Instant coffee has a hard time pleasing British drinkers, but on this occasion a supermarket’s own-brand has claimed the top spot, knocking off the likes of Kenco and Nescafe
Brits can often be snobby when it comes to coffee, opting for the bigger brands to hit the spot first thing in the morning.
But, consumer champions, Which?, conducted a taste-test to see exactly which ones are worth forking out for, and those which do not qualify. And it has been revealed that M&S Fairtrade Gold Freeze dried coffee is actually the highest scoring, with an impressive 69% compared to other like-for-like brands.
Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the UK with approximately 98 million cups being consumed daily. The average person consumes around two cups of coffee per day, whether it’s the instant one at home or in the office, or at your favourite coffee shop.
Which? gathered a group of tasters who gave their verdicts by choosing the best instant coffee out of 10 different brands, based on the aroma, flavour and mouthfeel. Nescafé is one of the most recognisable names worldwide, and many would think that it would easily claim the top spot, but on this occasion it didn’t.
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Although it’s not the cheapest option, M&S Fairtrade Gold Freeze Dried Instant Coffee took the top spot, with Kenco Gold Indulgence Instant Coffee following closely as the second best. Other brands included Douwe Egberts, Nescafé, Aldi Alcafé, Co-op Fairtrade, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Lidl.
M&S Fairtrade Gold Freeze’s has been described as 100% arabica with a medium-roast in strength. Shoppers can get their hands on a jar for £2.25 for 200g, or £1.13 per 100g. But despite the supermarket taking the top spot, majority of the tasters agreed on the lack of coffee taste, hoping to taste more intensity.
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Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “A strong coffee is an important part of the day for many people across the UK and our taste tests reflected the competition between big brands and supermarkets to produce the best blend. While M&S emerged as the top scorer in our taste tests with high ratings for aroma and mouthfeel, Aldi’s offering also impressed the panel for its looks and bitterness – and is a much cheaper option.”
How the instant coffees performed
- M&S Fairtrade Gold Freeze Dried Instant Coffee – 69%
- Kenco Gold Indulgence Instant Coffee – 68%
- Douwe Egberts Pure Gold Instant Coffee – 66%
- Nescafe Gold Blend Instant Coffee – 66%
- Aldi Alcafé Gold Roast Freeze Dried Coffee – 64%
- Co-op Fairtrade Gold Roast Instant Coffee – 64%
- Ocado Gold Roast Instant Coffee – 63%
- Sainsbury’s Gold Roast Instant Coffee – 62%
- Asda Gold Roasted Coffee Instant Granules – 61%
- Lidl Bellarom Gold Freeze Dried Instant Coffee – 57%
