Instant coffee is going posh. Value sales of it have surged 6.5% to £1.1bn on volumes up 2.7% [NIQ 52 w/e 13 June 2026].

Despite this, just four of the 10 top-selling instant coffee brands – Nescafé, Costa, Starbucks and Mokate – have sold more product.

They’ve done so by pushing pricier, barista-style products, says Anupama Sanakal, senior analytics executive at NIQ. “Instant coffee is evolving from a traditional pantry staple into a more premium, café-inspired category, with growth driven by lattes, cappuccinos, decaf and refill formats.”

Market leader Nescafé has benefited as a result of this trend. Value sales of its Latte and Gold Cappuccino ranges are up 93.2% and 59.1% respectively, says Sanakal.