Fat-free, low-calorie, fresh fruit: The secret to Luckin Coffee's appeal to young people

The appearance of Luckin Coffee - China's fastest growing coffee chain - in New York is shaking up the US market, with its shocking pricing strategy and modern service technology.

Although its scale is still not equal to Starbucks with 40,000 stores worldwide , with impressive growth rate, Luckin Coffee is shortening the gap and is a formidable competitor in the international market - Photo: Macao News

IB Times reported that Luckin Coffee officially opened its first store in Manhattan (New York) with a price of only about 2 USD for a cup of coffee.

This is much lower than Starbucks, where the average cup of coffee in New York costs between $4 and $5.

Starbucks has been criticized for constantly raising prices and is facing difficulties in maintaining its appeal as consumer tastes shift to specialty coffees and the criteria of "value for money". Therefore, the appearance of Luckin Coffee in the US market is considered a threat to this brand.

Why are Chinese youth 'addicted' to Luckin Coffee?

Founded in 2017 in Xiamen, Luckin Coffee quickly made its mark in China thanks to a business model that focuses on convenience, affordable prices and digital technology integration.

Customers mainly order via phone app, choosing to pick up at the counter or have it delivered to their door - significantly reducing waiting time.

As of now, Luckin Coffee owns 24,097 stores globally, including 15,598 self-operated stores and 8,499 franchised stores.

Customers carry Luckin Coffee tote bags at a promotional event for the coffee chain's launch in New York City - Photo: New York Post

According to Sina, Luckin Coffee's drinks are designed to be modern, convenient and close to the taste of young people, especially students and office workers.

The menu not only revolves around traditional coffee lines such as Americano, latte, cappuccino but also features creative coffee products such as coconut latte, tiramisu latte or sea salt cheese coffee - drinks that are very popular thanks to their novel flavors and "trendy" nature on social networks.

In addition, nearly 70% of Luckin stores serve caffeine-free drinks, such as matcha lattes, iced/hot chocolate, fruit teas, and cereal milks. This is a smart strategy to attract more non-coffee-drinking customers, especially students or women.

Luckin's coffees are often designed with a light taste, less bitter, more milk, less acid - suitable for new coffee drinkers or young people - Photo: Instagram @luckincoffee.msia

Luckin Coffee also offers a variety of snacks such as sandwiches, egg rolls, muffins, egg tarts and salads - very convenient for those who need a quick breakfast or a light lunch.

Every season of the year, this brand continuously launches limited seasonal drinks such as peach, coconut, caramel, chocolate or red velvet flavored coffee, keeping the menu fresh and attractive.

'0 fat, low calories, fresh fruit'

As healthy lifestyles become more ingrained in consumers' awareness, criteria such as low calories - natural ingredients - no stress to the body are no longer empty slogans but become prerequisites for consumers.

Grasping that taste, recently, just entering the summer, Luckin Coffee caused a stir when it boldly launched the campaign "100 calorie iced coffee season", upgrading the entire formula of products such as orange Americano, lemon Americano, fresh coconut cold Americano... with the main message: "0 fat, low calories, fresh fruit".

This change hits the core needs of consumers in the summer: "Delicious without worrying about getting fat", causing many people to quickly come to "check-in" - Photo: EEO

Customer feedback shows that it's more popular than expected: "Finally, there's a life-saving water to drink comfortably"; "Luckin really understands the hardships of dieters in the summer"; "Low calories but still delicious"...

Of which, orange-flavored Americano is the brand's flagship drink, consuming more than 300 million cups and was honored as the high-quality consumer product of 2024 in China.

After the new improvement, the orange Americano makes a strong impression with a clearer fresh orange scent, a refreshing taste and you can feel each real orange segment when drinking.

Orange Americano is Luckin Coffee's "best seller" - Photo: Chue On It

The experience has received positive feedback from people, who say that despite keeping the low-calorie criteria, the drinks are even more appealing than before.

One customer shared: "It feels cooler when drinking and can chew a whole piece of fresh orange." Another commented: "The taste has depth, the balance between sour and sweet is very pleasant."

According to Statista, the global coffee market (including at-home and out-of-home consumption) is forecast to reach over $485.59 billion in revenue by 2025, driven by rising demand in emerging markets and improvements in retail and delivery.

Some of Luckin Coffee's featured drinks:

Luckin has committed to "healthy coffee" with transparent data, pasted directly on the cup label - Photo: @luckincoffee.msia

Lush Coconut Exfreezo: This tropical treat combines the richness of coconut milk with ice for a refreshing taste in every sip - Photo: Daniel Food Diary

The Fruity Americano range cleverly combines the rich flavor of espresso with the refreshing taste of pure fruit juices: orange, grapefruit and lemon, all fat-free - Photo: Luckin Coffee

The brand chose "0 fat - low calories" combined with "fresh fruit" as a highlight to both eliminate worries about energy and create a natural feeling of freshness in every sip - Photo: Lifestyle Asia

Orange Exfreezo is more than just a simple orange-flavored beverage, each serving is formulated to contain the juice equivalent of more than one and a half oranges. Although it has a strong flavor, it is not too sweet, creating a balance between the natural tartness and the inherent sweetness of the orange - Photo: Daniel Food Diary

Iced Minty Chocolate Exfreezo (middle) is made from imported cocoa powder, bringing a rich, delicious chocolate flavor that cocoa lovers will not be able to resist. The chocolate flavor blends with creamy, cool shaved ice, dotted with a hint of mint - Photo: Daniel Food Diary

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khong-beo-it-calo-trai-cay-tuoi-bi-quyet-giup-ca-phe-luckin-coffee-hut-gioi-tre-20250702133227809.htm