Introduction

For many people across the globe, instant coffee is a daily necessity, providing a new and modern way of enjoying green coffee without having to brew it. According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), places that consume instant coffee, termed ‘facilitated coffee’ in Latin American regions, are responsible for 25% of coffee worldwide, with a growing awareness of the caffeine content of beverages that adds to its popularity. Instant coffee is heavily consumed in America, Latin America, and Asia. Countries like China and Russia, with over 60% of coffee drinkers preferring its instant variety due to its ease and longer shelf life when compared to brewed coffee.

Moreover, the increase in the popularity of instant coffee has motivated innovation in the methods that are utilized during its manufacturing. Leading instant coffee manufacturers have spent years perfecting their processes to ensure that the final product tastes and smells like freshly brewed coffee. From high-class freeze-dried coffee that fully captures the flavour of Arabica beans to affordable spray-dried ones, the industry is ever-changing to meet consumer demand.

Moreover, the increase in the popularity of instant coffee has motivated innovation in the methods that are utilized during its manufacturing. Leading instant coffee manufacturers have spent years perfecting their processes to ensure that the final product tastes and smells like freshly brewed coffee in a cup of hot water. From high-class freeze-dried coffee that fully captures the flavour of Arabica beans to affordable spray-dried ones, the industry is ever-changing to meet consumer demand.

From Bean to Powder: Key Steps in Instant Coffee Production

Giving the powdered coffee product its required taste, quality, and colour is not a simple process. The entire coffee granule transformation process, including efficiency and cost-effectiveness, is incredibly technical. There are three key processes which include roasting & grinding, concentration & extraction, and drying, which are essential for creating various types of coffee. Understanding these steps helps explain why instant coffee granules of different brands vary in taste, quality, and price, particularly when it comes to pure coffee products with an optimal Mg content.

Step 1: Coffee Bean Roasting & Grinding Fundamentals

Selecting and roasting coffee beans is the first step in producing instant coffee. The beans used, Arabica or Robusta beans, affect the final taste profile:

Robusta beans (common in regular instant coffee) have a bolder, more bitter taste and contain almost double the amount of caffeine contained in Arabica.

Arabica beans (favoured for premium instant coffee) have a rich, smoother, caffeine lower than robusta, milder taste with lower caffeine content.

The selected beans are then roasted using hot air at about 190°C and 230°C. This temperature also dictates the degree to which the beans are roasted and their level: Light, Medium, and Dark. As an example, a light roast keeps the flavouring of the beans while a dark roast has stronger flavours that are more caramelized.

Then, the beans will be ground down into fine coffee powder. In contrast to brewed coffee which needs a coarser grind, instant coffee needs an ultra-fine grind to increase extraction efficiency in the next stage.

Step 2: Extraction & Concentration Techniques Explained

The extraction phase of the process ranges in water temperature between 80°C and 100°C to optimize flavour and bitterness in drip coffee. Maintaining the balance of bitterness in drip coffee is an art, the same as extraction is to coffee. Moreover, the coffee is brewed undisturbed for a longer period to gain a full-bodied taste; 5-10 minutes. Many manufacturers brew coffee with high pressure in a similar way to espresso to reach maximum concentration of flavour.

The coffee grounds are still in liquid form after extraction, however, they are much too diluted to be considered instant coffee yet. This is where concentration plays a role. The goal is to eliminate superfluous water while still keeping as much taste and aroma as possible. The two main concentration methods are:

• Evaporation – Water is extracted from the coffee extract using gentle heat, producing a liquid concentrated enough that resembles syrup at room temperature. This method is one of the different ways widely used due to its efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Freeze Concentration – Ice crystals are painstakingly removed from extracted coffee, which is preserved at very low temperatures, thus leaving behind a liquid with a high concentration of syrup. This technique better preserves the aroma, colour, and coffee oils, making it ideal for premium instant coffee.

This step is perhaps the most important as it determines the intensity of the final product. When the extracted coffee is well concentrated, the instant coffee produced tastes richer.

Step 3: Spray Drying vs. Freeze Drying Methods

In the drying step, recognizable coffee granules result from the conversion of instant coffee into granules or powder form. The two methods are the most common Cut drying and Frost drying, which involve frozen water removal; each has its cost structures, taste, and product quality characteristics.

• Spray drying is the preferred method for making instant coffee because it is the most cost-effective form of production. However, the flavour compounds suffer due to exposure to excessive heat.
• Instant coffee made through freeze-drying captures the coffee’s flavour and aroma better, hence it is of higher quality. Unfortunately, this method is the most expensive due to the longer processing time.

