Is Maxwell House Coffee Made From Arabica Coffee Beans?

Maxwell House Coffee continues to be one of the most prominent coffee brands in the market today, but is Maxwell House coffee made from Arabica coffee beans?

Maxwell House coffee made
Maxwell’s branding “good to the last drop” is one of its great marketing strategy across generations

I can vividly remember that Maxwell House Coffee advertisement where they used Madness’s song “Our House” to create their jingle. The elders, though, would recall the catchy “papapap papap pap” tune. Suffice to say; it is amazing that the brand managed to incorporate itself across three generations with the help of a great marketing strategy.

However, they have also managed to prolong their brand’s lifespan by innovating their line of coffee to ensure their products are “good to the last drop.” One of the steps was to change the coffee beans from Robusta to Arabica in all but their instant coffee and the Master Blend.

Transitioning From Robusta To Arabica

arabica coffee beans with a cup of coffee
Market preference made the company shift to Arabica in 2007 over Robusta

They announced the transition from Robusta to Arabica in 2007. Back then, this was a strategic move as they claimed that the market preferred the taste of the Arabica over the Robusta, and the cost of Robusta beans saw a significant increase that year which carried over to the next. The Kraft Heinz Company denied that the price hike was the reason behind this change.

Despite its initial edge over its competitors regarding taste and aroma, the company has returned to an Arabica and Robusta blend for most of its products.

Differences Between Robusta And Arabica

There are four types of coffee beans; Liberica, Excelsa, Arabica, and Robusta. The general public is most familiar with the last two.

While there is no perfect cup of Joe, most will agree that Arabica tastes better than Robusta as the former’s flavor is more pronounced. It is smoother, sweeter, and has a chocolatey and fruity hint. The latter, however, is stronger and bolder in taste, but an advantage of the Robusta is that it is higher in caffeine content, with Arabica containing half as much caffeine.

Knowing their differences can go a long way in pinpointing your preferred Java. To learn more about these popular brews, you can check out our in-depth comparison between Robusta and Arabica.

Maxwell House Coffee Made Blends To Try

Maxwell House Morning Boost

Maxwell House Morning Boost comes in a large canister that makes it quick and easy to brew in the office. It is medium-roasted and retains the smooth and sweet notes you can expect from an Arabica coffee bean. The coffee goes down smoothly but will quickly put a pep in your step.

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03/07/2024 08:10 pm GMT

Maxwell House Blend K-Cups

If you are a proud owner of a Keurig machine, then you might want to try their medium roast house blend K-cups. The Arabica’s flavor profile is more distinct compared to the instant and is an ideal gentle boost for the morning person. Surprisingly, it goes really well with a typical American breakfast.

You might also want to browse other flavors that are best for your Keurig coffee machine to find which suits your taste.

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03/07/2024 04:40 am GMT

Future Of Maxwell House Coffee

group of friends talking happily while in a coffee shop
The brand is targeting the millennial and the emerging Gen-Z market

The brand is targeting the millennial and the emerging Gen-Z market given that their caffeine consumption increased to 65% and 46%, respectively. Taking these markets’ consumption habits, they released a new line of products called Max Boost and Max Indulge. 

The Max Boost caters to the demand for higher caffeine content by offering three levels to choose from. Meanwhile, Max Indulge taps into the latest trend by providing a selection of mocha-based flavors for young consumers – mocha, salted caramel, and s’mores. 

Versions of these were produced by the brand early on. These were the line of flavored instant coffee, ranging from hazelnut to French vanilla, that aimed to entice the new generation of coffee lovers.

Although Maxwell House Coffee still lags behind its competitors in the United States, the brand had its moments. In the early days of the pandemic, packaged coffee sales rose to more than 24% over a four-week period, 18.7% of which was experienced by Kraft Heinz.

It is also slowly gaining traction in other parts of the world. JDE Peet, the company that owns the Maxwell House brand outside North America, continues to enjoy success in China and has recently introduced the brand’s first Cold Brew Pure Instant Coffee, which comes in a 1.8-gram shot. The product has received praise due to its strong flavor, which caters to the market’s preference.

These innovations are a step towards making the brand relevant again. However, more must be done if it wishes to return to the top of the market.

Author

  • Renz Lyndon Paguio

    His love for java originated from sidewalk vendors offering cheap 3-in-1 instant coffees poured in styrofoam cups. If he’s not in a studio or in an event venue, you’ll find RL crafting his own cold brew or sharing his experiences to fellow coffeephiles.