Starbucks Just Released an Instant Coffee — and It Actually Froths

Instant coffee is fantastic for lots of reasons: Budgeting, time, and (rightfully) feeling superior by way of an ultra-chic Cafe Bustelo canister. All things considered, though, you might be left missing the creamy mouthfeel and foamy layer that café lattes deliver. Fortunately, a leading coffee chain is aiming to address that complaint with its latest at-home launch.

Starbucks just dropped a packaged coffee that brings espresso’s trademark frothiness to instant coffee. Crema Collection Premium Instant coffee is designed to create a thick layer of foam over the brand’s 100% arabica grounds in mere seconds, a brand representative tells Food & Wine. You’ll find it in three flavors — Salted Caramel, Madagascar Vanilla, and Molten Chocolate — available wherever groceries are sold.

In coffee brewing, “crema” refers to the layer of foam on a fresh-pulled espresso shot that brings a bitter flavor profile and thick mouthfeel to a traditional latte. The brand calls its packaged take on lattes a “one-of-a-kind innovation,” highlighting a potential gap in the grocery market.

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“Through consumer insights, Starbucks Coffee At Home identified a need from coffee drinkers for more convenient, flavor-forward products to uplift their moods during the day, especially in the afternoon,” a Starbucks Coffee at Home spokesperson tells Food & Wine. “Unlike other beverages currently on the market, Crema Collection sips differently and is truly unique with its crafted foam texture, providing a luxurious café-quality experience in the comfort of consumers’ own homes.”

The directions are straightforward: Add 1.5 tablespoons of the mix to water (8 ounces for hot coffee and 4 ounces for an iced beverage) and stir thoroughly until a thick froth develops. Starbucks recommends topping the drink off with its Caramel Macchiato Creamer, but you can use any milk of choice. It’s unclear exactly how the magic happens, but we might look to the ingredient list (particularly the inclusion of anhydrous milk fat) for answers.

Related: Starbucks Is Betting on Bold Floral Flavors and Spicy Treats for Its Spring Menu

The Crema Collection, down to its baristas-in-the-know name, fits right in line with the chain’s recent refocus on its roots. The Back to Starbucks initiative, a company-wide push by CEO Brian Niccol in September, has brought changes to the in-cafe dining experience and menu direction. (It’s worth noting that Starbucks Coffee at Home is a partnership between Nestlé and Starbucks, but the idea still applies.)

“It’s time for us to tell our story again — reminding people of our unmatched coffee expertise, our role in communities and the special experience that only Starbucks can provide,” Niccol said in a 2024 press release.

At a time when many consumers are paring back their daily coffee run in favor of at-home brewing, this one might just be an instant hit.

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