Coffee Printer Puts Your Photo on Foam Using Cinnamon

Ever wished your morning coffee could show off your face—or your pet’s? In Taiwan, one specialty mini-chain has made that possible, using a custom-built printer to imprint your chosen image directly onto the crema of a coffee.

Yes, you can get a photo of yourself, your friends, or your dog printed in cinnamon or cocoa powder right on top of your coffee foam. The whole process takes just minutes once you upload your image.

How the Coffee Photo Printer Works

Lets Cafe, a small Taiwanese coffee chain, has installed a specialized coffee printer in some of its locations. Customers simply provide a photo—typically taken on a smartphone—and upload it to the machine. The device then uses fine cinnamon or cocoa powder to reproduce the image directly on the coffee’s foam layer. The result is a surprisingly detailed monochrome portrait or scene that sits atop your drink.

The Science Behind Latte Art vs. Foam Printing

Traditional latte art involves carefully pouring steamed milk over an espresso to create patterns in the microfoam. This requires skill, timing, and control over milk temperature and texture. The iconic heart or tulip shapes form as baristas manipulate the pour to shape and texture the foam.

In contrast, coffee foam printing skips the pour altogether. Instead of pouring milk through the crema, a mechanical printer distributes dry powder—usually cinnamon or cocoa—over the foam in a pattern that matches your uploaded image. There’s no steam pitcher, no pouring technique, and no need for microfoam finesse. The result is less about craft and more about instant personalization.

Why People Love (or Mock) Photo Coffee

Some coffee enthusiasts appreciate the novelty. It’s fun to see a familiar face smiling back at you from your cup, and the process adds a playful twist to the routine coffee run. The use of cinnamon or cocoa powder ensures the image is food-safe and adds a light aromatic touch.

Others are more skeptical. Critics argue that drinking a coffee with your own—or anyone else’s—face on it might not be everyone’s idea of appetizing. Still, the concept has caught on as a quirky, shareable experience, especially among younger customers and those looking for Instagram-worthy coffee moments.

Where to Try It: Lets Cafe in Taiwan

Lets Cafe operates a small chain of cafes across Taiwan. While not as ubiquitous as 7-Eleven—which is practically synonymous with convenience stores and basic coffee there—Lets Cafe has built a niche by offering personalized coffee experiences. Their photo-printing machines are available at select locations, where customers can walk in, snap a selfie, and have it printed on their drink within minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the coffee photo printer create an image on foam?

The printer uses a dry powder—typically cinnamon or cocoa—to recreate a digital image on the surface of the coffee foam. You upload your photo to the machine, which then distributes the powder in a pattern that matches your image, creating a monochrome print.

Is the powder used in coffee foam printing safe to consume?

Yes, the printers use food-grade cinnamon or cocoa powder, both of which are safe to consume. The powder sits on top of the foam and does not mix into the drink itself.

What kind of images work best for coffee foam printing?

Simple, high-contrast images tend to print more clearly. The printer reproduces the image in a monochrome, dot-matrix style, so detailed photos with lots of small features may not be as sharp—but faces and basic scenes usually turn out well.

Do you need to use a special coffee to get the photo to show up?

No special coffee is required. The photo is printed on the foam, so any espresso-based drink with a decent crema or foam layer will work, including espresso, lattes, or cappuccinos.

Is this technology available outside of Taiwan?

Currently, the photo-printing coffee machines are only confirmed to be in use at select Lets Cafe locations in Taiwan. There’s no widely available commercial version for other cafes as of now.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Foam-Based Drinks

For coffee drinks with foam art—whether printed or poured—try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for its bright citrus and floral notes, or Yirgacheffe for a juicy, berry-forward cup that pairs well with milk. Both single origins highlight the crema and enhance the visual and flavor impact of latte art or foam printing. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.