Blue Bottle Coffee, which is majority owned by Nestlé, has announced the launch of a speciality espresso, initially intended as a replacement for the company’s iced latte. This product is designed for use at home without the need for special equipment or preparation skills.
Nestlé bought Blue Bottle Coffee five years ago for $425 million. The acquisition, a result of Nestlé’s expansion in the coffee industry, allowed the food and beverage giant to move into the premium coffee market, as Blue Bottle is considered a premium brand compared to some other big coffee chains.
But can instant coffee really be called ‘Speciality’, or is Nestlé just milking the brand? I wonder how the team at Blue Bottle really feels about putting their name against soluble espresso? There’s nothing wrong with improving on the soluble products in the market, but why call it ‘craft speciality espresso’?
I can understand the marketing department is doing their job to use a language that will promote sales, but the more that words like ‘craft’ and ‘speciality’ are misused, then the less value they hold as consumers stop associating them with something that is genuinely special. Even if Blue Bottle is using speciality grade beans, a dried and soluble mass market product is not craft, and it is not espresso.
Nick Baskett, Editor in Chief
Blue Bottle says it had rethought its approach to soluble coffee to stay true to its premium reputation. The two-step process, extraction and drying, were prioritised to produce a higher quality and better tasting beverage.
We were never sure we’d crack the code on instant anything at Blue Bottle Coffee, but through curiosity, imagination and tireless effort, we’ve crafted a product that meets our high standards. Our Craft Instant Espresso is the result of three years of dedication to craftsmanship, quality and the unwavering commitment to help lead the future of specialty coffee.
Karl Strovink, CEO, Blue Bottle
Nestlé believes that the soluble coffee market will continue to grow and is therefore investing in this industry. The latest instant coffee offers convenience and quality to consumers on the go. Instead of going to a café or using a coffee machine, they just add milk and drink an instant espresso almost anywhere, including at home.
In the US the instant market is far behind some countries like the UK
With Craft Instant Espresso, Nestlé is expanding its range of instant coffee, with Nescafe being the best-selling product that has thrived during inflation. Nestlé reported last week that it contributed to the nearly double-digit growth in beverages in North America during the first nine months of the year.
Benjamin Brewer, senior director of global innovation and quality at Blue Bottle, said Nestle wanted to “provide a simple entry point into the world of speciality coffee,” and they look forward to continuing to grow their Craft Instant Coffee portfolio while always putting taste first.
Nestlé also recently purchased the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand from Starbucks, further expanding the company’s portfolio and list of coffee offerings. Nestlé has been working with Starbucks since 2018 and also distributes some of Starbucks’ products.
