Is Luckin Coffee Failing? Return of Bestselling Product Sparks Complaints...

Over the past couple of days, the return of Luckin Coffee's hit product has set off a wave of complaints online.

Riding the success of its Coconut Latte, Luckin launched a Zero-Fat Young Coconut Cold Brew at the end of May last year. The very next day after launch, many customers reported that they simply could not buy it. It was either marked as discontinued or not yet in stock. Those who did manage to buy it had their own complaint: "Zero-fat doesn't mean zero-sugar, that's just deceptive."

Perhaps because coconut products were simply too popular at the time, the drink was discontinued before many customers had a chance to buy it, or even to learn it existed.

Then, when young coconut water became popular again, Luckin seized the moment once more, ran a round of mystery marketing with the EDG team, and relaunched the Young Coconut Cold Brew a few days ago.

Many people probably have only a vague memory of the drink, and coconut-water coffee has been around for a while. Luckin also rolled out EDG limited-edition cup sleeves and pushed "zero-fat, zero-lactose" as the selling point, which drew plenty of customers to try it on its return.

The reactions after tasting it, however, were mostly the same: "Too sweet." "The taste is so complex."

Perhaps Luckin's espresso base simply does not pair well with the young coconut water, or perhaps its coconut water is too sweet and has lost the characteristic light sweetness of fresh young coconut water. Either way, many customers felt the sweetness of the coconut water overwhelmed the coffee.

Some netizens shared that a Luckin store manager had mentioned in a group chat that staff needed to warn customers the drink was overly sweet, hoping to head off bad reviews. Beyond the sweetness, some customers also noticed a pronounced acidity in the coffee which, combined with the distinctive fermented aroma and sweetness of the coconut water, made the profile hard to describe because it was so complex.

Taste aside, many customers who came specifically for the EDG cup sleeves were disappointed to find there were none at all. Although EDG brought back the Young Coconut Cold Brew, not every city received the cup sleeves. Only Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Chongqing had them, and quantities were limited, with each store receiving only a very small amount. Some stores in those cities did not receive any at all.

Customer Reactions and Health Considerations

On this return of the Young Coconut Cold Brew, many netizens said the drink had lost the soul of young coconut, and that Luckin's scarcity marketing has grown more outrageous than ever. It might be tolerable for drinks, but even cup sleeves are subject to the tactic. Of course, some customers still enjoy it, calling it their perfect match because young coconut water coffee is low-calorie and healthy.

Young coconut water drinks have gained popularity in recent years largely because people are becoming more health-conscious and looking for natural, healthy, distinctive beverages. Compared with other fruit-juice specialty coffees, coconut gives a sense of health and freshness. The light taste and aroma of young coconut water do not overpower the coffee, while adding subtle sweetness and a gentle coconut aroma.

Without added sugar, young coconut water can make an Americano or black coffee more approachable for a general audience. The combination of low calories, health, and novelty quickly won over many customers. The ingredients are easy to find and the method is very simple, which led to a long stretch of DIY variations online.

In promoting young coconut water, many businesses focus on "zero-fat, zero-sugar" and low-calorie health benefits. It is worth noting, though, that "zero-fat, zero-sugar" applies only to the coconut water itself: it has no fat and no sucrose, but that does not mean drinks made with it contain no sweeteners other than sucrose.

Because most consumers need a coffee product that suits their palate, some added sweetness is essential. Even without sucrose, sweeteners can increase appetite and hunger. If appetite is not kept in check, there is a potential risk of weight gain.

As for Luckin's relaunched drink, it simply has fewer calories than other products and cannot be considered a healthy beverage for regular consumption. If you really want low-calorie, healthy coffee, a sugar-free Americano or hand-drip coffee is a good choice. Better still, buy a fresh young coconut and add a shot of espresso to it yourself.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you love the fresh, fruity side of a cold coffee drink, making your own cold brew is far better than relying on a sweetened bottled product. FrontStreet Strawberry Candy is a Gesha blend that pairs the floral, citrus character of Panama Geisha with a Costa Rican honey-processed coffee, adding grape, raisin, and strawberry-marshmallow sweetness. As cold brew it is bright and lively, and with a little resting time it even takes on a wine-like fruit character.

For a floral, fruit-forward cold brew, FrontStreet Sun-Dried Flower Queen comes from Ethiopia and is dried with the fruit still around the bean, so it absorbs plenty of sweetness. Cold brewed, it shows magnolia, creamy strawberry, dried mango, guava, and black tea.

If you want a full, juicy body in the glass, FrontStreet Kenya Small Tomato is the pick. The cherry tomato, pear, black plum, and dark plum notes come through beautifully at low temperature, bitterness stays low, and the acidity remains full and refreshing over ice.