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[XiaNaphryz]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...of-the-world-actually-prefers-instant-coffee/

Americans’ taste in coffee might be getting more high-end—with a growing fixation on perfectly roasted beans, pricier caffeinated concoctions, and artisan coffee brewers—but it turns out a surprisingly big part of the world is going in the opposite direction: towards instant coffee.

Sales of instant coffee—the kind that dissolves in hot water and has been popularized by brands like Nescafe—have nearly tripled since 2000, according to data from market research firm Euromonitor. The world consumed nearly $31 billion-worth last year, and is expected to drink more than $35 billion-worth by 2018. Instant coffee accounts for more than 34 percent of all the retail brewed coffee consumed around the world.

The rise has been as steady as it has been substantial.

As the firm's new industry report puts it:

In newer coffee-drinking regions, instant coffee is appealing because of its ability to satisfy the needs of new coffee drinkers and their evolving tastes. Unlike established coffee markets, where coffee is a product with well-defined perceptions of taste, strength and origin, in emerging coffee markets, coffee is viewed as a multi-purpose product with endless functional and flavor possibilities.

Perhaps that helps explain why India and China are two of the fastest growing markets, or why Asia Pacific is the world's largest instant coffee consuming region by sales.

But the appeal of instant coffee hasn't been lost on other, more developed markets. Almost half of the world actually prefers it.

Australians like the stuff more than anyone else—instant coffee accounts for over 75 percent of retail brewed coffee consumed in Australia and New Zealand, the highest percentage registered for any region.

Even those regions more often associated with coffee snobbery are still guilty of giving in to the more convenient kind, too. Europeans might favor fresh beans, but they certainly appreciate the occasional instant coffee indulgence. In Eastern Europe, instant coffee accounts for over 50 percent of overall retail brewed coffee consumption; in Western Europe, it accounts for more than 25 percent; and together, the two regions drink 40 percent of the world's instant coffee.

The only real exception to the instant coffee craze is the U.S.

Americans have proved pretty exceptional in their utter disinterest in warming up to the most convenient method of coffee-making.

"The U.S. is entirely unique in its aversion to instant coffee," LaMendola said. "Even in Europe, where fresh coffee is preferred, instant coffee is still seen as acceptable for at home and on the go consumption. In the U.S. the view is just much more negative," she said.

Instant coffee sales in the U.S. have barely budged since 2008, and even fell marginally last year to just over $960 million. While that might sound like a lot, it's actually a paltry fraction of the $30-plus billion U.S. coffee market.

The instant coffee market in North America isn't merely the world's smallest—it's also the world's slowest growing. Virtually all growth in the coffee market will come from fresh—not instant—coffee between now and 2018, according to estimates by Euromonitor.

Americans might like their coffee fast, but that doesn't mean they want it instant.

Starbucks launched its own, premium instant coffee line called Via back in 2009, which it now sells in some 26 countries around the world. Globally, Via has been so successful that the coffeemaker is looking to expand further, a company spokesperson said in an interview. But America is anther story, and Starbucks hasn't managed to overcome the country's instant coffee stigma.

"When Via first launched in the U.S., it did pretty well," LaMendola said. "But then sales stalled because there's still such a strong aversion to instant coffee."

Nescafe, the world's largest instant coffee brand, has seen its U.S. sales remain stagnant for years. Folgers and Maxwell House have had trouble boosting their own, respective instant coffee businesses, too. In fact, just about every major coffee brand that has put instant coffee on supermarket shelves in the U.S. has suffered a similar fate.

 

[Blood Red Sky]

I only drink that artisan coffee that's shat out by a weasel.

 

[kudoboi]

The only place where I get my coffee fix is from Starbucks. Don't really like regular coffee. Too bitter for my taste

 

[Bishop89]

well that explains why there are like 10 coffee shops in every corner

 

[Smiley90]

well that explains why there are like 10 coffee shops in every corner

Pacific Northwest checking in, can confirm

 

[Monocle]

Is laziness a preference? I can crunch on a block of dry ramen noodles if I'm in a total rush but that doesn't necessarily mean I "prefer" dehydrated foodstuffs.

I bet most people would favor fresh coffee if it were easier to prepare.

 

[Hasney]

Is laziness a preference? I can crunch on a block of dry ramen noodles if I'm in a total rush but that doesn't necessarily mean I "prefer" dehydrated foodstuffs.

