Luckin Coffee is currently smaller than those companies, Starbucks seems to be aware of its presence.

Speaking to analysts in an earnings call, Starbucks China CEO Belinda Wong stopped short of naming Luckin Coffee directly when discussing rivals. But by noting the competition’s delivery and penchant for discounts, it’s no secret which company Starbucks fears nipping at its heels.

“While recent coffee market entrants have chosen to capitalize on delivery combined with heavily discounted offers, there’s significant compromises at play in terms of quality, experience, and business sustainability. These will prove to be short-lived,” she said. “Let me assure you that our new delivery service will adhere to the high standards our customers in China have come to expect with regard to the Starbucks experience.”

[GeneChing]

Fremont? WTH? We're in FREMONT!!!



COFFEE 8 hours ago
California coffee shop's bikini-clad baristas will now wear shorts and tank tops following backlash from community (http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2018/09/14/california-coffee-shops-bikini-clad-baristas-will-now-wear-shorts-and-tank-tops-following-backlash-from-community.html)
By Michael Bartiromo | Fox News

The owner of Pink Pantherz Espresso announced his newest location will employ baristas in more modest clothing. (Google)

The bikini-clad baristas at the newest Pink Pantherz Espresso shop near Redwood City, Calif., will be ditching their swimsuits when the café opens on Friday afternoon, albeit in favor of more modest attire.

Pink Pantherz, which regularly employs scantily-clad female baristas at its locations in Modesto, Fresno and Fremont, has come to an agreement with San Mateo County after meeting with concerned residents near the Redwood City location — and amid threats of protesters planning to march outside the café.



pinkpantherzespresso1 (https://www.instagram.com/p/BnTpYmKn15U/?utm_source=ig_embed)
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675 likes
pinkpantherzespresso1Good morning! Come see @bridale22 before she’s off at 12pm in Fremont! Grab a wet kiss mocha with white coffee��☕️

As part of the agreement, the owner of the shop has confirmed the female servers in the new location – which actually sits in a unincorporated part of North Fair Oaks – will wear shorts and tank tops instead of lingerie and bikinis.

The coffee stand will also rename some of the edgier items on the menu, including its “Bootycall” and “Pantydropper” drinks.

“[Pink Pantherz is] revisiting drink names and even implementing, for the first time, a more family-friendly dress policy for their baristas,” Pink Pantherz Espresso owner, Jose Carmona, told The Mercury News.

“We’re surprised [by the backlash] obviously, just because it’s not a new concept, but at the end of the day we’re a company and we can change,” Carmona added.

Public outcry over the newest Pink Pantherz Espresso location erupted earlier this summer, after residents became aware of the “bikini shop” planning to open on El Camino Real, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.


pinkpantherzespresso1 (https://www.instagram.com/p/BnmtjlknlZx/?utm_source=ig_embed)
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690 likes
pinkpantherzespresso1Good afternoon Modesto!Britany is here till 8 come get a sweet thang before she’s gone!She will be back Thursday 4-10

In the time since, the San Mateo County received a petition signed by 2,000 people opposed to the shop’s opening, while another Change.org petition gathered 1,500.

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors also met with residents to discuss their issues with the baristas’ dress code, which some feared would send the wrong message to schoolchildren passing by.

While Friday afternoon's protest was canceled after the announcement, some still plan on marching as “a celebration of the power of community,” Sister Christina Heltsley told the Mercury News.

“The young women that are [employed by Pink Pantherz] have their reasons [but] it feels like we’ve made so many steps forward and this is going backward.”

County officials are also pleased with Carmona’s decision, but admitted the “distasteful” attire of the baristas was not technically violating any rules.

Bottoms Up Espresso is planning to open up a new location in Chico, Calif., but the idea appears to have residents hot and bothered - and not in the way the owners likely intended.
Pink Pantherz Espresso's opening in the summer came weeks after a similar California chain, Bottoms Up Espresso, began getting backlash over its new location in Chico.

THREADS
Breastaurants (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54808-Breastaurants)
Coffee? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)

Shoot, those pix aren't copying...:mad:

[GeneChing]

Ethiopian coffee chain plans for 100 cafes in China (https://shanghai.ist/2018/10/30/garden-of-coffee-china/)
Garden of Coffee eyes the mainland market with their artisanal Ethiopian coffee beans
by Jethro Kang October 30, 2018 in Food

https://shanghai.ist/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/garden-of-coffee-mug-1024x570.jpg

China’s coffee scene continues brewing with the entrance of Ethiopian cafe chain Garden of Coffee, who plans to establish over 100 outlets on the mainland.

The African cafe and roastery will open their first branch in Shanghai soon, joining other local and foreign chains battling for a slice of China’s growing thirst for coffee.

Founded by Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu in 2016, Garden of Coffee is known for their hand-roasted Ethiopian coffee beans. The country is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of coffee and is one of the world’s largest coffee producer and the top grower of the beans.

Besides a physical location, Garden of Coffee is selling their range of five coffee beans on WeChat together with accessories. A Taobao store is also in the works.

Their bigger plan, however, is to have over 100 stores in China by 2022. Garden of Coffee is also launching a subscription service for customers to receive coffee beans in one-, two-, or four-week intervals.

Garden of Coffee isn’t the only cafe chain eyeing a slice of the mainland. Kenyan-based chain Java House signed an agreement in August with a Shanghai logistics firm to export their beans to China, while Seattle coffee behemoth Starbucks wants to double their 3,400 over stores by 2022. Most ambitious is homegrown brand Luckin Coffee, who plans to have more outlets in China than Starbucks.

I love Ethiopian coffee. Why don't we have this chain here in the U.S.? :mad:

[GeneChing]

this sux :mad:


Why Your Morning Coffee Might Cost More in 2019 (http://fortune.com/2018/12/29/price-of-coffee-beans-2019/)
By BLOOMBERG December 29, 2018

It’s been a big year for the companies that sell coffee, but not so much for the growers that supply them. That could start to change in 2019.

Historically low prices for coffee beans in 2018 will likely reduce the incentive for farmers to expand supplies, said Rodrigo Costa, the U.S.-based coffee director for Brazilian trading company Comexim. That could mean a price spurt ahead, analysts say, as major moves within the industry promise to boost consumption worldwide.

Coca-Cola Co., for instance, spent $5 billion in 2018 to get into the java space. Meanwhile, Nestle SA made its third-largest deal in 152 years when agreeing to pay $7.15 billion for the right to market products from Starbucks Corp., which is now expanding in China at a rate of a new store every 15 hours as demand in the world’s second largest economy booms.

