Linkbar Double Favor milk frothing machines. All images courtesy of Linkbar.
[Editor’s note, dated Aug. 30, 2024: Subsequent to the publication of this story, Linkbar notified Daily Coffee News that it had reached an agreement with Marco Beverage Systems to bring a version of the Double Favor system to the global market.]
A Chinese company called Linkbar is quickly gaining steam on Asian markets with its first two commercial products, both geared for commercial cafes.
One is a steam-free milk frothing and dispenser called Double Favor and the other is a countertop dispensing system called Single Touch.
Linkbar has recently engaged with brand ambassadors in numerous international markets and expects United States availability of both the flagship products soon.
Double Favor
The Double Favor system heats and froths without steam while allowing baristas to program the temperature and consistency of milk.
The steam-free system dodges incidental dilution with water for what the company claims is a creamier, more full-bodied milk.
The system works with plant-based and dairy milks and can be installed on mobile coffee counters. Pricing for the United States has not yet been determined, while the retail price for Double Favor in China is CNY 36,800 (approximately $5,150 as of this writing).
Single Touch
Products within the Single Touch series require permanent installation into a stationary countertop. They include the Single Touch Milk (ST-Milk), Single Touch Coffee (ST-Coffee) and Single Touch Tea (ST-Tea).
Linkbar Single Touch units.
The ST-Coffee dispenses brewed coffee from an under-counter container. The system can heat and maintain temperatures set by the barista but does not brew the coffee.
Overseas, both the ST-Coffee and ST-Tea are sold for CNY 40,000 ($5,600); the ST-Milk goes for CNY 43,000 ($6,020).
Linkbar owner Bo He co-founded the company with YiWei Yuan in Hefei, Anhui Province, China, where the production facilities are also located.
With eyes on international markets, the company has partnered with renowned baristas Joe Yang from the United States and Liang Fan from China as brand ambassadors.
Fan is the 2023 World Latte Art Champion from China. Portland, Oregon-based Yang’s many professional accolades include the 2023 U.S. Brewers Cup Championship and the 2024 U.S. Latte Art Championship.
“Linkbar will continue to focus on innovating and developing coffee equipment, and may soon begin to concentrate on coffee grinding and extraction technologies,” Louise Law, brand marketing and sales manager for Linkbar, told Daily Coffee News. “The core concept of Linkbar is straightforward: We aim to connect various bar equipment in an interesting way, to cater to the needs of diverse coffee and tea beverage scenarios.”
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
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