Nestlé advances freeze-drying tech to solve cold coffee clumping as demand proliferates

Nestlé has developed an innovative freeze-drying technique to address the solubility and clumping challenge in cold coffee. By addressing such technical formulation issues, the innovation aims to provide businesses with a scalable, cost-effective solution to meet the growing consumer demand for cold coffee across multiple formats.

According to the National Coffee Association USA, 42% of Americans consumed cold coffee at least once weekly in 2023, up from 30% in 2020. Additionally, the global iced coffee market was valued at approximately US$9.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$16.8 billion by 2033.

“Cold coffee is an incredibly creative and dynamic space, and people are looking for variety and versatility in their coffees,” Siobhan Gaudino, head of R&D for Nescafé, Nestlé Product Technology Center for Coffee in Orbe, Switzerland, tells Food Ingredients First.

“Younger generations, in particular, have embraced the trend of drinking their coffee cold, and the rise of specialty coffee shops and cafés offering a wide range of cold coffee options has contributed to making it accessible and appealing to consumers.”

Overcoming “clumping” challenges

Freeze-drying of coffee is also known as lyophilization and is a gentle dehydration process that includes brewing coffee extract and then freezing it at -40°C, followed by drying in a vacuum chamber below 0°C to remove moisture through sublimation. Instant coffee formulators use the method to preserve flavor, aroma, and nutrition.

However, they face a key technical challenge in traditional freeze-dried coffee — clumping when mixed with cold liquids, which affects both solubility and the overall drinking experience. 

While traditional freeze drying works in developing soluble coffee for hot consumption, it presents flavor and clumping challenges in cold coffee, says Gaudino.“For many years, we have used freeze-drying technology for developing premium soluble coffee for hot consumption, where consumers prepare their coffee differently and have very different taste expectations than those who prefer cold coffee,” Gaudino tells us.

“However, when using the technology to develop premium soluble cold coffee, there are challenges with the flavor profile, and the coffee tends to clump together. We were able to leverage our expertise in cold coffee innovation to optimize key parameters for the freeze-drying technology, enabling us to improve the solubility and ensure a great flavor profile that consumers expect from premium cold coffee.” 

This led to the launch of Nescafé Iced Blend in Japan in 2023, marking a significant milestone in the company’s cold coffee innovation.

Unlocking coffee science

Nestlé offers a wide range of cold coffee products, from premium options to convenient instant mixes, capsules, and ready-to-drink formats.

“We start by selecting the right bean; our plant scientists breed and select higher-yielding coffee varieties that are resilient to environmental challenges, such as drought and disease,” Gaudino notes.

“We utilize our unique roasting and brewing technologies that enable us to deliver a range of natural coffee flavor profiles — from lighter, fruitier blonde roasts to rich, dark varieties with smoky, caramel, and chocolaty undertones.”

The team then maximizes the sensory attributes of each coffee type to preserve their rich aromas and flavors while maintaining the taste and quality throughout the product shelf life.

The company leverages its proprietary aroma and brewing technologies and rigorous, science-based quality assurance processes to ensure that the above quality parameters are met.

Cold coffee innovation is taking off globally as demand rises for the US$9.8 billion market.

Boosting consumer appeal

Gaudino points out that recent consumer trends have also focused on introducing color and texture through new ingredients and experiences to advance cold coffee’s consumer appeal.

“We are capitalizing on this fast-growing opportunity with a broad and complementary portfolio of innovative products across all our brands.”

This is reflected in the company’s recent collaboration with Starbucks to launch the Starbucks Crema Collection Premium Instant Coffee.

Damien Tissot, head of R&D for Coffee at Nestlé, explains: “The term ‘Crema’ typically refers to the reddish-golden froth on the top of a freshly made espresso shot that’s full of flavor, texture, and aromas.”

“The latest instant coffee innovation captures this essence by delivering this rich layer of foam over the 100% Arabica coffee in just a few seconds, providing consumers with a café-quality coffee experience, whether they have it as a cold or hot beverage.”

The company is also targeting health-conscious consumers with coffee innovations that offer “added functionality” to complement consumer lifestyles. 

These include its Melozio Boost and Stormio Boost coffees in the Nespresso Functional Coffee range, with an average of 200 mg of caffeine per cup, which is 20% more than a regular coffee, using its intricate steam treatment process.

Nestlé first used the optimized freeze drying tech in its iced blend in Japan in 2023 (Image credit: Nestlé).

Scaling cold coffee innovation

In the future, Gaudino anticipates “exciting developments” in the world of cold coffee, which has seen a 15% consumption increase in the past four years, according to Nestlé commissioned studies.

“Additionally, people want to experiment with more flavors and textures, enabling them to elevate their coffee-at-home experience.”

The company is now focusing on scaling its Nescafé espresso concentrate, calling it “one of our six global big bets,” and on ready-to-drink coffee innovations to meet consumer demands.

Targeting the cold coffee trend, the liquid coffee concentrate aims to allow consumers to prepare barista-style personalized iced coffees at home. The product was launched in Australia and China last month and is expected to expand to global markets in the future.