“You can’t have everybody in the chain winning at the same time,” said Lucio Dias, commercial director at Cooxupe, the world’s largest coffee-growers cooperative, in an telephone interview from Guaxupe, Brazil. “Now, it’s been the time of the industry.”

Next year, he and others say, the growers may get a bigger piece of the action. Coffee futures are forecast to average $1.24 a pound in 2019, according to the mean estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That’s up from $1.15 a pound this year, which is below the past five-decade average price.

That will come as consumption has increased by an average 3.6 million bags a year since 2014-15 season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

It’s been a tough 2018 for farmers. Prices for arabica-coffee beans, the type favored by Starbucks, fell about 20 percent this year in New York, touching the lowest level since 2006.

The annual average price paid to farmers in Brazil was the lowest in four years in local currency terms. That’s because demand growth has been more than offset by a jump in coffee supplies led by the south American country after a wave of investments in trees, fertilizers and improved growing techniques in the past few years was met with near-perfect weather conditions in 2018.

Global coffee output in the current season is estimated at a record 174.5 million bags, up 15.6 million from the previous year, also reflecting output increases in Colombia and Vietnam, the USDA said on Dec. 14. Ending stocks are seen rising by a quarter to a four-year high.

Excess supplies favored the consumer end of the sector over producers. In 2018, U.S. retail prices for roasted coffee rose to an average 3.8 times the price for the commodity futures traded in New York, the highest level since 2013.

The weakening of the Brazilian real and the Colombian peso against the dollar also played a role in the drop by encouraging local farmers to sell more of their coffee, which is usually priced in the greenback. So did the worst decline in commodity prices since 2015 amid rising interest rates in the U.S.

Output in Brazil should decline to 55 million bags from a record 63.4 million bags this year as the country enters the lower-yielding half of a biennial cycle, which should help sustain prices and favor farmers over roasters, Dias of Cooxupe said.

[GeneChing]

When you learn a new term like 'anal cleft', it's time to split Bikini Baristas (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71201-Bikini-Baristas) off into its own indie thread from Breastaurants (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54808-Breastaurants).

A sign of the times. :rolleyes:


COFFEEPublished 20 hours agoLast Update 14 hours ago
Bikini baristas appeal city ordinance issuing dress code (https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/bikini-baristas-appeal-city-ordinance-issuing-dress-code-debate-definition-of-anal-cleft)
By Alexandra Deabler | Fox News

Bikini baristas appeal city ordinance issuing dress code

How much “anal cleft” is one allow to show while at work? That’s the question one Washington court is trying to answer.

A U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is reviewing an ongoing legal saga between bikini baristas and the city of Everett over the anatomical phrase “anal cleft” and whether dress codes imposed on businesses violate their civil rights.

Both sides appeared in court Monday to further argue the city’s ordinance, which was passed August 2017, that restricts what employees of “quick-service” restaurants wear by requiring that the “bottom one-half of the anal cleft” be covered, Herald Net reported.

According to the ordinance, employees who work at fast food restaurants, food trucks and coffee stands are required to wear at least a tank top and shorts while at work.

https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2019/02/1862/1048/Barista-Dresscode.jpg?ve=1&tl=1
Employees are required to wear at least a tank top and shorts. (City of Everett)

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman approved the injunction during litigation, ruling the ordinance likely violates the bikini baristas’ First and 14th Amendment rights.

“The term ‘bottom one-half of the anal cleft’ is not well-defined or reasonably understandable, and the ordinances otherwise fail to provide clear guidance and raise risks of arbitrary enforcement. The court finds that the dress code ordinance likely violates plaintiffs’ right to free expression under the First Amendment,” Pechman wrote in the injunction order, Courthouse News reported.

Jovanna Edge, owner of Hillbilly Hotties, one of several bikini barista coffee shops involved in the suit, and attorney Melinda Ebelhar argued that the order was intentionally vague and would be too difficult to enforce.

Ebelhar claimed it would take “advanced math” to figure out whether the bottom half of the anal cleft was exposed.

U.S. Circuit Judge Morgan Christen seemed to agree, asking, “How can law enforcement determine where the bottom half is and measure it?” Courthouse News reported.

Assistant city attorney Ramsey Ramerman disagreed with the questioning, saying that the legislation was specifically worded and argued that Edge understood what the new dress code law allowed.

Ramerman argued it was the city’s responsibility to combat prostitution or illegal sexual activity – messages he claimed the bikini barista coffee stand was sending.

Judge Sandra Ikuta agreed, stating she was concerned customers would see the women working as saying: “I am sexually available,” the Herald Net reported.

According to the publication, Ebelhar defended the baristas' choice of outfits as personal expression, female empowerment and a form of body positivity.

“The message they are sending is this is not your mother’s coffee stand,” she said.

A final ruling has not yet been reported.

Alexandra Deabler is a Lifestyle writer and editor for Fox News.

Man, whaddya gotta do to get a cup of coffee (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee) here?

[GeneChing]

Man, remember when the WC forum was such the rage here? Now it's a struggle for me to find newsworthy articles to post here from my newsfeeds.

Nevertheless, this looks amusing.


https://cached.imagescaler.hbpl.co.uk/resize/scaleWidth/880/cached.offlinehbpl.hbpl.co.uk/news/OTM/9780241318379WinningNotFightingPPC2002-20191008012149832.jpg

SMES
"Business is not a war, so stop treating it like one" (https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/business-not-war-so-stop-treating-one/growing-business/article/1661839)
Leon co-founder John Vincent on how an ancient Chinese martial art transformed its corporate culture.
by Stephen Jones
Published: 08 Oct 2019 Last Updated: 09 Oct 2019

Leon’s director of wellbeing has just punched me in the chest. "Did you feel that?," Julian Hitch asks without a hint of remorse. "It’s so much more powerful when the arm is straight."

He’s not wrong, I mutter to myself.

We’re standing in what will be the wellbeing studio of the healthy fast food chain’s brand new Borough office, learning Wing Tsun (pronounced wing chun), a defensive martial art.

Just how a martial arts expert came to be involved with Leon is itself an interesting story. Leon co-founder John Vincent bid for Hitch in a charity fundraising event in 2015, winning the opportunity for him to host a session at the company’s upcoming wellbeing retreat.

At the time, Vincent says he was looking for a new approach, and Wing Tsun’s wisdom, focused on winning not fighting, knowing yourself and achieving longevity, opened the door to a new way of doing business. Hitch was invited to come aboard and has been heading up Leon’s wellbeing initiatives for the last four years.

