Lu Zhengyao's Cotti Coffee: Can Sports Help Break Through the Competition?

Cotti Coffee Becomes Title Sponsor of the 2022 Chengdu Marathon

Today, according to China Economic Net, Cotti Coffee (COTTI COFFEE) and the Chengdu Marathon Organizing Committee jointly announced at a press conference that Cotti Coffee has officially become the title sponsor of the 2022 Chengdu Marathon. Yes — another top-tier sports sponsorship, hot on the heels of last month's first store opening and the brand's deal as a China regional sponsor of the Argentina National Football Team.

The Chengdu Marathon is China's only World Marathon Major candidate event, a World Athletics Elite Label race, and a Chinese Athletics Association Gold Medal event. It is the country's second major marathon this year after the Beijing Marathon on November 6. Nearly 30,000 runners will take part, with CCTV broadcasting globally.

About Cotti Coffee

Cotti Coffee is a business-services enterprise co-founded by Lu Zhengyao and Qian Zhiya, two veterans of the original Luckin Coffee — a new brand aiming to expand across first- through fifth-tier markets.

Cotti's Chief Marketing Officer Li Yingbo put it this way: "Building a brand-new coffee brand like Cotti is like standing at the starting line of a marathon and beginning a challenging race. Marathon is a sport where you meet yourself, and Cotti Coffee believes that running alongside excellent companions takes you further."

The race organizer, the Chengdu Municipal Sports Bureau, welcomed the partnership, saying Cotti's brand philosophy aligns closely with Chengdu's passion for sports events, and expressed confidence the collaboration will add splendor to the race.

Li Yingbo added: "This title sponsorship reflects Cotti Coffee's hope to bring people a healthy, beautiful daily life through coffee — while sports shows positive energy and fills life with vitality and passion."

Strategic Sponsorship and Brand Vision

On the 22nd of last month, Cotti signed as the China regional sponsor partner of the Argentina National Football Team. Less than a month later, it moved again to become overall title sponsor of the 2022 Chengdu Marathon — a pattern that showcases the brand's youthfulness, trendiness, and enthusiasm.

Li Yingbo also said the company will keep focusing on sports sponsorship, trendy IP collaborations, and economic and cultural events — continually delivering new brand experiences alongside high-quality, cost-effective coffee.

At its "Joint Venture Policy Exchange Meeting," Cotti announced its vision and mission: to become the preferred coffee brand for Chinese customers and let Chinese people easily enjoy a coffee lifestyle — so that wherever customers go, they can drink a cup of quality, affordable coffee.

Expansion Plans and Market Impact

Cotti also announced an ambitious goal at the meeting: 10,000 stores within 3 years. Its ordering mini-program shows the expansion is already under way — 15 stores nationwide so far, in cities including Fuzhou, Chongqing, Hangzhou, and Nanjing, with two in Xi'an.

Cotti's footprint is gradually covering China's major provinces and regions. Its site selection strategy mirrors early Luckin: commercial office buildings at the core, entering the market with low prices. Now the two old Luckin hands have teamed up again to build a coffee brand — what surprises will they bring to the coffee market next?

Image source: Internet

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Big chains compete on price and speed — but great coffee starts with the beans in the hopper. If you'd rather brew your own pre-run or office cup, FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Blend (the traditional "Mamba" recipe of Mandheling and Brazil with a touch of robusta) and Black Cocoa Blend (100% arabica, mellow and nutty) both pull rich, stable espresso that makes an americano taste far above its price point.

For something more distinctive than any chain cup, try the Strawberry Candy blend — a fruit-forward espresso roast with the sweet aroma of strawberry gummy candy — or the low-acid PWN Golden Mandheling for a syrupy, dark-chocolate brew that keeps you running.