Kenco Reviews 

The kenco coffe smooth that i loved for many yearrs is now disgusting..
I will never buy it again

I wouldn't even give it one star if I had a choice. After years of being a loyal customer to the Kenco coffee, I and my partner are utterly disgusted by the recent so called "change for the better", the new coffee is bitter, it doesnt dissolve and always leave an icky residue at the bottom of the cup. It's safe to say Kenco has become cheap and joined the bottom heap of coffee offerings.
It was already bad enough with the recent price increases and then deciding on smaller jars for the same increased price but now with the disgusting change to the recipe, I will now be going elsewhere for my coffee.

After many years of buying Kenco Rich, I am now finished with the brand.

The old jar contained 200g and proudly stated “Freeze Dried Instant Coffee. Nothing Else!”. The new jar has been reduced to 190g, while the recipe has changed to 90% instant coffee / 10% roast and ground coffee.

That means the actual instant-coffee content has fallen from 200g to 171g — a 14.5% reduction.

We compared the old and new products side by side and, in our opinion, the new Kenco Rich is noticeably weaker and inferior. The redesigned wraparound label also does not adhere particularly well.

I contacted Kenco/JDE Customer Relations and specifically asked why the jar had been reduced from 200g to 190g, whether the new 90/10 formulation was now permanent, and why such a significant change had been made.

Those questions were not properly answered.

Instead, I was told that the new recipe had been consumer-tested, that pricing was at the retailer’s discretion, and that my feedback would be passed to the brand team. When I asked for a refund, I was simply told to contact the retailer — despite explaining that I no longer had the receipt.

The second reply was so formulaic that the final sentence was actually duplicated word-for-word.

What disappoints me most is not simply that Kenco has reduced the pack size and reformulated a product we had bought for years, but the way a long-standing customer’s concerns were handled: feedback acknowledged, but the substance repeatedly avoided.

I have since seen numerous similar complaints online about the smaller jar, altered recipe and poorer taste, so our experience appears far from isolated.

Kenco has lost a long-standing customer. Unless the former product returns, I will not buy Kenco Rich again.

One star — for both the product change and the way the complaint was handled.

kenco smooth, new mix in 190 gram jar. once, opening the jar, i would pass it around so we could all smell the lovely aroma of coffee....not now, it is faintly reminiscent of my late brothers old holborn tobacco pouches, when they were stale and in the bin... the taste, well, as disgusting as the smell. it will be THE last jar i purchase.

I've always bought kenco smooth coffee but the change in recipe is a step too far. I'd still have bought it just for a 190g jar if they hadn't changed the recipe. It's a different taste now and leaves residue in the bottom of my cup.

Hi what in earth has happened to your once lovely coffee . For nearly 15 years from changing from nescafe to kenco and buying 2 large jars a week of the blue jar. Ive tried the kenco smooth 7 and was very dissapointed at what some absolute looney has chosen to wreck your once amazing coffee taste to what ive tried now it is not the same ive even tried large jar of the rich one and that is ecactly the same as in totally different and both coffees leave a sediment at the bottom of your cup. Please please please go back to your original taste in your coffees. I dont mind the new style jars or 5% less that ant the issue the issue lies with what ever brainboxes idea it was to ruin The Kenco Taste in 2026 after 103 years .... please send a copy to the company director of my message because your unique coffee taste is no more . Some may like it but i know that those that have brought your brand for a lifetime know the difference and they wont buy anymore. So dissapointed as only coffee i would have because of its unique taste that was the whole point of the family brand of Kenco since 1923 . Why would anyone want to change a uniqie taste of coffee that sells and people enjoy to what has happened to the coffee in 2026 doesnt make any sense unless the person was drunk at the time of there bright idea. Ive tried , ive tested and will have to find a different coffee maye dough egberts or somerhing bit nothing will be anywhere near your original taste and tbh as a grown man of 48 years it actually brings a tear to my eyes .
Sincerely
Lee

I have drunk kenco smooth coffee for years. The product has changed recently and it tastes disgusting. Makes me feel sick therefore I'm looking for an alternative. Kenco please change your coffee back.