All of the company’s baristas, new starters, leadership team and support staff are now offered the chance to learn Wing Tsun (WT), and Vincent says the martial art’s principles have become central to the company’s internal strategy.

It’s easy to be sceptical about the idea of building a business around principles that date back to the fourteenth century Ming dynasty, but Vincent and Hitch are convinced of its uses as a tool for business and lifestyle success - so convinced in fact that they’ve spent the last four years co-authoring a book about it.

Leon’s growth from under 20 to over 70 stores amid turbulent market conditions, they say, is physical proof of the philosophy’s impact.

WHY WING TSUN? HOW CAN IT BE USED FOR BUSINESS?
Hitch: "The barista example is really interesting. It can be a challenging position, it’s quite full on. If you get someone’s coffee wrong it can literally make or break their morning so there’s a lot of pressure - and when you’re making 200 in a morning, there's a lot of potential for mistakes.

"We started looking at how we could apply the principles of WT practically to the coffee machine - so that’s things like natural ergonomics and the shortest line. We then focused on the concept of mastery, which is how do you make something that’s repetitive something that’s actually enjoyable and becomes a professional development for you.

"The timings for our coffee test - which is make six coffees in five minutes - were on average 90 seconds quicker and heart rate went down from around 100 to 60 BPM."

Vincent: "One of the fundamental parts of transforming the culture has been getting everyone to know themselves - to understand what drives them emotionally and how to work more effectively with each other.

"The fundamental difference between Leon and other restaurants is that the managers are living free from fear. And they’re able to replicate that atmosphere in their restaurants.

"They're not blocking people or policies with their own emotions and therefore the organisation becomes more fluid and change becomes much easier because people are more willing to accept new ways of doing things."

YOU SAY THAT BUSINESS ISN’T ABOUT FIGHTING? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
Vincent: "Business is often framed as a battle or a war. We talk about targeting the customer, having a war room or annihilating the competition.

"The impact of that is you're always forcing, you're always over-exerting, you're creating aggressive business plans,and you're fundamentally associating success with fighting. That makes you less creative - in combat you go into tunnel vision."

SURELY IT’S NOT ALWAYS THAT LITERAL - ISN’T A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF BUSINESS COMPETITION?
Vincent: "What did World War Two do for Britain? It destroyed the Empire and made us one of the poorest, stupidest countries in the world. War doesn't help, so why would businesses adopt it as a metaphor?

"In WT the first step is to know yourself and become conscious of who you are both as a person and as a business. Many people have never even asked themselves that. The first thing you recognise is that the conflict that you have perceived is created by you and your fears. So in a personal situation, understanding when you have reacted negatively and being able to understand that is really important.

"Before [I met Julian] I probably focused too much on beating the competition, and now I literally don't give a **** about competition. We’re not saying don’t have some sort of peripheral vision for what the competition is doing. We’re saying don’t make destroying them your objective. Make looking after the customer, and most importantly the people in your company, the objective.

"If you’re seeking to destroy something else you’re not doing that."

https://cached.offlinehbpl.hbpl.co.uk/news/OTM/richedit/HansenB180919-46771.jpg
Vincent (left) bid for Hitch (right) in a charity raffle

IT ALL SOUNDS A BIT ALTRUISTIC. DOES IT REALLY WORK?
Vincent: "It’s based on a thousand years of understanding human nature and it’s completely validated by all the major psychologists of the 20th century. Businesses that adopt it are successful. Leon is the best performing company in the sector, and all the others that are focused on "fighting" are not performing as well. I would ask anyone who is sceptical about it how "fighting" is working for them? Is it helping you sleep, is it helping your people be more fulfilled? No."

SO WHERE SHOULD A BOSS START?
Vincent: "It’s a process where you get to understand ego and what causes conflict in the workplace or in your life in general. So everybody’s first step should be to have a really clear map of your own personality and then to watch out for when a situation, or their reaction to a situation, could be caused by their own ego or insecurities."

Hitch: "Understand that the more you force others, the more it takes of your own energy. So that ability to know yourself and then become more relaxed through that can have a profound change on you and your business."

Vincent and Hitch’s book, Winning Not Fighting: Why you need to rethink success and how you can achieve it with the ancient art of Wing Tsun, published by Penguin Business, is out in November.

THREADS
Wing chun books (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?19125-Wing-chun-books)
Coffee? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)

[GeneChing]

Replacing Coffee With Green Tea Affects Your Body In These 6 Ways, Experts Say (https://www.bustle.com/p/replacing-coffee-with-green-tea-affects-your-body-in-these-6-ways-experts-say-19378625)
By JR THORPE
Dec 1, 2019

https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/getty/2019/11/27/5102d40a-84f3-40f5-95e6-58de158b6aa9-getty-692951569.jpg?w=970&h=546&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70
Lars Mensel / EyeEm/EyeEm/Getty Images

Coffee is one of America's favorite beverages — a survey published in 2018 found that 64% of the nation drinks at least one cup every day — and a hot steaming espresso in the morning can be one of life's greatest joys. However, coffee isn't your only choice for morning caffeine. Green teas, which are created by treating fresh tea leaves with steaming or gentle heating, have less caffeine in them than black teas or coffee, but enough to give you a boost. They also have a host of other health benefits. If you're looking for a way to perk up in the morning but are increasingly dissatisfied with coffee, switching from coffee to green tea might be a great option.

There isn't one uniform type of green tea; there are a lot of varieties, including those with added flavors like flowers or herbs. Smoky, roasted green teas like hojicha taste very different from steamed teas like sencha because of their method of production — and leaf teas taste much better than anything you get in a teabag. (Sorry, but it's true.) However, all green teas have particular ingredients and compounds that can affect your health. If you're interested in switching over from coffee to green tea in the mornings for your dose of caffeine, here's what might happen.

1. You'll Be Ingesting Less Caffeine — If You Don't Drink Matcha

https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/getty/2019/11/27/c74c8c37-aa08-4bed-8a56-f598edd14741-getty-1184658815.jpg?w=349&fit=max&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2
Lorenzo Antonucci/Image Source/Getty Images

You may have heard that tea contains more caffeine than coffee, but that's only half the story. "At its core, tea leaves contain more caffeine than coffee beans," Dr. Edo Paz, M.D., a cardiologist at online health consultancy K Health, tells Bustle. "However, once both are brewed, the amount of caffeine in coffee exceeds that in tea."

The amount of caffeine you ingest from green tea depends on a lot of things: the variety you choose, whether it involves leaf tips or buds (which contain more caffeine), and whether it's powdered or uses whole leaves. Matcha, the popular powdered tea, has a much higher caffeine content than leaf green teas, because a single cup of it contains many more ground-up leaves than a cup of leaf tea. If you drink matcha in the mornings rather than coffee, you'll be ingesting more caffeine than you once did. If, however, you stick to the non-powdered varieties of green tea, your caffeine intake will drop, which can cause withdrawal symptoms.

