The coffee beans are roasted at high temperatures (200–250°C) to develop the characteristic coffee aroma and flavor. Roasting profiles (time and temperature) are carefully controlled to achieve the desired flavor.
Roasted beans are ground into fine coffee powder to maximize surface area for extraction. The grind size is optimized for efficient brewing in the next step.
The ground coffee is mixed with hot water (around 175–200°C) in large extraction tanks or columns. This process extracts soluble coffee solids, oils, and flavors.
Often used in factories for efficiency, where fresh water is introduced at the end of the process to maximize extraction.
The extracted coffee liquid is filtered to remove insoluble solids. The resulting liquid is a concentrated coffee solution.
The coffee liquid is concentrated using vacuum evaporators to remove excess water. This step intensifies the coffee flavor and reduces the volume for further processing.
The concentrated coffee liquid is sprayed into a chamber of hot air (around 250°C). The droplets dry instantly, forming a fine coffee powder.
The coffee liquid is frozen at -40°C to form solid sheets. The frozen coffee is then placed in a vacuum chamber, where water is removed by sublimation (solid to vapor), leaving dry coffee granules. Freeze-drying retains more aroma and flavor than spray-drying.
Fine coffee powder can be processed into larger granules to improve solubility and handling. This involves lightly moistening the powder and binding particles together.
The dried coffee is packed into jars, sachets, or vacuum-sealed bags to protect it from moisture and air. Packaging is often done in a nitrogen-flushed environment to preserve freshness.
