When others retreat, they advance — and this is not luck
At first glance, it looks irrational.
Singapore’s F&B scene in 2025 is brutal:
- rentals up
- manpower tight
- margins thin
- many respected brands exiting
Yet Chagee, Mixue, and Luckin Coffee are expanding.
From Love Intelligence (LQ) and Sun Tzu’s Art of War, this makes perfect sense.
PART 1 — LOVE INTELLIGENCE (LQ): They Win the Hearts Before the Wallets
1. They practice Care — not premium ego
Many exiting brands failed because they priced for status, not care.
These three brands understand a deep Singapore truth:
In tough times, people don’t want luxury — they want reliable comfort.
- Mixue: ultra-affordable, emotionally comforting, “no thinking required” pricing
- Luckin: convenience + consistency + digital ease
- Chagee: emotional connection to Chinese tea culture, calm, quality, and ritual
This is LQ Care:
- care for daily affordability
- care for emotional reassurance
- care for repeat habits
They don’t ask: “How premium can we be?”
They ask: “How can we stay close to daily life?”
That builds trust, not hype.
2. They create Connection, not just transactions
Singapore consumers are practical — but they are also deeply habitual.
These brands embed themselves into daily routines:
- morning coffee
- afternoon tea
- late-night comfort
That’s LQ Connection:
- simple choices
- predictable experience
- emotional familiarity
When customers feel, “This brand understands my day,”
price sensitivity drops and loyalty rises.
3. They show Courage by expanding when sentiment is fearful
Most brands retreat when headlines turn negative.
These three do the opposite.
This is LQ Courage:
- courage to trust data over fear
- courage to invest when competitors pull back
- courage to play long-term
They know:
When others leave the battlefield, the ground becomes cheaper and quieter.
PART 2 — SUN TZU’S ART OF WAR: They Choose the Right Battlefield
Sun Tzu never said “fight harder.”
He said fight smarter.
1. “避实击虚” — Avoid strength, attack weakness
Premium Western brands fought on:
- high rent
- high labour
- high expectations
That battlefield was already overcrowded.
Chagee, Mixue, and Luckin chose the empty spaces:
- affordable indulgence
- mass market comfort
- high frequency, low resistance purchases
They didn’t compete head-on.
They went around. Classic Sun Tzu.
2. “得民心者得天下” — Win the people, win the war
Sun Tzu knew morale wins wars.
These brands:
- keep prices psychologically friendly
- remove decision fatigue
- reduce regret after purchase
People don’t feel “cheated” after buying.
They feel “worth it.”
That’s winning hearts, not just sales.
3. “以正合，以奇胜” — Use normality to hold, surprise to win
Normal: consistent pricing, predictable quality
Surprise: digital speed (Luckin), viral friendliness (Mixue), cultural depth (Chagee)
They are boring in operations, brilliant in positioning.
That’s why they scale.
PART 3 — The LQ + Art of War Formula They Are Using
Love Intelligence gives them:
- Care → price trust
- Connection → habit loyalty
- Courage → counter-cyclical growth
Sun Tzu gives them:
- right timing
- right terrain
- right enemy (or no enemy at all)
They are not fighting Singapore’s F&B war.
They are outlasting it.
Chagee, Mixue, and Luckin Coffee are not expanding because they are aggressive.
They are expanding because they are aligned — with people, timing, and terrain.
That is Love Intelligence in action.
That is Sun Tzu in modern business form.
Written by Andy Ng, author of the Amazon-selling books Love Intelligence and Win Without Fighting with Sun Tzu Art of War
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