"If you drink a lot of coffee, you may get headaches when you try to cut back," Dr. Paz says. Switching from coffee to green tea may not cause all the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, because green tea still contains approximately 20 to 30 milligrams of caffeine per cup. If you're switching from very strong double espressos to one cup of green tea, though, you may experience headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating and lack of focus for a short time until your body adjusts.

2. You Might Help Anxiety & Sleep Issues

Cutting back on caffeine levels by drinking green tea may help lower anxiety and improve sleep, particularly if you happen to be sensitive to caffeine. "The higher caffeine content of coffee may negatively impact people who are sensitive to caffeine," Ramzi Yacoub, the chief pharmacy officer at SingleCare, a prescriptions service, tells Bustle. "They may experience anxiety, insomnia, and heart effects like increased heart rate or blood pressure."

If this sounds familiar, it might be worth lowering your caffeine levels by switching over to green tea. The change could help decrease your body's anxiety response and reduce symptoms of caffeine over-stimulation — while still giving you enough of a caffeine boost to get going in the morning.

3. You'll Ingest More Antioxidants

https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/getty/2019/11/27/a056fbac-5692-4e78-a1c8-f5f65f34ed59-getty-1172299526.jpg?w=349&fit=max&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2
Jurga Po Alessi/Moment/Getty Images

Green tea also contains various compounds and ingredients that can help our immune systems, fight off infection, and lower our risk of diseases. "Another benefit of tea is the amount of antioxidants it contains," Dr. Paz tells Bustle. "While coffee also has its fair share, tea typically has a higher concentration." Green tea in particular has a variety of antioxidants that have been shown to have health-boosting properties, and has a higher antioxidant content than coffee.

One of the most studied antioxidants in green tea are the catechins, a compound found abundantly in tea, cocoa, and berries. Catechins have been shown in studies to have antimicrobial properties, and a review of science published in 2010 found that they've also been shown to lower cardiovascular disease risk, help prevent degenerative diseases, and assist with kidney and liver function. Catechins have also been implicated as a possible way to lower the risk of breast and other cancers, but as with a lot of dietary science, the possibility that green tea is a cancer-buster is hugely individual. Just switching from coffee to green tea won't automatically change your cancer risk.
continued next post

[GeneChing]

4. You May Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation, which is the immune system's response to threats and stress, is a key factor in keeping you healthy, but it's also a component in a lot of health conditions, particularly when it won't go away. Persistent low-grade inflammation has been linked to heart conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, degenerative illnesses and various cancers, according to research published in 2018.

Enter green tea. A study in 2018 found that green tea has serious anti-inflammatory properties; in other words, it's capable of reducing inflammation levels, because it stimulates the body's anti-inflammatory responses and calms the immune system down. Coffee can also reduce inflammation levels, but its anti-inflammatory properties are lower than those of coffee. If you have chronic low-grade inflammation, you may find that green tea can help more than coffee does.

5. It May Be Better For Your Oral Health

https://imgix.bustle.com/uploads/getty/2019/11/27/7cfda604-d0ee-471e-b25d-a48886445ac0-getty-1159070931.jpg?w=349&fit=max&auto=format&q=70&dpr=2
Jurga Po Alessi/Moment/Getty Images

Switching from coffee to green tea may be an unexpected boost for your mouth. Coffee can heighten your risk for the gum infection periodontitis, according to a large study published in PLoS One in 2018, and also increases your risk of tooth staining. Green tea, however, seems to have benefits. A study published in Oral Chemistry in 2016 found that its anti-microbial properties might reduce the risk of certain harmful bacteria building up in the mouth over time.

Switching over from coffee to green tea may also help the bacterial population in your mouth in general. We all have an oral microbiome; it's a collection of bacteria and other living things in our mouths that can help or hinder its health. A study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention in 2018 found that tea drinkers had a more varied microbiome in their mouths than coffee drinkers, complete with higher amounts of helpful bacteria. That could help prevent infections and general oral issues. Tea might change your mouth for the better.

6. You'll Still Reap The Benefits Of Caffeine

Caffeine can have serious benefits, even in the small amounts you get from green tea. Scaling your caffeine intake down rather than going cold turkey means that you can still reap some of those benefits. "Caffeine is an effective stimulant to help improve physical performance and mental alertness," Yacoub tells Bustle. "In some studies, caffeine has also been shown to reduce type two diabetes." Harvard Medical School notes that in small doses caffeine has also been shown to help protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. A little caffeine a day may prove to be helpful to your health in the long run.

If you're thinking of making the move from coffee to green tea, research indicates that you may be looking at improved health outcomes in the future. It's definitely worth considering swapping your espresso for a cup of sencha. Just don't pour boiling water over green tea leaves; it scorches them. Take it from a devotee.

Studies cited:

Bhupathiraju, S. N., Pan, A., Manson, J. E., Willett, W. C., Dam, R. M. V., & Hu, F. B. (2014). Changes in coffee intake and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes: three large cohorts of US men and women. Diabetologia, 57(7), 1346–1354. doi: 10.1007/s00125-014-3235-7

Chacko, S. M., Thambi, P. T., Kuttan, R., & Nishigaki, I. (2010). Beneficial effects of green tea: a literature review. Chinese medicine, 5, 13. doi:10.1186/1749-8546-5-13

Fujiki, H., Sueoka, E., Watanabe, T., & Suganuma, M. (2015). Primary cancer prevention by green tea, and tertiary cancer prevention by the combination of green tea catechins and anticancer compounds. Journal of cancer prevention, 20(1), 1–4. doi:10.15430/JCP.2015.20.1.1

Han, K., Hwang, E., & Park, J. B. (2016). Association between Consumption of Coffee and the Prevalence of Periodontitis: The 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. PloS one, 11(7), e0158845. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158845

Khurshid, Z., Zafar, M. S., Zohaib, S., Najeeb, S., & Naseem, M. (2016). Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis): Chemistry and Oral Health. The open dentistry journal, 10, 166–173. doi:10.2174/1874210601610010166

Pahwa, R., Jialal, I. (2019) Chronic Inflammation. StatPearls Treasure Island (FL). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173

Paiva, C., Beserra, B., Reis, C., Dorea, J., Costa, T. D., & Amato, A. (2017). Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 59(4), 652–663. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1386159

