Compare coffee brands in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Havana, Nespresso, Jed’s Coffee Co, L’Or, Moccona, Hummingbird, Nescafé, Avalanche, Robert Harris, L’affare, Starbucks and Countdown were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Aroma, Packaging, Taste, Texture/Consistency, Variety/Range and Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Havana coffee is the buzz with Kiwi coffee drinkers, earning top 5-Star ratings across six out of seven categories and taking home Canstar Blue’s 2023 Award for Most Satisfied Customers | Coffee.
Our review compares coffee on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared coffee brands before you go ahead and make a purchase. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest mates which coffee they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 1173 Kiwis who had bought coffee to brew at home (i.e. instant coffee, coffee pods, coffee beans or ground coffee beans) in the last 3 months and asked for their feedback on the coffee they bought.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their coffee brands from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Havana is the standout coffee brand in this year’s award. It’s the only coffee to earn 5 Stars for Overall Satisfaction, a rating it achieves alongside a sweep of top scores across all categories. Havana’s customers award it a top rating in every category except one, Variety/Range, for which it earns a strong 4-Star Rating.
Havana coffee was founded back in 1990. When it started, it was one of four companies roasting coffee in New Zealand. Now part of giant drinks company Lion NZ, Havana retains its individual identity and continues to roast and grind great coffee.
Its range now encompasses 28 different coffees featuring different single-origin beans, blends and roasts, both in whole bean and ground coffee. For Havana’s full range of Canstar Blue Award-winning coffees, click here.
Nespresso is the only other brand in our award to earn multiple top 5-Star ratings, which it achieves for its Variety/Range, Texture/Consistence and Packaging. However it is one of only two brands in this year’s award to earn a 3-Star rating for Value for Money. For Overall Satisfaction it earns a 4-Star rating.
Nespresso’s capsule range offers a huge selection of different coffees. It often features seasonal and limited editions, and comes packaged in distinctive capsule designs. A wide range of capsules are available in most supermarkets, while the full Nespresso range is available online here.
Jed’s Coffee Co earns strong 4-Star ratings across the board, except for the brand’s Variety/Range of products, for which it earns 3 Stars.
Jed’s Coffee Co is a homegrown brand that has expanded its range considerably over the past few years. As well as a range of different strength roasts, Jed’s offers different grinds, to suit both espresso machines and plungers, as well as whole beans, coffee bags, freeze-dried instant coffee and coffee capsules, for use in Nespresso coffee machines.
L’Or is one of only three brands in our ratings to earn a clean sweep of excellent 4-Star ratings in every category rated by its consumers.
L’Or is a coffee brand that is owned by Jacobs Douwe Egberts, one of the world’s largest coffee companies, which also owns the Moccona brand. In New Zealand, L’Or sells a range of different intensity roast and flavoured coffee capsule for use in Nespresso coffee machines.
The Moccona coffee brand scores highly, earning 4-Star ratings across all but one categorie: Variety/Range, for which it earns a 3-Star rating.
A brand owned by Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Moccona has a range that comprises primarily of instant coffees, flavoured instant coffees and flavoured latte and cappuccino drink mixes. It also sells a limited selection of coffee capsules for use in Nespresso coffee machines
Hummingbird’s customers are very happy with the brand’s coffee, awarding it excellent 4-Star ratings in every category, including Overall Satisfaction and Value for Money.
Hummingbird Coffee Roasters is an NZ brand that has been roasting beans for nearly three decade. It was also one of the first Kiwi coffee companies to import ethically grown coffee beans. It sells a wide range of whole beans and ground coffees, which are fair trade and organic.
The iconic international coffee brand earns strong ratings from its legion of drinkers. It scores 4-Star ratings across all categories, except Variety/Range, for which it earns a 3-Star rating.
Nescafé is a brand that is synonymous with coffee. Its range comprises primarily of instant coffees, flavoured instant coffees and flavoured latte and cappuccino drink powders. It also sells coffee capsules for use in its sister brand Nespresso’s coffee machines.
While a number of brands in our ratings earn 4-Star Overall Satisfaction ratings, Avalanche is one of only three brands to earn excellent 4-Star ratings in every category rated by Kiwi coffee consumers.
Avalanche is a Kiwi owned and operated coffee brand that was founded just over 20 years ago. It sells a range of fresh coffee beans and grinds, in addition to coffee capsules, for use in Nespresso machines, and instant coffee. Like the big international brands, it also sells its own range of flavoured milky coffee powders.
Robert Harris earns a 4-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction. It is one of five coffee brands in this year’s award research to earn 4-Stars in all categories except one. For Variety/Range it earns 3 Stars.
Robert Harris is one of the oldest coffee brands in New Zealand. It was founded over 70 years ago and has grown to include over 30 cafe franchises across the country.
The range of Robert Harris coffees available in supermarkets includes single-origin beans, instant coffee, fresh ground coffee, infused ground coffee and coffee pods.
L’affare earns the same set of ratings as Robert Harris: a sweep of 4-Star ratings across the board, except for 3 Stars for Variety/Range. However its Overall Satisfaction rating is slightly lower than that of rival Robert Harris, which is denoted by its lower ranking on our Star Ratings table.
