Trader Joes 100% Colombian Instant Coffee
June 17, 2023 5:22 PM Subscribe
My local Trader Joes no longer sells the 100% Colombian Instant Coffee and has not had it for over 6 months.
I really liked it - inexpensive, superb for backpacking, and good enough for daily use (when mixed with creamer etc.)
Two questions:
1. Is it really gone forever? It's still on the TJs website, which is confusing. Perhaps it's just a long-term but local supply chain disruption (I'm in Southern California).
2. Assuming it is gone forever: Many TJ's products are simply rebranded products from other manufacturers. If so, who makes the original version, it and where can I get it?
Two questions:
1. Is it really gone forever? It's still on the TJs website, which is confusing. Perhaps it's just a long-term but local supply chain disruption (I'm in Southern California).
2. Assuming it is gone forever: Many TJ's products are simply rebranded products from other manufacturers. If so, who makes the original version, it and where can I get it?
Response by poster: Thank you - looks like the TJs coffee is $4.50 and the Mount Hagen is $12 for the same size, and based on the jar shape these don't look like the same products to me...
To clarify for the purposes of this Ask: While I'm mostly interested in finding the TJ's coffee (regardless of branding), if you've got a great suggestion for instant coffee, that's appreciated too.
posted by soylent00FF00 at 6:01 PM on June 17, 2023
To clarify for the purposes of this Ask: While I'm mostly interested in finding the TJ's coffee (regardless of branding), if you've got a great suggestion for instant coffee, that's appreciated too.
posted by soylent00FF00 at 6:01 PM on June 17, 2023
f you've got a great suggestion for instant coffee, that's appreciated too
Personally I like the Mount Hagan (in individual packages for travel) and Nescafe Classico (in the big jars from Costco for at home). I've had the TJ's coffee a few times and didn't like it as much, but haven't had it recently so maybe it is better now? The Starbucks individual serving packets are ok but kind of muddy; I'd definitely rate them lower than the others.
(We have good coffee supplies as well and my spouse drinks that, but I genuinely like the instant better for day to day drinking.)
posted by Dip Flash at 7:04 PM on June 17, 2023
Personally I like the Mount Hagan (in individual packages for travel) and Nescafe Classico (in the big jars from Costco for at home). I've had the TJ's coffee a few times and didn't like it as much, but haven't had it recently so maybe it is better now? The Starbucks individual serving packets are ok but kind of muddy; I'd definitely rate them lower than the others.
(We have good coffee supplies as well and my spouse drinks that, but I genuinely like the instant better for day to day drinking.)
posted by Dip Flash at 7:04 PM on June 17, 2023
Take a look at this Reddit thread that suggests some alternatives, as well as the possibility that the TJ’s instant coffee is from Colcafe:
https://www.reddit.com/r/traderjoes/comments/y51pzj/has_anyone_found_a_replacement_for_the_100/
posted by needled at 8:48 PM on June 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
https://www.reddit.com/r/traderjoes/comments/y51pzj/has_anyone_found_a_replacement_for_the_100/
posted by needled at 8:48 PM on June 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Someone asked the same thing on reddit a few months ago, and one reply claimed that the now gone TJ's product was a repackaged Colcafé Classic
posted by zippy at 8:58 PM on June 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by zippy at 8:58 PM on June 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
(nb coffee has gone waaay up recently, so if you bought your TJ's coffee a while ago, expect a higher price per in a replacement)
posted by zippy at 9:01 PM on June 17, 2023
posted by zippy at 9:01 PM on June 17, 2023
We are a Cafe Bustelo household, which is like a secret that lives in plain sight at almost any grocery store. I am not generally a fan of dark roasts but the darkness of this gives it a fuller flavor than a lot of instants.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:12 AM on June 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 7:12 AM on June 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
So vexing, that was the only instant coffee that didn't have a weird fruity taste for me, except Mt. Hagen and some kinds of instant espresso. My solution so far has been to take the instant espresso (Megaglia dOro or Ferrara) traveling. I think the espresso tastes best, better than the TJ's, but it's expensive. I load up when there is a sale.
The TJ's cold brew tasted awful to me the first time, but tried again in an emergency it didn't seem so bad. Maybe if you're using cream?
posted by BibiRose at 9:00 AM on June 18, 2023
The TJ's cold brew tasted awful to me the first time, but tried again in an emergency it didn't seem so bad. Maybe if you're using cream?
posted by BibiRose at 9:00 AM on June 18, 2023
I like Japanese or Korean Nescafe - it comes in individual sachets or in a jar. I usually get it from the local Asian grocery, it's probably around the same price as the TJ's.
posted by fiercekitten at 9:26 AM on June 18, 2023
posted by fiercekitten at 9:26 AM on June 18, 2023
I like the Starbucks Via line for camping coffee. Ok cold, pretty reasonable hot. For the record, I don’t like Starbucks drip coffee
posted by advicepig at 5:27 PM on June 18, 2023
posted by advicepig at 5:27 PM on June 18, 2023
Believe it or not, Walmart's 100% Arabica medium dark instant coffee is both cheap and pretty good.
We also enjoy the Cafe Bustelo, which has actually started appearing in larger jars at our local Fred Meyer. It's very different from the Walmart. It's nice to mix things up a little now and again.
posted by lhauser at 5:44 PM on June 18, 2023
We also enjoy the Cafe Bustelo, which has actually started appearing in larger jars at our local Fred Meyer. It's very different from the Walmart. It's nice to mix things up a little now and again.
posted by lhauser at 5:44 PM on June 18, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
2. I prefer the Mount Hagen Fair Trade instant. Tastier than TJs.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 5:45 PM on June 17, 2023 [2 favorites]