The debate on instant coffee versus ground coffee is extensive. While many wish to know which one is better and which one to pick, some have come to love both equally. In this article, we will discuss how both the coffee choices are leaders in their own category and why you can have both without any guilt.

Soluble or instant coffee is as the name suggests, quick and easy to make. You find it at every corner store and is the first choice for novice coffee drinkers. The ease of this is often looked down upon since many equate the experience of brewing a fresh cup as the real coffee experience. But the quality of the regular instant is improving with every passing day, making it a highly competitive coffee pick for many.

The good old ground coffee carries an air of trust and privilege with it. Many see it as a mark of a seasoned coffee drinker who knows about the taste of real coffee, more than the instant coffee drinker.

The general perception surrounding Instant Coffee and Ground Coffee

When comparing the two, instant coffee has seen a consistent demand for decades, accounting for approximately 34% of all retail brewed coffee consumed worldwide. No wonder you see it everywhere, from departmental and online stores to the small paan shops in every nook and cranny.

Ground coffee on the other hand is enjoyed by a limited audience, especially in India. It is found in select cafes and online stores.

Pricing wise instant coffee is considered more affordable with the universal average of a single cup of instant priced at $0.07 (approx. ₹5). Whereas the average price of ground coffee is $0.37 per cup (approx. ₹28). The value of ground coffee also goes up due to the various specialised equipment required to brew it.

The war of flavour and aroma

Instant coffee is almost equated with a ‘chalky consistency and a bitter, almost sour taste’. The popular options in the Indian market made a flavour out of instant coffee which was neither like coffee nor unlike it. We often called the flavour ‘instant coffee like’ at the Sleepy Owl HQ.

However, in 2020 the perception around instant coffee at the Sleepy Owl HQ started to change. After several rounds of research and development, we introduced a Premium Instant Coffee which was made of 100% Arabica coffee using the advanced Micrgorund Technology that freeze-dried the ground coffee along with coffee solubles to retain the authentic flavour and aroma of freshly brewed coffee. This was a game-changer, even for us.