According to industry reports, almost 80 percent of instant coffee is made using spray drying. In comparison, freeze-dried coffee tends to be a premium commodity in developed countries.

Packaging Essentials for Instant Coffee Success

The preservation of flavour and aroma of coffee relies on the coffee instant’s packaging. Its packaging needs to be done with utmost precision to ensure long shelf life. Once it is ready, the coffee granules or powder are packed in bags made out of different types of materials to keep moisture and air away from the rest of the coffee. Choices made about packaging such as Aluminum cans, plastic sachets, and glass jars serve to protect and contain the instant coffee.

Primary Choices – Pros and Cons Breakdown

• Aluminum Cans

While aiding in the preservation of freshness, oxidation is greatly reduced when making use of aluminum cans. Because of the tight seal, instant coffee that is of premium quality tends to use aluminum cans as the packaging of choice. However, unlike other types of materials, aluminum cans tend to be very costly and thus are mostly used for high-end products.

• Plastic Sachets

When it comes to the packaging of instant coffee, plastic sachets are the most popular type. They are also amenable in terms of single serving as they are very light in weight and affordable. However, the shelf life of the coffee is greatly compromised since plastic is not effective in blocking air and moisture.

• Composite Film Pouches

Composite film pouches integrate various materials at a certain price. These pouches are mostly used to package bulk instant coffee since they offer sufficient protection and are cost-effective. But these pouches are more expensive than normal pouches.

• Glass Jars

Many brands that provide premium quality instant coffee prefer using glass jars because they provide better protection from moisture and air even though it is bulkier and more expensive to produce. Glass jars are mostly used by high-end instant coffee brands to provide a certain amount of luxurious appeal.

Why Canned Packaging Dominates Premium Markets

As the instant coffee market expands, instant coffee cans are capturing the market due to their ability to preserve freshness. They are also easy to use and look elegant, representing the brand well, but most importantly, they help integrate the instant coffee business.

• Freshness Retention

Coffee is protected from oxygen and moisture by an aluminum can seal, which makes it fresh for two years. This surpasses every other option available.

• Protection for Coffee Crystals

Aluminum cans are different from every other type as they do not allow freeze-dried coffee to get crushed during transportation, safeguarding its quality.

• Consumer Appeal

Aluminum cans offer a modern sleek design presentation that allows the packaging to be appealing. This makes them better suited for high-end brands because they can present themselves as more sophisticated.

Addressing Packaging Challenges in Instant Coffee Production

During the last phase of instant coffee production, packaging processes can make or break a product’s profitability. As stated in the Food Manufacturing Report in 2023, an outdated machine has the potential to cost SME manufacturers millions in losses annually because of:

• Inaccurate filling leads to a 4.2% raw material loss
• 6.8% of customers complaints regarding shelf life due to insufficient sealing
• 3.7 hours per day on average needed to be spent on machine modifications.

These figures underline the effectiveness of selecting appropriate machinery that would increase operational efficiency. Furthermore, the improved machine can fill products with higher raw materials, seal containers properly, and increase idle time, which ultimately enhances product quality and increases customer satisfaction.

Levapack’s Innovative Solutions

Levapack is one of the leading firms in implementing new technologies that solve prominent issues within the industry. We integrate the latest technology into our machinery to ensure that we meet the needs of the contemporary coffee-making industry.

• Effective and Reliable: Our washing and filling machines will achieve ±0.1g filling accuracy, which substantially decreases material waste while maintaining product quality.
• Increased Shelf Life: Our technologies employ vacuum and nitrogen flushing methods to lower oxygen levels under 3%. This assists in maintaining the rich taste and prolonging the shelf life of instant coffee.
• Eco-Friendly: The energy-efficient designs together with CE-certified technology enable Levapack machines to alleviate operational costs and environmental impact at the same time.

Reach out to Levapak to learn how our best-in-breed technology can change your production line for the better and increase profitability.

Conclusion

The instant coffee manufacturing is a blend of ingenious innovation that goes into creating such a world-famous product. The invention of instant coffee has revolutionized every step, from roasting and grinding coffee beans to extracting, drying, and packaging green beans, which requires a great deal of effort to ensure the ultimate product is satisfactory for the global clientele. The instant coffee sector, backed by the latest advancements in automation, packaging technology, and sustainability, is preparing to embrace the demand for high-quality, eco-friendly, and easy-to-use coffee solutions.