Pretty much. I buy more instant purely for work, but when I'm home, you better believe that I'm spending some time getting the good stuff pouring.

 

[bomma_man]

Wait is this just stuff you buy at the supermarket for home use? Because Australia (especially Melbourne) has a pretty massive take away/cafe market

 

[way more]

Odd, this thread definitively said that Americans are dumb morons who like shit coffee and Australians are smart, savvy, geniuses.

Why Starbucks can't crack the Australian market

 

[Dead Man]

Odd, this thread definitively said that Americans are dumb morons who like shit coffee and Australians are smart, savvy, geniuses.

Why Starbucks can't crack the Australian market

Easy to explain. Instant is better than Starbucks.

 

[Fusebox]

Those stats don't sound right. Who drinks instant coffee??

 

[Zaptruder]

Apparently Australians are just coffee fiends that don't care if they get it instant or brewed.

 

[Volimar]

I only drink that artisan coffee that's shat out by a weasel.

Folger's Crystals?

 

[shacklesmcgee]

Australians like the stuff more than anyone else—instant coffee accounts for over 75 percent of retail brewed coffee consumed in Australia and New Zealand

wait, they go to a store and pay for a cup of instant coffee? Or do they mean retail as supermarkets?

 

[Longshot]

I'm an Aussie shift worker and need caffeine every night, my taste in coffee has gone right up, I hate instant stuff.

 

[benjipwns]

Might cost be a factor here?

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

Black without sugar. Only way.

Costa Rican coffee.

 

[Pila]

My fav is espresso but I like drinking all kinds of coffee. Not instant, fuck that shit.

 

[Fusebox]

Wtf is retail-brewed instant? Is that the stuff on the jar at Coles or do people go to a coffee shop and ask the barrista for an instant coffee?

"I once put instant coffee in a microwave and almost went back in time."

- Steve Wright

 

[chuckddd]

I only drink that artisan coffee that's shat out by a weasel.

BAM

 

[Komo]

Easy to explain. Instant is better than Starbucks.

Oh, now that's just plain delusional

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Might cost be a factor here?

According to some random website that came up on Google after 2 seconds of searching, the average cup of coffee costs 3.54 in Australia. I have no idea what it costs in America.

Australia as a commonwealth nation has a tea drinking culture although probably less so in the younger generations.

 

[way more]

Black without sugar. Only way.

Did you only read one word of the topic?

 

[bebop242]

Australia really is backwards.

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

Did you only read one word of the topic?

There is a possibility.

 

[Fusebox]

According to some random website that came up on Google after 2 seconds of searching, the average cup of coffee costs 3.54 in Australia. I have no idea what it costs in America.

Australia as a commonwealth nation has a tea drinking culture although probably less so in the younger generations.

Three fiddy for a good large cap in the city, up to four fiddy in the suburbs tho.

Nobody drinks tea tho.

 

[DJKhaled]

Those stats don't sound right. Who drinks instant coffee??

i live in australia and tbh i dont know anyone that drinks freshly brewed coffee, I have grown up only having nescafe style coffee.

Three fiddy for a good large cap in the city, up to four fiddy in the suburbs tho.

Nobody drinks tea tho.

lots of people drink tea

 

[Fusebox]

i live in australia and tbh i dont know anyone that drinks freshly brewed coffee, I have grown up only having nescafe style coffee.

Would you say you PREFER instant?

 

[MilkyJoe]

Coffee?

 

[way more]

According to some random website that came up on Google after 2 seconds of searching, the average cup of coffee costs 3.54 in Australia. I have no idea what it costs in America.

Australia as a commonwealth nation has a tea drinking culture although probably less so in the younger generations.

Starbucks is a 1.05$ in Boulder and Denver. Local coffee shops? The same.


I have to wonder about people who say Starbucks costs more than local where they are from. I assume they are just a population of idiots who are willing to pay more.

 

[benjipwns]

According to some random website that came up on Google after 2 seconds of searching, the average cup of coffee costs 3.54 in Australia. I have no idea what it costs in America.

I was thinking less of what the consumer pays for the finished product and more of the whole supply chain for fresh vs. instant.