Peters, B. A., Mccullough, M. L., Purdue, M. P., Freedman, N. D., Um, C. Y., Gapstur, S. M., … Ahn, J. (2018). Association of Coffee and Tea Intake with the Oral Microbiome: Results from a Large Cross-Sectional Study. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 27(7), 814–821. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-18-0184

Reygaert W. C. (2018). Green Tea Catechins: Their Use in Treating and Preventing Infectious Diseases. BioMed research international, 2018, 9105261. doi:10.1155/2018/9105261

Sajadi-Ernazarova KR, Hamilton RJ. Caffeine, Withdrawal. (2019) In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2019 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430790/

Yang, C., & Wang, H. (2016). Cancer Preventive Activities of Tea Catechins. Molecules, 21(12), 1679. doi: 10.3390/molecules21121679

Experts:

Dr. Edo Paz, M.D., cardiologist at K Health

Ramzi Yacoub, chief pharmacy officer at SingleCare




THREADS
Coffee (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)
Tea (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49674-Tea)

[GeneChing]

It's never duck.


SEPTEMBER 21, 20207:50 PM UPDATED A DAY AGO
China fines Luckin Coffee and linked firms a total of $9 million (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-luckin-coffee-investigation-fine-idUSKCN26D07G)
By Reuters Staff

2 MIN READ

https://static.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20200922&t=2&i=1534391848&r=LYNXNPEG8L03M&w=1024
FILE PHOTO: A woman leaves a store of the Chinese coffee house chain Luckin Coffee in Beijing, China, July 8, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s markets regulator said on Tuesday it has fined a group of 45 firms, including Luckin Coffee, a combined 61 million yuan ($8.98 million) for acts linked to Luckin’s falsification of financial records and misleading of the public.

China’s finance ministry said earlier this year that Luckin booked 2.25 billion yuan of sales through fake coupons from April 2019 to end of 2019. The ministry’s investigation also found that Luckin inflated other figures including its revenue, costs and profit in that same period.

The market regulator said a probe it launched in April found that Luckin violated Chinese laws on inappropriate competition by inflating its operational data, and also misled the public with faked statistics between August 2019 and April this year.

A total of 43 companies were fined for helping Luckin in these activities. Two Luckin entities were involved.

Luckin responded on its Weibo account on Tuesday that it respected the regulator’s decision.

“We have carried out an overall rectification on the related issues,” the company said: “We will further improve our operations according to related laws and regulations.”

Luckin had positioned itself in China as a local and ambitious challenger to U.S. coffee chain Starbucks Corp SBUX.O. Luckin delisted from Nasdaq at the end of June after admitting to accounting fraud.

The company wound up an internal probe in July that found its revenue was inflated by around 2.12 billion yuan in 2019. During the investigation, Luckin sacked its CEO and COO.

Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Se Young Lee; Additional reporting by Sophie Yu; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Raju Gopalakrishnan

[Turiyan]

any coffee junkies out there? i'm so bad, i roast my own stuff! anyone else?

My mom was a nurse under Hanna Kroeger. She said this about Coffee:

Black Coffee is Neutral.
Black Coffee with Milk or Sugar is Negative.
Black Coffee with Honey turns it Positive and then it opens up the glands. One cup a day only.

[highlypotion]

My mom was a nurse under Hanna Kroeger. She said this about Coffee:

Black Coffee is Neutral.
Black Coffee with Milk or Sugar is Negative.
Black Coffee with Honey turns it Positive and then it opens up the glands. One cup a day only.

Thank you very much for the information.

[GeneChing]

US coffee giant Starbucks ‘deeply shocked’ by report two China shops used expired ingredients (https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3159548/us-coffee-giant-starbucks-deeply-shocked-report-two-china)
An undercover report on Monday by the state-backed Beijing News showed staff in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi using expired cocoa liquid, matcha liquid and cream
The American coffee chain, which has 5,400 shops in China, closed both outlets pending an investigation

Mia Nulimaimaiti

Published: 7:43pm, 13 Dec, 2021
https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1098,format=auto/sites/default/files/styles/1200x800/public/d8/images/canvas/2021/12/13/ee66dbbc-a5cc-4fd1-9b1a-b085190a6523_14d89bd4.jpg?itok=90BjPi39&v=1639395790
Expired matcha liquid being used at a Starbucks store in China, according to a video posted by Beijing News. Photo: Weibo
American coffee chain Starbucks said it was “deeply shocked” after videos of expired ingredients being used in two shops in the eastern Chinese city of Wuxi went viral on social media.
State-backed newspaper Beijing News on Monday published an article and subsequent videos taken by undercover reporters posing as a member of staff claiming to show expired cocoa liquid, matcha liquid and cream being used in drinks that were served to customers.
In one video, an employee can be seen removing an expiry date on a bottle of chocolate chips and replacing it with a new label, artificially extending the shelf life by one week.
The video also showed cake said to be from the previous day being sold, as well as a bin being cleaned with a towel intended to be used for tables.

We take what was reported by local media very seriously, and have immediately closed the two stores in question to conduct a thorough investigation
Starbucks
“We take what was reported by local media very seriously, and have immediately closed the two stores in question to conduct a thorough investigation,” a Starbucks statement said after the report concerning its Zhenze Road and Changxing Building stores emerged.
“Since entering the Chinese mainland market 22 years ago, we have been committed to implementing strict food safety standards and adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards food safety issues. We welcome the continued supervision of members of the media and the public.”
The video also showed an employee explaining the store would be charged for any expired food that is thrown away, which would impact its profits.
Since entering the Chinese market in 1999, Starbucks has opened 5,400 shops in its fastest-growing overseas market.

I originally trusted these chain brands and thought they would not have safety issues. But this incident disappointed consumers
Starbucks customer, surnamed Hua
Starbucks’ first quarter report showed that while global store sales fell by 5 per cent, its sales volume in China increased by 5 per cent.
A regular customer to the Changxing Building store, who only gave her surname as Hua as she did not want to be fully identified, said she often had stomach aches after drinking coffee from the chain since she began working in a nearby office building last month.
“I originally trusted these chain brands and thought they would not have safety issues. But this incident disappointed consumers,” she said.
https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2021/12/13/f6287daf-8477-453d-9a3e-a2383c18292c_cecb777f.jpg
Expired matcha liquid, cream, peaches and black tea used at a Starbucks store in China, according to a video posted by Beijing News. Photo: Weibo
According to Tianyan Check, an app which provides company information, a Starbucks coffee shop in the southern city of Shenzhen was fined for similar food safety issues last month.
Another shop in the central province of Hubei was also fined in July 2019, according to the popular app.
In January, President Xi Jinping told Starbucks founder Howard Schultz that he and the American coffee chain can help promote US-China trade cooperation as well as help develop bilateral relations.
deeply shocked? I'm not...

