Few would imagine that the convenient cup of instant coffee, closely associated with modern life’s rhythm, actually has a history spanning over 130 years with many fascinating milestones.
The First Experiments
Records show that as early as 1771 in England, people were already making efforts to create primitive forms of instant coffee. However, the product at that time was unstable in flavor and was quickly forgotten. By the mid-19th century, various “coffee essences” appeared in America to serve the military, but the quality was still insufficient to convince the market.
David Strang and the Patent Breakthrough
The first breakthrough occurred in Invercargill, New Zealand. In 1889, David Strang registered the patent for “Strang’s Soluble Dry Coffee-Powder”. Using a hot air drying method, Strang created coffee powder that could dissolve quickly in hot water. This is considered the first patent for true instant coffee, laying the foundation for subsequent improvements.
Satori Kato – The Man Who Brought Instant Coffee to America
At the beginning of the 20th century, Japanese chemist Satori Kato, working in Chicago, introduced instant coffee products at the Pan-American Exposition (Buffalo, 1901). His invention not only improved the stability of coffee powder but was also granted a patent in the United States in 1903. From here, instant coffee began to have opportunities to penetrate everyday life.
George Washington and Commercialization Efforts
Around 1909–1910, George Constant Louis Washington – a chemical engineer living in America – launched the product “Red E Coffee”. This coffee was quickly adopted by the U.S. military as part of rations during World War I, contributing to expanding the influence of instant coffee and making it a familiar product among soldiers.
Nescafé and Global Explosion
In 1938, Nestlé introduced the Nescafé brand, resulting from a request by the Brazilian government to address the surplus of coffee beans. Thanks to applying advanced spray-drying technology, Nescafé maintained better flavor and was easier to preserve. After World War II, soaring demand made Nescafé a global symbol of instant coffee. In subsequent years, freeze-dry technology continued to improve quality, creating higher-end product lines.
So, what was the first instant coffee?
The first instant coffee is generally credited to David Strang of Invercargill, New Zealand, who patented his “soluble dry coffee powder” in 1889. Earlier attempts existed, but Strang’s patent is considered the first true instant coffee. Later, Satori Kato introduced a more stable version in the United States in 1901, and George C.L. Washington commercialized it in the 1910s before Nescafé popularized the drink worldwide in 1938.
Instant Coffee in Modern Life
In the busy rhythm of urban life, not everyone has time to brew coffee with a Vietnamese filter or pull a perfectly flavored espresso shot. Instant coffee takes only a few seconds to prepare, is easy to carry, easy to store, and suitable for any space – from offices and student dormitories to travel journeys. This convenience factor has helped instant coffee become an essential part of modern consumption habits.
According to international statistics, the instant coffee segment accounts for approximately 35–40% of total global coffee consumption, with a value of tens of billions of USD annually. In Vietnam alone – one of the coffee export powerhouses – instant coffee is also developing strongly. Major brands like G7, Vinacafé, and Nescafé compete directly with high-end imported products. Not only exporting raw beans, many Vietnamese enterprises are moving toward increasing value through deep-processed instant products.
If instant coffee was previously associated with the prejudice of being “convenient but less tasty”, today many companies have focused on improving flavor, from premium freeze-dried coffee to specialty instant coffee lines. Some startups have even introduced “single-origin” instant coffee packages for users to enjoy the distinctive flavors of each ingredient region, from Ethiopia to Đắk Lắk.
In Vietnam, Vietnamese filter coffee still maintains its unique position in coffee culture. However, instant coffee is gradually creating a new habit: quick – convenient – anytime anywhere coffee. Young people can drink instant coffee in the morning before going to the office, office workers can use it to “recharge energy” during breaks, and many families consider it a familiar beverage in their kitchen cabinets.
Instant coffee, therefore, is not just an industrial product, but also a symbol of modern lifestyle – where speed, convenience, and mobility are prioritized.
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