Is about the only thing I came across in a minute on Google. Or this: https://datahero.com/blog/2014/03/20/coffee-production-visualization-through-the-years/

 

[Aiii]

I'm pretty sure they're counting the new coffee machines like Nespresso and others as Instant Coffee. Fact is those things make a pretty darn good cup of coffee at home, so I guess that's where the difference is.

 

[Visceir]

I wasn't a coffee drinker until recently when I decided to give it a try to get an energy boost before hitting the gym. I drink instant coffee, the "latte" type that has already everything included in the package. I like the taste.

Obviously I've tried "real" coffee too, but actually preparing a real lattee yourself would be a huge hassle.

We got a coffee machine at work that prepares coffee from beans that is free to use, but the coffee from that one tastes like ass.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Nobody drinks tea tho.

I know plenty of people who drink tea. Only a few of them are below the age of 30 though.

 

[Juice]

Looking at the map I think a lot of this is about cost

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Just an FYI if I want a modestly sized hot chocolate that's $4.70 across the street.

Tastes damn good though.

 

[lenovox1]

I'm pretty sure they're counting the new coffee machines like Nespresso and others as Instant Coffee. Fact is those things make a pretty darn good cup of coffee at home, so I guess that's where the difference is.

They are not. Those are considered ground coffee by the research firm and are addressed in the report. K-Cups make up a quarter of the ground coffee Americans drink now, for instance.

 

[Spwn]

Instant coffee? My god, I would never even consider drinking that stuff. Nestle's instant coffee is popular among thieves in the department store I work at, though. I sometimes wonder if it is used by drug smugglers to cover the scent when crossing the Russian border because no sane person would drink that stuff.

 

[segasonic]

In Germany nobody except old grannies buys that stuff.

I was shocked when I had a project in Dublin at a fairly large client and the only thing they had was a hot water maker plus instant coffee for their employees. That stuff was vile.

 

[JBourne]

Black without sugar. Only way.

Costa Rican coffee.

Oh yes. I prefer Ethiopian, though.

For a while I worked in a coffee shop run by a guy as a passion project. He was already wealthy and ran it only for fun and a love of coffee. Had a giant roaster behind the counter. Everything we served was roasted in-house. Fucking amazing coffee.

 

[Ban Puncher]

Bullshit Australians prefer instant. We even chased Starbucks out of the country because their coffee was arse.

 

[gblues]

Maybe it's different elsewhere, but here in the US instant coffee falls into two categories:

1. Freeze-dried black shit that kinda sorta gives you a caffeine buzz but tastes like shit (folger's crystals, Yuban, etc)
2. Heavily sugared mixes that are better described as caffeinated hot chocolate (International Delight and such).

 

[Sakura]

Eh, I'm not sure I agree with the article. Just because people buy more instant coffee doesn't mean they prefer it. I drink and purchase far more instant coffee than fresh, but that's only because it is convenient, not because I prefer it. When I have the time I prefer to make a nice pot of coffee.

 

[Nicktendo86]

Instant coffee is disgusting. I am a tea drinker mind, but I will have the occasional latte from a coffee shop.

 

[jorma]

I always knew it was a mistake to invite the UK into the EU, but until now, i never really knew why.

 

[Poimandres]

This is madness!

Kind of surprising about Australia. There are coffee shops everywhere and they seem to be thriving. Then again, you would be hard pressed to find a coffee for under $3 here. How much is the average cup in America?

I order beans online, grind them, and run the coffee racket at work. With coffee going for $1 a cup, I'm making a tidy profit.

 

[lenovox1]

Maybe it's different elsewhere, but here in the US instant coffee falls into two categories:

1. Freeze-dried black shit that kinda sorta gives you a caffeine buzz but tastes like shit (folger's crystals, Yuban, etc)
2. Heavily sugared mixes that are better described as caffeinated hot chocolate (International Delight and such).

The same major brands sell the same coffee all over the world. What's different is the coffee culture as brought out by the article.

Nearly every American home or workplace has a drip brewer that can make a cup of Joe in minutes, if not seconds. Europeans and Australians and East Asians don't. So instant coffee becomes a matter of convince.

 

[braves01]

Instant's worse for the environment, too, iirc. Something about how it's sourced.

 

[zeromcd73]

Three fiddy for a good large cap in the city, up to four fiddy in the suburbs tho.

Nobody drinks tea tho.

But... I drink tea

 

[IncandescentPrecept]

I drink tea and instant coffee - I'm not paying $5 for a cup of coffee.