[GeneChing]

Hip American Coffee Chain Blue Bottle to Open in Shanghai (https://radiichina.com/blue-bottle-china-mainland-shanghai/)
Many caffeinated beverage aficionados in China are already excited about the popular coffee shop’s arrival in Shanghai
By KAYLA HE 12 mins ago

The famous American coffee brand Blue Bottle is officially coming to the Chinese mainland, opening a store in Shanghai on February 25, according to a post from the brand on Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu.

Similar to the coffee chain’s selection of a historical building for its first branch in Kyoto, the brand has chosen a vintage-looking building in Jing’an International Center as its new home in Shanghai.

https://radiichina.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WechatIMG4-768x768.jpeg
Blue Bottle in Shanghai. Image via Blue Bottle’s official Xiaohongshu account

“We just want to make a tasty cup of coffee and hope our customers are happy with it,” wrote the company on Xiaohongshu.

The Oakland-based coffee brand was founded by James Freeman in 2002. Currently, it has branches in the U.S., South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Many caffeinated beverage aficionados in China are already excited about the coffee shop’s launch in Shanghai.

“I am really looking forward to the first store in Shanghai. Hopefully, they can open another store in Beijing soon,” wrote one netizen in response to the announcement.

“I got to try the coffee through a connection of my husband, and it tastes a little like wine, which is great,” another shared.

As of January 2021, Shanghai has the most coffee shops of any city globally, with more than 6,900 coffee shops having established themselves in the metropolis.

Having landed itself in a city where coffee culture thrives, and choices are numerous, the coffee company will need to find ways to stand out from thousands of competitors.

According to the company’s website, Freeman was inspired by Franz George Kol****sky, who played a crucial role in repelling Turkish invaders when they tried to besiege Vienna in the 17th century.

After the failed siege, Kol****sky took coffee bags left by the Turks and opened the first-ever coffee house in Central Europe in Vienna, naming it ‘The Blue Bottle.’

More than 300 years later, Freeman adopted the name Blue Bottle in honor of the historic coffee house.

https://radiichina.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/blue-bottle-768x576.jpeg
Service staff at a Blue Bottle location in South Korea. Image via Jinsoo Choi on Unsplash

Priding itself on serving high-quality coffee, Blue Bottle today sources materials from farmers around the globe and is considered part of third-wave coffee, a movement emphasizing the quality of coffee.

How will Blue Bottle fare in ultra-competitive Shanghai? Who knows, but we’re excited to give it a try.

Cover image via RADII

I've had Blue Bottle in SF. It's a decent brew, although I'm told by locals that they've declined.

[GeneChing]

China's Moutai, Luckin launch alcohol-tinged latte to woo young Chinese consumers (https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/3/207847/China's-Moutai,-Luckin-launch-alcohol-tinged-latte-to-woo-young-Chinese-consumers%C2%A0?fbclid=IwAR1ZcDbLcl0tVFTm70k8agDAX qFLP_Ridj4UlM7I8UBDnQp-JLoHQUf_A5w)
China | 4 Sep 2023 4:20 pm
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/images/instant_news/20230904/20230904162108contentPhoto1.jpg
An advertisement promoting a Kweichow Moutai liquor latte is seen at a Luckin Coffee store in Beijing. (Reuters)
Kweichow Moutai and coffee brand Luckin Coffee on Monday launched in China a latte advertised as containing the fiery Chinese spirit baijiu, as the Chinese luxury liquor maker aims to pull in younger consumers.

The 38 yuan (US$5.23) "sauce-flavored latte", which Luckin discounted to 19 yuan on the first day of sales, was one of the most discussed topics on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with several users saying they had placed orders.

Moutai, known as the national liquor of China, is a potent, colorless spirit that is usually served at banquets in China, and drinkers say that the flavor and aroma of Kweichow Moutai's version are similar to soy sauce. The companies said the latte alcohol content was lower than 0.5 percent of its volume.

The launch comes amid a slowing economy and as Kweichow Moutai, whose alcohol sells at an average market guide price of 1,499 yuan, has been looking for ways to be more accessible and pull in a new generation of users. The company, based in China's southwestern Guizhou province, also launched a baijiu-infused ice cream last year.

Chinese social media users posted videos of themselves picking up cups of the drink and being told by sales staff that they should not drive after drinking it. By Monday afternoon in Beijing and Shanghai, Luckin's app showed that the drink had sold out at several stores.

Independent food industry analyst Zhu Danpeng said the collaboration would most likely benefit both brands.

"Moutai and Luckin are the leading enterprises in the domestic liquor and coffee sectors, respectively," Zhu said. "On the one hand, Moutai accelerates its brand rejuvenation through cooperation with Luckin and on the other hand, for Luckin, its cooperation with Moutai also helps to improve its comprehensive strength and brand tone in the coffee industry."

Luckin has been aggressively expanding its store portfolio in China after surviving an accounting fraud scandal in 2020 that forced it to withdraw from the Nasdaq exchange and brought it to the brink of collapse.

(Reuters)
I'm not sure this would taste good. :confused:

Coffee (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)
Bai-Jiu-(Moutai) (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60794-Bai-Jiu-(Moutai))

[GeneChing]

China's Moutai launches boozy chocolates with Dove in diversification drive (https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/chinas-moutai-launches-boozy-chocolates-with-dove-diversification-drive-2023-09-14/)
By Casey Hall
September 13, 20239:40 PM PDTUpdated 22 days ago

https://www.reuters.com/resizer/FooReHUTvD7RJUNhqoGrgKIXy-Y=/960x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/XKHC5UK6SVLSVPA2HACK73JUPM.jpg
[1/2]An advertisement promoting a Kweichow Moutai liquor latte is seen at a Luckin Coffee store in Beijing, China, September 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights

SHANGHAI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Chinese luxury liquor-maker Kweichow Moutai (600519.SS) is again looking to diversify from its fiery baijiu spirit core business to attract a new generation of consumers via a sweet collaboration with Mars, Inc.-owned Dove.

The companies jointly announced on Thursday they would release limited edition alcohol-infused chocolates, available from Saturday.

Within an hour, a hashtag about the collaboration had leapt to the top of the trending topics list on China's Weibo social media platform.

This announcement comes only 10 days after the launch of a baijiu-infused latte from Moutai and domestic Starbucks rival, Luckin Coffee (LC0Ay.MU), which generated enormous interest online and sold out in cities around China.

