7CAFÉ breaks price-quality stereotype with specialty grade coffee and blind tasting campaign
When a cup of coffee is priced at HK$17, quality expectations are often modest. 7-Eleven’s in-house brand 7CAFÉ, in partnership with creative agency Noah Workshop, are challenging this stereotype after receiving official “Specialty Grade” certification by international standards for its exclusive blended coffee beans, validating the premium quality of its affordably-priced offering.
With this certified mark of excellence, 7CAFÉ has launched an unprecedented marketing initiative by inviting thousands to participate in blind tastings of its premium coffee, directly challenging the perception that price determines quality.
The innovative campaign kicked off when independent musician Tyson Yoshi offered free tastings of 7CAFÉ’s freshly ground coffee at “BE FAIR CAFÉ” in Harbour City’s Gateway Atrium from April 13-15, with the brand identity concealed. Tyson Yoshi built anticipation through teaser videos on his social media channels, encouraging the public to judge the coffee purely on its merits—experiencing each richly aromatic sip without preconception.
During the tasting event, participants posted their coffee reviews directly onto Tyson Yoshi’s car, which he had made available for this purpose. Following overwhelmingly positive feedback about the unique blend, 7CAFÉ hosted a reveal event where Tyson Yoshi was announced as the campaign’s “Chief Blind Taster.” A complete brand video featuring the musician was released simultaneously.
“Our campaign message is beautifully simple: ‘BE FAIR,'” explained Gloria Shiu, Marketing Director for 7-Eleven Hong Kong and Macau. “We took this bold approach because we truly believe the quality of 7CAFÉ coffee beans should not be judged by packaging or pricing.”
The campaign celebrates 7CAFÉ’s exclusive blend achieving “Specialty Grade” certification from both the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)—a prestigious recognition of its excellence in aroma, flavor, finish, acidity, and balance.
Rachel Wong, founder of Noah Workshop, said: “The partnership between 7CAFÉ and Tyson Yoshi creates perfect synergy. Both share a commitment to defying external labels and expectations. We’re thrilled with this collaboration and the enthusiastic response it has generated.”
“This isn’t just a coffee campaign—it’s a cultural provocation,” added Asawin Bear Phanichwatana, Creative Partner at Noah Workshop. “We wanted to dismantle the built-in bias people have toward coffee pricing and branding. By stripping away the logo and letting the taste speak for itself, we flipped the rules of advertising on their head. That kind of disruption doesn’t just spark attention—it starts a conversation.”