WONT BUY AGAIN.
This new Kenco is terrible. I would usually buy a 200g jar every week. Won't be buying it anymore now they have changed it. Im not overly fussed about the shrinkflation (jar size reduced from 200g to 190g) but the coffee tastes terrible now and leaves sludge in your cup.

What used to be My favourite instant coffee is now relegated to the “must avoid” list since the “shrinkflation” and the recipe change to include non soluble coffee grounds…basically “coffee dust”. Ive thrown a full jar (minus two undrinkable cupfuls) as it is now not “smooth” at all but gritty and bitter.
Poor show Kenco☹️😡

Kenco smooth with the red lid used to be my favorite coffee but the new recipe is disgusting bitter and leaves black sludge in the bottom of the cup its awful .

Why change the recipe when there was nothing wrong ?
It's now a horrible taste resembling a mixture of Camp Coffee and Mellow Birds. It doesn't fully dissolve and leaves a dark brown sludge in the bottom of the mug.
Whoever authorised this please sack them and return the product to how it was previously or will you wait until the sales drop and you loose a fortune ?

Brought the new look jar, with less in..Nothing says its a new recipe..Horrible cheap coffee taste and looks like mud at the bottom of the mug, smaller amount. 190g instead of 200g, been drinking this smooth kenco coffee for years. Why try and change something that people have had no complaints about. Until now.. sorry but kenco is NOT for me anymore. Unless the original recipe returns...doesn't even deserve 1 star.

What on earth have they done what a disaster you have ruined a lovely cup of coffee I have drunk Kenco smooth and rich for years I’ve been noticing the terrible taste since jar change nasty taste to residue in bottom of cup for a while typed into google to see what has happened am I the only one that thinks so apparently im not loads of bad reviews hope the company takes notice I won’t buy again 😢

Why have you changed the formula for Kenco Rich.Completely ruined a loverly cup of coffee. I have changed my brand until the old recipe is reinstated.

Kenco's response to my complaint about the new sludge - basically they really couldn't care less:

Thank you for taking the time to get in touch and for sharing your feedback with us.

The Kenco Rich range now includes 10% finely milled roast and ground coffee. Because the product contains finely ground coffee, you may notice a small amount of coffee residue or sediment left in the cup after preparation. This is a natural result of the blend composition and is expected with this recipe.

We hope this helps explain the change you have noticed. We’ll also make sure your comments are forwarded to our Brand Team, as feedback like yours is important to us.

Thank you again for your time and feedback. If there is anything else we can help you with, please get back in touch.

The new Rich Kenco coffee is absolutely terrible to the point Iv gone back to my old Maxwell House brand. Please for the love of god go back to the original recipe. If not you are going to loose me as a customer.

I'm afraid I agree with previous reviews; a disastrous change to the recipe making a cheaper flavour with the sludge at the bottom of my mug. Plus a cynical lower weight. Managed to buy one of the original jars of Kenko Rich and immediately noticed the marked difference.

They have tried to copy Milenco by mixing freeze dried instant with ground coffee. The result is muddy bitter coffee. That's me finished with Kenko after 15 years of loving it previously.

I've drank Kenco Rich for decades. I really enjoy the flavour.

I cannot drink the microground coffees such as Millicano. I have Crohn's Disease (inflammatory bowel disease) and the presence of the coffee grounds causes my disease to flare up.

I'm very disappointed to discover Kenco Rich now contains coffee grounds. This was not marked on the new packaging and it's caused my condition to flare up.

It's extremely irresponsible to change the recipe and add extra ingredients without making this abundantly clear on the packaging. Had the coffee grounds been noted on the pack, I would not have bought it.

A very poor decision to alter what was a very good coffee. Cheap packaging hasn't helped either. Won't buy again.