The Origins of Nescafé: How Instant Coffee Was Invented

Ever wondered how instant coffee—something so widely used yet rarely celebrated—actually came to be? Most coffee drinkers today have used a sachet or jar of instant at some point, but few know the decades-old science and international collaboration that led to its creation. The story begins not with a marketing team, but with a global coffee surplus and one determined researcher in Switzerland.

In 1938, after seven years of research, Nestlé launched the world’s first successful instant coffee: Nescafé. It was developed in response to a request from the Brazilian government to create a soluble coffee that retained real coffee flavor and could be prepared simply with hot water.

The Origins of Nestlé: From Baby Food to Coffee

Nestlé’s story began long before coffee. In 1866, the company was founded in Switzerland by chemist Henri Nestlé, who invented the first infant food, Farine Lactée (milk flour), in 1867. This product saved the life of a premature infant who couldn’t tolerate his mother’s milk, launching Nestlé’s mission: “Good Food, Good Life.” While not directly related to coffee, this foundation set the stage for Nestlé’s approach to solving nutrition-based problems with science—something that would carry over into their work on soluble coffee decades later.

How Nescafé Was Invented: Solving a Global Coffee Problem

In the 1930s, Brazil faced a major surplus of coffee beans, threatening the stability of its coffee industry. To address the issue, the Brazilian government reached out to Nestlé to develop a way to preserve coffee and make it more accessible globally. Led by coffee expert Max Morgenthaler, Nestlé assembled a research team and began work in 1930 to create a coffee product that could be easily dissolved in water while preserving the taste of freshly brewed coffee.

The team spent seven years in Nestlé’s Swiss laboratories experimenting with various methods of coffee extraction, concentration, and drying. By 1937, they had refined a process to produce a stable, soluble coffee powder. The final product, Nescafé, was introduced to the Swiss market on April 1, 1938. The name combined “Nestlé” and “café” to symbolize the meeting of the company’s legacy and the new coffee format.

Global Expansion and Wartime Popularity

Following its launch, Nescafé was quickly exported to France, Britain, and the United States. However, World War II initially hindered its spread across Europe. Despite this, the product found a crucial new audience during the war: American soldiers. Nescafé was included in U.S. military rations, exposing a wide population to instant coffee and cementing its utility in everyday life. After the war, its popularity surged, especially among teenagers in the 1950s who frequented coffee shops and listened to rock music—often choosing Nescafé as their coffee of choice.

Today, it’s estimated that nearly 5,500 cups of Nescafé are consumed worldwide every second. That adds up to millions of cups per day, a testament to the lasting impact of Max Morgenthaler’s work and Nestlé’s early investment in soluble coffee technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Nescafé invented?

Nescafé was invented in 1938 after seven years of research by Nestlé, beginning in 1930. The project was initiated in response to a request from the Brazilian government to solve their coffee surplus problem.

Who invented Nescafé?

Nescafé was developed by Max Morgenthaler, a coffee specialist working with a research team at Nestlé. They conducted experiments in Nestlé’s Swiss labs to create a soluble coffee that preserved flavor and could be prepared with just hot water.

Why did Brazil ask Nestlé to create instant coffee?

In the 1930s, Brazil had a large surplus of coffee beans and needed a solution to prevent a market collapse. They approached Nestlé to develop a coffee product that could be stored longer, shipped more easily, and prepared without brewing equipment—leading to the creation of Nescafé.

How was the first instant coffee made?

The first successful instant coffee, Nescafé, was made by extracting coffee, concentrating it, and then drying it into a soluble powder. The exact method was refined over seven years in Swiss laboratories before the product was launched in 1938.

When did Nescafé become popular?

Nescafé gained traction in Europe and abroad shortly after its 1938 launch, but its popularity soared during and after World War II, especially in the U.S., where it was included in military rations. By the 1950s, it became a staple for young coffee drinkers.

How many cups of Nescafé are consumed per second?

It is estimated that almost 5,500 cups of Nescafé are consumed around the world every second, reflecting its massive global reach since its introduction in 1938.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Brewing Like the 1930s

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