"This demonstrates Moutai's desire to broaden their appeal more to younger consumers," said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. "They fear their current base is too concentrated on older consumers and that makes them worry about the future of the brand."

Moutai, known as the national liquor of China, is a potent, colourless spirit that is usually served at banquets.

The company, based in China's southwestern Guizhou province, began its run of collaborations last year with domestic dairy Mengniu. The resulting series of alcohol-infused ice-creams also caused a stir among Chinese consumers.

In part, the attraction for younger Chinese of these quirky product tie ups lies in the novelty of buying into the Moutai brand for a small fraction of the cost of buying a bottle of its liquor, which has an average market price of 1,499 yuan ($206) for 500 mls.

Though details of the price of the upcoming liquor-infused chocolates Moutai is releasing with Dove haven't been released yet, the Moutai-infused Luckin lattes were made available for as little as 19 yuan with coupons and a small tub of the alcoholic ice-cream was priced at 60 yuan.

Shares in the company were little changed on Thursday, having gained 5% this year.

($1 = 7.2735 Chinese yuan renminbi)

Reporting by Casey Hall

Casey Hall
Thomson Reuters
Casey has reported on China's consumer culture from her base in Shanghai for more than a decade, covering what Chinese consumers are buying, and the broader social and economic trends driving those consumption trends. The Australian-born journalist has lived in China since 2007.

Bai-Jiu-(Moutai) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60794-Bai-Jiu-(Moutai))
Coffee (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)

[GeneChing]

Pork flavored coffee is Starbucks’ newest China pitch (https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/business/china-starbucks-braised-pork-latte-intl-hnk/index.html)

By Jessie Yeung and Hassan Tayier, CNN
3 minute read
Published 2:38 AM EST, Tue February 20, 2024
Hong Kong
CNN
—
Who doesn’t like a little braised pork with their coffee?

Starbucks (SBUX) is betting on that unusual combination with a new drink released in China to mark the Lunar New Year. Dubbed the “Abundant Year Savory Latte,” the brand describes it as having an “interesting” flavor.

The drink combines Dongpo Braised Pork Flavor Sauce with espresso and steamed milk, with extra pork sauce and pork breast meat for garnish, according to the Starbucks delivery app.

The drink is priced at 68 yuan ($9.45), according to the app.

Photos of the drink, posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo by the Shanghai Starbucks Reserve Roastery, show a drizzle of dark red sauce atop the latte foam — with a square slice of pork on a skewer resting on the mug rim.

“Eating meat means prosperity in the coming year,” the roastery wrote on Weibo on February 5, days before the Lunar New Year began.

It added that the drink brings “traditional New Year customs into coffee,” and creates “unexpected savory and sweet flavors.” The latte is available at Starbucks Reserve stores across the country.

https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/untitled-1-20240220035812662.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill/f_webp
The drinks cost about $9.45. Courtesy Starbucks

Lunar New Year is one of the biggest annual holidays in Asia. People across China travel back home during this period to celebrate with their families. Government data shows a total of 474 million trips were made within the mainland during this year’s travel season.

And while the foods served at New Year feasts vary by region, braised pork makes a frequent appearance. Named after the ancient poet, painter and statesman Su Dongpo, Dongpo rou is a dish made from braised pork belly, rock sugar, soy sauce, yellow wine and other seasonings.

The result is richly flavored and extremely tender cuts of pork that can easily be pried apart with chopsticks.

China is the biggest branded coffee shop market in the world, according to a report released in December by World Coffee Portal, having overtaken the United States last year.

Starbucks opened 785 outlets in the country in 2023, it said. China has long been one of the most important growth drivers for Starbucks, serving as its second biggest market worldwide and top overseas market.

But it’s got stiff competition, including from Luckin Coffee. The Chinese startup is the country’s biggest coffee chain with over 13,000 outlets, and offers drinks at a much lower price point than its American competitor.

The Starbucks pork latte has quickly gained traction on Chinese social media, with the topic viewed more than 476,000 times on Weibo by the time of publishing. Some users expressed curiosity, but others were skeptical, pointing to the high price point and questioning why they would drink the latte instead of eating real braised pork.

“For 67 yuan, I could eat a plate of braised pork then go to Luckin and drink two lattes,” one Weibo user wrote.

Another user quipped: “I would allow both (pork and coffee) to exist in my stomach at the same time, but not in my mouth at the same time.”

Jiupai News, a site affiliated with the state-run Changjiang Daily, reported that the drink had already sold out at one store in Wuhan, with customers saying the flavor was “unique” with a dense, smooth mouthfeel.

Starbucks also released other new flavors across China with a holiday theme in February, according to the Shanghai Reserve Roastery’s Weibo account, including a jujube macchiato inspired by new year’s rice cakes and an almond tofu macchiato.

2024-Year-of-the-Dragon (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72589-2024-Year-of-the-Dragon)
Bacon!!!!!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48509-Bacon!!!!!!)
Coffee (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)

[GeneChing]

Cotti Coffee — Famed Chinese coffee brand lands in SG, has limited-time $3.50 americanos (https://sethlui.com/cotti-coffee-promo-singapore-feb-2024/)
Isabelle Ang

February 26, 2024

From specialty cafes to coffee chains like classic Ya Kun and beloved Korean chain Compose Coffee, there certainly is no shortage of places to get your daily dose of caffeine. Here’s one more to add to your rotation – famed Chinese coffee brand Cotti Coffee has landed on our shores!

https://sethlui.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/413942895_1593733094706123_13179206699661956_n.jpg
Credit – Cotti Coffee SG

Cotti Coffee opened its 1st Singapore outlet at One Raffles Link in late Dec 2023. It has since opened 2 more outlets, one in Tekka Place and another at Changi City Point.

Hailing from China, Cotti Coffee is something of a powerhouse, with 7,000 outlets worldwide and counting. To celebrate this remarkable milestone, there is an ongoing limited-time promotion at all Singapore outlets. From 26 Feb to 31 May 2024, its Americanos are going for S$3.50 (U.P. $4.90) while all other drinks are priced at S$4.50.

https://sethlui.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Cotti-Coffee-Americano-Coffee.jpg
Credit – Cotti Coffee SG

Unsure of what to get? Cotti Coffee boasts a wide selection of Signature Milk Coffees, with crowd favourites such as Vanilla Latte (U.P. S$7.50) and Caramel Macchiato (U.P. S$7.50).

It also has a range of interesting Flavoured Lattes like the bright green-coloured Pandan Coco Latte (U.P. S$7.50) and light blue Pampas Blue Coco Latte (U.P. S$7.50).

