Why is Starbucks' Flat White translated as Fu Rui Bai? How to pronounce Fu Rui Bai and the origin of its name?

Starbucks' Flat White is an extremely popular coffee beverage, and many enthusiasts are curious about the Chinese name "Fu Rui Bai" — where it comes from, and how it should be read. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee explains the story behind Starbucks' Flat White.

The Origins of Flat White

"Fu Rui Bai" is actually the elegant Chinese name Starbucks chose when it brought Australia's homegrown specialty coffee, the Flat White, to China. Starbucks launched the Flat White in mainland China in 2015, and the backstory is the entry of the Australian coffee chain Gloria Jean's Coffees into the Chinese market. Starbucks had entered Australia as early as 2000, but it never managed to outcompete the local giant, and officially withdrew from the Australian market in 2014. Facing Gloria Jean's expansion into China, Starbucks treated it as a serious threat and moved to press its advantages before the Australian brand could gain a foothold.

So Starbucks took the lead in introducing Australia's signature Flat White in 2015, dressing it in a graceful Chinese name — Fu Rui Bai. "Fu Rui" sounds remarkably like "Flat," while "Bai" is a direct translation of "White." The drink was an instant hit in China, and other brands soon launched their own versions: Costa's "Artisan White" (Chun Yi Bai), Luckin Coffee's "Australian White" (Ao Rui Bai), and the "Ao Bai" coffee found in many independent cafes.

Differences Between Flat White and Latte

With the Flat White's surge in popularity, many drinkers struggled to tell it apart from the Latte. Both belong to the milk-coffee family — espresso combined with milk — and the most fundamental difference lies in flavor and texture. A Latte pursues balance between coffee and milk, so you taste both the coffee and the sweet mellowness of the milk, each complementing rather than masking the other. The Flat White, by contrast, puts the coffee flavor front and center.

FrontStreet Coffee sums it up simply: 1. The Flat White is essentially the Australian version of the Latte; 2. A Latte is milk with coffee flavor, while a Flat White is coffee with milk flavor.

Beyond taste, the Flat White also differs from the Latte in preparation and appearance.

Key Differences

1. Different cup sizes: Flat White cups are typically smaller than Latte cups. In FrontStreet Coffee's shops, the standard Latte is 350ml while the standard Flat White cup is 200ml.

2. Different espresso bases: A Latte uses the standard espresso base common in Italian coffee, while the Flat White uses a Ristretto — more concentrated than espresso. A Ristretto can be seen as drawing only the early and middle stages of the shot, producing a more concentrated liquid that accentuates the coffee's acidity and roasted character while extracting fewer high-molecular-weight carbohydrates. Simply put, it sharpens the sensory profile.

3. Different milk foam thickness: Flat White foam is thinner than Latte foam — about 0.5cm versus roughly 1cm for a Latte.

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation: Beans That Make a Better Flat White

A great Flat White needs less milk, thinner foam, and a bolder coffee presence — which means the beans matter enormously. For home brewing, FrontStreet Coffee recommends the Classic Blend, with its butter-and-cheese character, mellow low acidity, and dense, velvety crema that pairs beautifully with milk. Those chasing floral and fruity notes should try the Strawberry Candy espresso blend, an all-Arabica mix with very low bitterness that extracts with full grape and blueberry flavors — steamed with fresh milk it becomes a strawberry milkshake of a cup. FrontStreet's own house method uses FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend: pull only the front-and-middle Ristretto (20g of grounds yielding 32g of liquid in 22–25 seconds), add 160ml of cold fresh milk, and texture the foam to 0.3cm at 50–55°C for a Flat White that is silky, rich, and unmistakably coffee-forward.