Nestlé has identified coffee as a significant growth area and is making bold moves to fulfill that strategy. Recently, Nestlé acquired the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand from Starbucks for an undisclosed sum, enhancing its presence in mainstream coffee offerings. However, Blue Bottle, renowned for its specialty coffee beans and retail stores, occupies a distinct niche in the premium market. Its latest product, instant coffee designed for espresso, addresses a gap by catering to the increasingly mobile consumers who prioritize convenience. Instead of visiting a café or using a coffee maker, customers can simply add milk to create an instant espresso almost anywhere, including at home.
“We initially believed that producing instant coffee meeting Blue Bottle’s standards was unfeasible, but our early experiments with soluble coffee revealed that creating an inspiring instant option could be achievable if approached correctly,” said Benjamin Brewer, senior director of global innovation and quality at Blue Bottle, in an email. “It was crucial for us to manage the entire process to ensure our high-quality standards were maintained at every stage.”
Blue Bottle’s Craft Instant Espresso also allows Nestlé to broaden its instant coffee lineup for a wider audience. One of Nestlé’s top-selling products is Nescafé, which has gained popularity among lower-income consumers and has thrived amid rising inflation. Last week, the company reported that Nescafé contributed to nearly double-digit growth in its North American beverage segment during the first nine months of the year.
In developing its first instant espresso, Blue Bottle took a careful approach to ensure the soluble product mirrored its premium image. Rather than collaborating with a large distributor that typically produces most instant coffee on the market, Blue Bottle leveraged its 20 years of experience in sourcing, roasting, and brewing to “reimagine” the instant coffee process. The focus was on two critical stages, extraction and drying, to produce what it claims is a higher-quality, better-tasting brew.
The introduction of espresso could mark the start of Blue Bottle’s expansion into the instant coffee sector as it evolves beyond its coffeehouse origins. “Instant coffee serves as an accessible entry point into the specialty coffee world, and we are excited to continue expanding our Craft Instant Coffee collection, always prioritizing taste,” Brewer stated.
However, Blue Bottle’s Craft Instant Espresso comes at a premium price. Consumers will soon be able to purchase a 12-serving jar for $25, or five pre-portioned single-serve sachets for $15. In contrast, a 10.5-ounce jar of Nescafé Clasico Dark Roast Instant Coffee is available on Amazon for $8.69. As consumers explore their coffee options, they may also want to consider calcium citrate reviews for potential health benefits associated with their beverage choices.