Historically looked down upon by “coffee purists,” instant coffee is earning a new rep—and it’s the latest trend amongst home brewers.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
ONLINE EDITOR
Featured photo courtesy of Common Coffee
Long perceived by many as a “last-resort” caffeine fix, instant coffee is increasingly finding a place amongst specialty-coffee consumers. Along with the rise of home coffee-brewing, it seems that the internet is teeming with instant coffee-related content right now, with tons of creators showing ways to use the ingredient creatively—whether to make seasonal lattes, frothy cappuccinos, or frozen coffee drinks.
Today, we’ll explore why instant coffee is gaining traction amongst modern-day coffee drinkers and hear from the coffee brands working to change the stigma around it.
Instant Coffee Around the World
When discussing instant coffee, it’s important to note that, in many parts of the world, instant coffee is the norm. In Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, for example, sachets of Kopiko are a staple in family kitchens and roadside stalls alike. In parts of Eastern Europe and throughout Latin America, instant coffee has also long held a steady market presence, often preferred for its affordability and ease. For much of the global population, instant coffee isn’t a lesser version of coffee—it is coffee.
What’s changing now is the way specialty roasters are approaching it. Back in 2015, Sudden Coffee was one of the first companies to introduce the concept of “specialty instant” to the Western world. The brand, founded by food entrepreneur Joshua Zloof and two-time Finnish Barista Champion Kalle Freese, introduced Western consumers to instant options that came close to pourover quality for the very first time.
Instant coffee also gained international attention when dalgona coffee started trending during the COVID-19 pandemic. The whipped coffee drink, which originated in Korea but became popular in the West, makes use of simply instant coffee granules, sugar, and milk—with the coffee and sugar frothed together to create the beverage’s famed fluffy consistency.
Specialty Instant in the Mainstream
In recent years, specialty instant has become increasingly commonplace. Companies like Swift Cup Coffee, Coffee Project New York, Equator Coffees, and Voila have tapped into the specialty instant movement, redefining instant coffee with high-quality beans and gentle freeze-drying techniques. Today’s versions of instant coffee emphasize using single-origin coffee and preserving flavor complexity, proving that convenience and craft can coexist.
“(Instant coffee) currently accounts for about 12% of global consumption, and some reports suggest that instant coffee could receive up to 40% revenue growth in the next 5 years,” says Jason Harvey, co-founder of Edinburgh, Scotland’s Common Coffee.
Jason’s company recently launched its own specialty instant coffee, which is made with 100% arabica coffee from Brazil. He shares that the process of making their instant coffee is meticulous, with the coffee brewed at scale by coffee professionals under tight quality controls, then freeze-dried over 22 hours with no additives.
“Of course, when we look at the quality of instant available, it is typically viewed as low-quality. But much like the perception of pod coffee, we feel that it is going to change over the course of the next decade,” Jason told Barista Magazine.
The Pros of Instant: Cost-Effectiveness + Portability
One huge factor driving the popularity of instant coffee is, simply put, economics. With inflation and the rising cost of living, many coffee drinkers are cutting back on café visits and looking for ways to enjoy their favorite brews at home. Instant coffee offers an accessible alternative, requiring no grinder, brewer, or expensive equipment.
In addition, as more people embrace remote work and travel, instant coffee’s portability adds to its appeal. Jason emphasizes that this doesn’t mean coffee enthusiasts have to lower their standards: “For us, it’s about providing people with a quality option when they are short on time or on the move,” he says. “It’s important that our instant coffee sits alongside our core range, and we encourage people to use it in a manner that they see suits their needs. It’s definitely not here to replace people’s favorite ways of enjoying quality coffee. …(But) the feedback we have received so far has been largely positive.”
An Instant Future?
Instant coffee’s place in the specialty-coffee world was effectively solidified when former World Barista Champion James Hoffman released his Discovery Box of instant, flash-frozen espresso capsules earlier this year. The box, a collaboration with Cometeer, seeks to make quality coffee accessible, quick, and convenient: boasting all the perks of instant coffee, without the negative stereotypes.
That being said, the rise—and evolution—of instant coffee doesn’t have to mean the complete erasure of slow brews. There will always be value in patiently making a cup of coffee yourself, or lining up at a local coffee shop for a shot of espresso.
Instead, the diversification of instant coffee simply provides consumers with more options. For those who prioritize convenience and affordability along with flavor, specialty instant can be a great go-to. But if you’re set on your morning pourover ritual, more power to you.
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