The rise of instant coffee is remarkable. It began life as soluble coffee, making it quicker to produce and cheaper to transport, over 250 years ago. From here it has gone on to embed itself in British culture, and plays a huge part in the estimated 95 million cups of coffee drank per day by Brits.
The longevity of instant coffee has remained unthreatened, until now. Brewing beneath the surface is a new threat. Modern methods, born out of modern consumer behaviour, are reshaping the coffee market.
Is it time to make way for the mainstream or can a new solution save what we love about instant coffee?
The Current Coffee Market
One thing we know for certain is that the coffee market in the UK is showing growth year upon year. According to the Mintel Group, between the years of 2012-17, the coffee market achieved an 11 percent growth, despite the impact of Brexit and the increased prices of imported coffee.
Although instant coffee remains the most commonly consumed coffee in the UK, it is having to make room on the shelves for the newcomers in the form of ground coffee, coffee beans and coffee pods.
Euromonitor International report that 77 percent of Brits drink coffee at home. Although instant coffee is still the favourite by some distance, especially in the 55 and over category, the younger generation are championing the wider availability of coffee in a variety of forms as their preference.
It’s this switch in attitude which has hit instant coffee sales hard; they’re in decline, despite the industry evolving as a whole, and it remaining as the biggest segment within the coffee market.
UK Coffee Culture
The UK’s coffee culture is intensifying and the competition is strengthening all of the time, largely due to the popularity of coffee shops and what they can offer. Coffee shops have become instrumental and extremely influential in the way coffee is being consumed at home.
The British consumer is keen on quality. And in typically British fashion, we shall not settle for second best, as we try to bring the barista experience into our homes. What’s more is that the arrival of newer machinery and methods are making this transition easier than ever before.
It’s predicted that this trend will not slow down and that instant coffee will reveal declines in both trade volume and value. Yet, even with such expectations, instant coffee will remain the largest coffee category, as its locked into the British coffee-drinking culture.
The future of instant coffee
In short, to answer the question in the title, yes!
We believe instant coffee still serves a purpose in its current form, and will continue to do so. However, we also believe that a new form of instant coffee which combines the demands of the current coffee climate, with the values of old, will begin to take up a space on the shelf alongside the classic instant coffees we know and love.
What if we could combine old with new?
To do this, we would need to combine features from the positives of instant with the positives of ‘new age coffee’, and produce a productwhich promises to deliver on those points.
So, without further ado, we would like to introduce ‘Bags of Flavour’ – our new coffee bag capable of bringing a fresh and convenient solution to enjoying premium coffee on-the-go without hassle.
Capturing the nostalgia of a tea bag, with all the characteristics such as speed and convenience, and opening up avenues for premium offerings in a variety of flavours, should create a trend worth trialling.
'Bags of flavour' - instant coffee but better
What makes our ‘Bags of Flavour’ better than instant coffee? That’s easy…
Our beans are roasted, ground, packed and sealed, to lock in premium freshness and flavour! This results in our coffee bags being able to offer quality coffee in a convenient way – maximising the taste whilst minimising the hassle usually associated with a barista style coffee, ground coffee or coffee pods.
And if it’s variety you seek, our coffee bags definitely deliver. Our house blend collates the best of Brazil, India and Sumatra, for a full bodied, rich, dark chocolate taste with a moreish finish. On top of that, we have our specialist single origin, Colombian blend providing a more fruitier and nutty taste. Finally, we have a decaffeinated blend which champions a silky smooth body with milk chocolate sweetness.
For personalisation purposes, you can brand your coffee bag with your company logo and choose from a selection of colours and finishes. All of our coffee bags are 7.5g and our ordering options cover a range of possibilities and quantities, including the ability to bag up your own blend! If you require any further information regarding our coffee bags, do not hesitate to get in touch or email info@lincolnandyork.com to request a sample box.