If you’re not much of a coffee drinker, perhaps go for their Matcha Latte (U.P. S$7.50) or Iced Shaken Grapefruit Tea (U.P. S$6.90). You can also beat the heat with their series of ice-blended Frappés, which includes a Matcha Jasmine Frappé (U.P. S$7.50) and Chocolate Frappé (U.P. S$7.50).

https://sethlui.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Cotti-Coffee-Matcha-Latte-Frappes.jpg
Credit – Cotti Coffee SG

You might notice that Cotti Coffee bears some resemblance to fellow China-based brand Luckin Coffee. Well, you’re not wrong; The former was founded by 2 ex-Luckin Coffee executives.

The 2 coffee chains are said to be rivalrous, adopting similar sale strategies such as aggressive marketing and expansion, on top of keeping their beverage prices incredibly low with regular discounts.

Who knows, perhaps Cotti will soon match up to Luckin’s already-strong foothold in Singapore. For now, though, do head down to any of their outlets for a quick and affordable coffee fix!
Anyone tried Cotti yet?

[GeneChing]

Coffee Mate and Dr. Pepper Team Up for a ‘Dirty Soda’ Creamer — Yes, Really (https://people.com/coffee-mate-and-dr-pepper-team-up-for-a-dirty-soda-creamer-8604055)!
A dirty soda typically consists of a cola mixed with creamer or half and half, flavored syrups and lime juice

By Sabrina Weiss Published on March 4, 2024 05:10PM EST

https://people.com/thmb/ymJ9rhDjUDcGq8xV5AUixSFmpzM=/750x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc() :focal(599x0:601x2)/coffee-mate-dirty-soda-tout-030424-9984c51320214c8a885412d1bc687f3f.jpg
Coffee Mate and Dr. Pepper team up to make a dirty soda creamer. PHOTO: COFFEE MATE

At-home dirty sodas just became even easier.

Coffee Mate is partnering up with Dr. Pepper to create a coconut lime creamer specifically made for crafting a dirty soda. Though the creamer company normally caters to coffee, as the name suggests, this limited-time creamer is meant to be added to soda (ideally Dr. Pepper) instead.

Starting March, the fruity creamer will be available at grocery stores nationwide while supplies last for a suggested retail price of $3.29.

Dirty soda popped up all across social media back in 2022 but has been popular in Utah since the 2010s. The drink typically consists of soda mixed with creamer or half and half, flavored syrups and lime juice.

Dirty soda became a mocktail-esque mainstay in the state likely because Utah has a large Mormon population who don't typically drink alcohol because of their religion.

https://people.com/thmb/uP3CzKNMu6yzpJqbc1t6cMWix10=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc() :focal(689x0:691x2)/coffee-mate-dirty-soda-030424-5cacac00c6ff47f594eb58663aa2bb61.jpg
Coffee Mate's limited-edition dirty soda creamer. COFFEE MATE

Celebrities helped popularize the dirty soda trend, too. In December 2021, pop star Olivia Rodrigo posted an Instagram photo to her feed holding a cup from Swig, a soda shop that specializes in making dirty sodas. Lindsay Lohan also starred in a Pepsi commercial focused on dirty soda.

Coca-Cola recently announced a Dr. Pepper competitor: Coca-Cola Spiced. The new, fizzy beverage is the first permanent flavor to be introduced by the brand in three years. It hit national retail shelves starting Feb. 19. Coca-Cola Spiced Zero Sugar is also available.

The soda blends the classic taste of Coca-Cola with a “burst of refreshing raspberry flavors and spiced notes,” per a release.

Dirty Soda sounds wrong. And Lindsay Lohan is pushing it? So wrong. :p

[GeneChing]

A coffee roastery in Finland has launched an AI-generated blend. The results were surprising (https://www.kcra.com/article/coffee-roastery-ai-generated-blend/60556476)
Updated: 2:34 PM PDT Apr 20, 2024
By JARI TANNER Associated Press

Privacy Notice
An artisan roastery based in the Finnish capital has introduced a coffee blend that has been developed by artificial intelligence in a trial in which it's hoped that technology can ease the workload in a sector that traditionally prides itself on manual work.

It is only apt that the Helsinki-based Kaffa Roastery’s “AI-conic” blend was launched this week in Finland, a Nordic nation of 5.6 million that consumes the most coffee in the world at 12 kilograms per capita annually, according to the International Coffee Organization.

The blend — an AI-picked mixture with four types of beans dominated by Brazil’s velvety Fazenda Pinhal — is the end result of a joint project by Kaffa, Finland’s third-biggest coffee roastery, and local AI consultancy Elev.

“Leveraging models akin to ChatGPT and Copilot, the AI was tasked with crafting a blend that would ideally suit coffee enthusiasts’ tastes, pushing the boundaries of conventional flavor combinations," Elev said.

Kaffa Roastery’s managing director and founder Svante Hampf told The Associated Press on Saturday that the two partners wanted to trial how AI and its different tools could be of help in coffee roasting, a traditional artisan profession highly valued in Finland.

“We basically gave descriptions of all our coffee types and their flavors to AI and instructed it to create a new exciting blend,” said Hampf, while showcasing “AI-conic” at the Helsinki Coffee Festival that annually brings together roasteries and coffee aficionados.

In addition to coming up with its chosen mixture of beans from Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia and Guatemala, AI created the coffee package label and a detailed taste description saying “AI-conic” is “a well balanced blend of sweetness and ripe fruit.”

Hampf acknowledged he was surprised that AI “somewhat weirdly” chose to make the blend out of four different type of coffee beans, rather than the usual two or three which allows distinction in taste between flavors from different origins.

After the first test roasting and blind testing, Kaffa’s coffee experts agreed, however, that the tech-assisted blend was perfect, and there was no need for human adjustments.

According to Elev’s spokesman Antti Merilehto “AI-conic is a tangible example of how AI can introduce new perspectives to seasoned professionals” while offering coffee lovers new taste experiences.

Kaffa Roastery hopes the trial serves as an opener of dialogue between coffee professionals of things to come in the future in Finland, a nation that has both a strong coffee culture and a passion for technology with a flourishing startup scene.

“This (trial) was the first step in seeing how AI could help us in the future,” Hampf said, adding the project brought smoothly together “the artisan skills of a roastery” and AI-provided data. “I think AI has plenty to offer us in the long run. We are particularly impressed of the coffee taste descriptions it created.”

Coffee (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42891-Coffee)
AI-Responses-to-Common-Kung-Fu-questions (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?72458-AI-Responses-to-Common-Kung-Fu-questions)