Established in Wellington in 1990, L’affare is another home-grown coffee success story. The brand operates its own cafes in Wellington and Auckland, and supplies coffee and coffee equipment to the wider hospitality industry.
L’affare’s range of coffees includes capsules and a wide selection of locally roasted whole and ground coffee, including Fairtrade and organic beans.
Although Starbucks earns an Overall 4-Star rating, it earns three 3-Star ratings, including for Value for Money. However, as it is one of the more expensive coffee brands, this is perhaps not too surprising.
Starbucks has to be the best-known global coffeeshop brand. Although it sells whole beans in its stores, Starbucks’ products available in supermarkets are limited to an instant coffee and a range of coffee capsules for use in Nespresso machines.
Countdown’s own brand of coffee earns the lowest ratings from Kiwi coffee connoisseurs. It earns predominately 3-Star ratings, including for Overall Satisfaction. Unsurprisingly, given the brand’s focus on low prices, the category for which it earns its best result is Value for Money.
The supermarket chain’s own brand coffee includes a range of fresh and ground coffee beans of different intensity roasts. Countdown also sells instant coffees, flavoured milky coffee powders and coffee capsules, all at budget-friendly prices. For the full range, click here.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
Jarrah is an Aussie brand of instant coffee that is renown for its range of flavoured coffee mixes that require no sugar or milk – just mix with hot water and they’re ready to drink.
Karajoz has been roasting beans for almost 30 years, and is led by Derek Townsend, who is a coffee and cafe legend in Auckland. Karajoz products are available in supermarkets nationwide and encompass a range of blends, in whole bean and ground.
Shaky Isles is a smaller coffee brand that was established in Auckland around 15 years ago. It currently sells two roasts of fresh coffee, The Standard and The Allied, which are available in beans and different grinds. Shaky Isles promises that two new roasts, plus a decaffeinated coffee, are in the pipeline.
Coffee tastes are very personal. Some like their coffee milky and sweet, others short, black and bitter. But whether you’re a latte or an instant lover, one thing is paramount, the flavour of the coffee.
A third of respondents in our survey are faithful to one brand, which corresponds to the biggest factor influencing their choice of outstanding coffee: taste, cited by 36% of our coffee consumers.
Oddly, aroma comes at the bottom of the list of influencing factors. Although that’s probably to do with the fact that all coffee smells great!
Here’s the full rundown of what the consumers in our survey say are the main things they consider when rating their coffee picks:
Espresso is simply a shot of coffee, with no extra water added. To make an espresso, shoot boiling water under high pressure through finely-ground coffee beans and then pour into a tiny cup. The strong coffees are the purest coffee experience you can get, and while not for everyone, they can be a truly singular experience when you find a good brew.
This is simply a shot of espresso coffee with extra added hot water. The coffee style is said to originate from US soldiers in Italy during WWII.
A long black is made by pouring a double shot of espresso over hot water. This method retains the coffee’s crema (distinctive creamy head), which is lost if you add hot water to an espresso.
Lungo is Italian for long, and a Lungo is a shot of espresso that’s been pulled for longer – had more water pushed through the coffee grounds over a longer time period. It results in a more dilute, milder tasting coffee, yet with more caffeine and a slightly more bitter taste.
Possibly the most popular coffee in New Zealand. A flat white is made by pouring velvety steamed milk over a shot of espresso, with minimal froth.
Popular worldwide, though less so here thanks to our preference for flat whites, lattes consist of steamed milk and a small layer of milk froth. It’s like a flat white, only with a little more volume on top.
The frothiest and foamiest of the milky coffee triumvirate, the cappuccino is possibly the most popular type of coffee in the world. A cappuccino consists of three layers: equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foam.
Here in NZ, we tend to use a double-shot of espresso as the basis of all our coffee beverages. So our cappuccinos tend to have a little more kick than cappuccinos elsewhere.
A macchiato is a shot of espresso that is topped off with foamed milk dashed directly into the cup. Although it’s similar to a cappuccino, it’s usually stronger, as there’s no hot milk added. And it’s also smaller, usually served in an espresso-sized cup.
A mocha is just a latte with added chocolate powder or syrup, sometimes topped with whipped cream. If anything, this is a good entry-level coffee – existing in the world between children’s hot chocolates and adult café lattes.
This report was written by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.
Ground coffee beans: 38%
Coffee pods/ capsules: 33%
Whole coffee beans: 28%
Buy the coffee brand that’s on special: 33%
Stick to one coffee brand: 33%
Use an espresso machine: 33%
Have stopped buying takeout coffees to save money: 31%
Use a plunger: 27%
Buy the cheapest coffee brand due to high grocery costs: 20%
Use non-dairy milks: 17%
Buy fair trade coffee: 14%
I buy organic coffee: 10%
Use a stovetop espresso pot: 8%
Canstar Blue surveyed 2558 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers who who had bought coffee to brew at home (i.e. instant coffee, coffee pods, coffee beans or ground coffee beans) in the last 3 months. In this case, 1173 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
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