Kenco

Kenco, a century of coffee in the United Kingdom

Kenco is a coffee brand that has been a presence in British homes for a hundred years. Its website presents itself as a space to discover its products and its sustainability programme, and traces its origin to a century-long dedication to coffee. The brand is part of the JDE Peet's group, which supplies the beans through its responsible sourcing programme Common Grounds.

Product range

Kenco's offering is organised into several product families:

• Jars and refills: instant coffee in the traditional format and paper refill packs to reuse the glass jar. The brand states that a refill pack uses 97% less packaging than a glass jar with a lid, per gram of coffee.
• Millicano: a blend of instant coffee with roasted, ground arabica beans. The brand notes that it contains 15% roasted and ground coffee in each tin, and describes it as the most premium product in its range.
• Classic range: includes varieties such as Kenco Smooth, a medium roast instant coffee, and Kenco Gold Indulgence, made with a blend of medium and dark roast beans.
• Classic frothy coffees: such as creamy cappuccino, ready in seconds.
• Iced or hot lattes: available in flavours such as vanilla and salted caramel, to prepare with hot or cold water.
• Plant-based drinks: oat and almond lattes, dairy-free, low in fat and sugar.
• Other categories: In 1 pods, speciality coffees, speciality tins, and espresso concentrate.

Preparation and consumption

For the iced or hot lattes, the brand states that you simply empty a sachet into a cup and add 200 ml of hot or cold water, stirring until smooth. Instant coffee should be stored in a cool, dry place, and the best before date is on the base of the packaging. All Kenco products are suitable for vegetarians, although the brand clarifies that its oat and almond plant-based alternatives are not vegan certified.

Sustainability and sourcing

Kenco operates within JDE Peet's Common Grounds programme, built on three pillars: responsible sourcing, minimising environmental footprint, and connecting people. The brand states that JDE Peet's has achieved 77% responsibly sourced coffee, with the aim of reaching 100% by 2025. It also states that its Banbury factory sends zero waste to landfill.

As for packaging, Kenco jars, Millicano tins, and Duo pods can be fully recycled at home, as can the cardboard from the frothy coffee range. Individual sachets are not yet recyclable, and refills can be taken to local supermarket recycling points.

Presence and community

The brand states that one in four UK households chooses Kenco. Its website includes content generated around the consumer community, with examples of home preparations and everyday uses of the product. Kenco also partners with parkrun, a sports initiative mentioned in its sustainability section.

Customer service

The brand offers a customer service line for the United Kingdom and another for Ireland, available Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:00. The site also warns of a scam detected in South Africa that fraudulently uses the Kenco name and asks consumers to ignore and block any account requesting payment details.