They don't make instant coffee like they used to.
asserted
they → make → coffee
It's getting gourmet now
Instant coffee sales have increased across Canada in recent years
In a world of fancy espresso machines, gourmet blends and cold brews, instant coffee has often been considered to be at the bottom of the proverbial coffee barrel.
asserted
coffee → get → barrel
But the powder is getting a glow-up, thanks to better quality, social media trends and advancements in instant coffee technology.
asserted
powder → get → technology
"It's having a moment," said Joey Pittoello, general manager of the coffee roaster Just Us! in Halifax.
asserted
Pittoello → have → Halifax
"I think people have discovered that instant coffee can be of much better quality now."
asserted
coffee → think → quality
More brewers are choosing to highlight instant coffee, from big brands such as Starbucks, to smaller roasters like Just Us!, in part because they are seeing an increased demand for it.
asserted
they → choose → it
At Just Us!, which has been selling instant coffee for over 15 years, instant coffee sales have grown around 15 per cent in the last two years, says Pittoello, with other coffee companies such as Eight Ounce Coffee and Canadian Heritage Coffee Roasters in Calgary reporting similar increases in recent years.
asserted
companies → sell → years
According to a 2025 Agricultural Canada report, instant coffee sales totalled $330 million in Canada in 2024, up 10 per cent from the previous year.
uncertain
sales → accord → 2024
"Instant coffee is undergoing the same transformation as a lot of coffee drinks," said Robert Carter, a food industry analyst and the president of the Coffee Association of Canada.
asserted
Carter → undergo → Canada
"There's more premiumization that's taking place.
asserted
that → be → place
And I think that's resulting in an increase in consumption.
asserted
that → think → consumption
"
Social media trends are also improving instant coffee's rep.
asserted
trends → improve → rep
There's the Dalgona coffee trend, popularized during the pandemic, which is a whipped drink made by whisking instant coffee, sugar and hot water, then putting it over milk.
asserted
which → be → milk
People are also using instant coffee to make lattes or iced coffees at home.
asserted
People → use → home
Additionally, Pittoello says people use it in baking, or in seasoning when barbecuing.
asserted
people → say → seasoning
"It's easy to make interesting sweet milky drinks with instant coffee.
asserted
It → make → coffee
You just have to add it, right?" said Pittoello.
asserted
Pittoello → have → it
Big brands like Nescafé and Maxwell House have been selling instant coffee for decades.
asserted
brands → sell → decades
"I don't think it ever really went anywhere," said Pittoello.
asserted
Pittoello → think → ?
What has changed, though, is the quality of instant coffee.
asserted
changed → change → coffee
Pittoello says the robusta bean, which has a simple flavour profile compared to arabica, had commonly been used to make instant coffee.
asserted
which → say → coffee
"You're enhancing the level of low quality by turning it into instant coffee and that's really what defined instant coffee for decades," said Pittoello.
asserted
Pittoello → enhance → decades
Now more specialty roasters are using better beans to make their instant coffee.
asserted
roasters → use → coffee
Just Us! uses arabica, as does Starbucks.
asserted
Starbucks → use → arabica
But that's not the only reason you're seeing specialty coffee shops selling their own instant coffee.
asserted
shops → see → coffee
Josh Hockin, head of coffee at Eight Ounce Coffee in Calgary, says it's easier than ever to manufacture it, thanks to advancements in technology.
asserted
it → say → technology
Mainstream brands like Nescafé and Maxwell House make large amounts of instant coffee through a process called spray drying, which involves brewing coffee as strong as possible, then spraying that coffee into a heated chamber, creating the instant coffee powder.
asserted
which → make → powder
But Hockin says a better quality coffee can be made by brewing the coffee then freeze-drying it instead.
asserted
coffee → say → it
Years ago, the machine to do so would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and was as big as a shipping container.
asserted
machine → do → container
Now, he says the machines cost about $3,000 to $4,000 Cdn, and can plug into the wall.
asserted
machines → say → wall
"It's not cheap to do, but it's certainly way less expensive than it would have been in the past," said Hockin.
asserted
Hockin → do → past
Instant coffee jars sit on display in a Tesco supermarket on July 6, 2022 in Northwich, England.
asserted
jars → sit → Northwich
More specialty roasters are now offering their own take on instant coffee.
asserted
roasters → offer → coffee
According to Robert Carter, it's not that people are replacing their at-home set up with instant coffee.
uncertain
people → accord → coffee
Rather, Carter says, instant coffee is giving people another option to enjoy one of the most consumed drinks in Canada.
asserted
coffee → say → Canada
"We're not seeing a cannibalization taking place.
asserted
cannibalization → see → place
We're seeing an expansion of the types of coffee products being consumed that are different than just your traditional brewed coffee.
asserted
that → see → coffee
”
Starbucks VIA Ready Brew instant coffee is offered for sale at Starbucks coffee shop back in 2009.
asserted
coffee → offer → 2009
And people are willing to pay a premium for that, says Hockin.
asserted
Hockin → pay → that
He says it's the equivalent of buying a cup at a coffee shop, with some packets of four selling for $11, while some varieties sell for $42 for a six-pack.
asserted
varieties → say → pack
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
