The History of Instant Coffee

The political history of instant coffee is defined by trade disputes over industrial development and value-added exports. In the late 1960s, a major 'soluble coffee dispute' erupted between Brazil and the United States. Brazil began subsidizing its domestic instant coffee industry, allowing it to export processed coffee more cheaply than U.S. roasters who had to import raw green beans. This led to intense diplomatic negotiations within the International Coffee Organization (ICO), where the U.S. threatened to pull out of the International Coffee Agreement unless Brazil adjusted its tax policies to protect American manufacturers. Furthermore, instant coffee served as a tool of soft power during the Cold War; the U.S. government promoted its consumption through food aid programs and military presence, effectively establishing global consumer preference for Western-style instant brands over traditional brewing methods.

Religious dietary laws and prohibitions significantly influence the global instant coffee market and its production standards. In terms of economic accessibility, manufacturers must secure Kosher and Halal certifications to sell in major Middle Eastern, North American, and European markets. This requires strict oversight of the chemical extraction and drying processes to ensure no non-compliant anti-caking agents or flavor enhancers are introduced. Conversely, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) maintains a health code, the 'Word of Wisdom,' which prohibits coffee consumption, including soluble varieties. This has historically limited the market penetration of instant coffee in regions with high LDS populations, such as Utah. In contrast, in various Christian traditions, such as Orthodox Christianity during Lenten fasts, black instant coffee is an economically vital staple, providing a permissible stimulant when dairy-based foods and rich meals are religiously restricted.

Instant coffee became a massive global industry, with Nescafe alone selling in over 180 countries. Instant coffee was particularly transformative in markets where coffee brewing equipment was uncommon or expensive, including the UK, Japan, and many developing nations. The instant coffee industry also influenced global coffee production by creating demand for Robusta, which is often used in instant coffee due to its higher solubility and lower cost.

• •The first instant coffee was patented in 1889 by David Strang of New Zealand, but commercial success did not come until 1909 when George Washington began mass production in the United States.
• •Instant coffee's greatest commercial breakthrough came during World War II, when the U.S. military mandated it for all troop rations, exposing millions of GIs to the product.
• •Nescafe, launched by Nestle in 1938, is sold in over 180 countries and remains one of the world's most consumed coffee products.
• •Freeze-dried instant coffee, introduced in the 1950s, preserves significantly more flavor and aroma than spray-dried instant because the low-temperature process retains volatile coffee compounds.
• •In the UK and Japan, instant coffee still accounts for a significant percentage of total coffee consumption, reflecting different cultural patterns of coffee preparation.
• •Recent specialty instant coffees, made from high-quality single-origin beans and freeze-dried, challenge the assumption that instant coffee must be inferior.

• •Chapter 1: The History of Coffee
• •Chapter 11: Coffee Culture

• •Pendergrast, M. Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. Basic Books. 2019.
• •Nestle. Corporate History: Nescafe. 2023.
• •Lyons, K.E. The Complete World of Coffee. Lyons Den Publishing. 2024.
• •Weinberg, B.A. and Bealer, B.K. The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug. Routledge. 2001.