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Brand OriginsAuthor: Chris Garin
Learn about the Origins of the Biggest Brands in the Philippines, as well as the histories behind the biggest brands in the country (Ayala, SM, Jollibee, Shopee, Lazada). A podcast for Filipino entrepreneurs. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Nescafe & the Philippines' Instant Coffee Wars
Episode 4
Monday, 1 December, 2025
In this episode of Brand Origins, we dig into the true history of Nescafé and the instant coffee wars. We uncover the early inventors who came before Nestlé, how instant coffee existed decades earlier, and how Nescafé still became the global leader and the Philippines’ #1 brand.We break down how World War I and World War II turned instant coffee into a battlefield essential, how the Great Depression almost killed the idea entirely, and how Max Morganthaler saved a cancelled project that Nestlé had already abandoned. We also explore Café Puro, Blend 45, Nescafé Gold, Nespresso, Dolce Gusto, Starbucks At Home, and why Nestlé invested in Blue Bottle Coffee.If you want to understand how instant coffee became part of Filipino culture, and how Nescafé won a global war it didn’t even start, this is the full story.Episode Sponsor: The SauceFor bite-sized, easy-to-digest business news in the Philippines, check out The Sauce on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesauce.ph/Want your brand to be featured in future episodes?Visit chrisgarin.com for sponsorships, partnerships, and collaborations.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.garin/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris_garinFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077660561299Threads: https://www.threads.net/@chris.garinTimestamps0:00 – Intro0:50 – Ad: The Sauce3:52 – Satori Kato4:35 – George Washington Coffee5:37 – World War I6:18 – “Cup of Joe” Origins8:25 – Nestlé Enters the Picture9:05 – The Great Depression11:23 – Brazil Taps Nestlé11:36 – Max Morgenthaler15:09 – Why They Called It “Nescafé”16:33 – World War II18:44 – Nescafé in the Philippines19:25 – Nescafé’s Competitors23:35 – Nescafé’s Foreign-Looking Ads26:01 – Nescafé Gold27:05 – Nespresso28:31 – Dolce Gusto28:48 – Starbucks At Home30:27 – Blue Bottle Coffee32:07 – The Nescafé EmpireAbout Brand OriginsBrand Origins tells the stories behind the biggest brands and the ideas that built them. Each episode dives deep into the business moves, cultural moments, and turning points that shaped the companies we see today.
