Dangdang Founder Accuses Luckin Coffee of Monopolizing Ethiopian Coffee Beans
Li Guoqing, founder of Chinese e-commerce platform Dangdang, recently released a video questioning Luckin Coffee’s acquisition of nearly half of the available Hambella coffee beans, implying that the transaction may constitute an upstream supply chain monopoly.
Li believes that it is acceptable to use mixed coffee beans in a coffee chain and that purchasing Hambella coffee beans will result in a shortage of fine coffee beans or a significant increase in the price of fine coffee beans.
Luckin Coffee responded to Li’s suggestion in the post’s comment section, stating, “More than 90 tonnes of Hambella coffee beans were won through international bidding.” Referring to it as an upstream supply monopoly is a little too frightening.”
Luckin Coffee’s new Hambella coffee series has been extremely well received. On Tuesday, the company’s official Weibo account stated that the series had sold out in some cities and stores and that nearly half of the 90 tonnes of Hambella coffee beans purchased had been consumed in less than ten days.
“10 days?” some netizens reacted to the response. It’s quite amusing.” However, some questioned the move as an advertising strategy, claiming that “they employed the same hunger marketing strategy as they did with the coconut latte they previously launched.”
