Do any coffee-flavoured drinks come close to the real thing?

By the Editorial Team · Friday, September 25, 2026

Mina Holland evaluated various coffee-flavored beverages ahead of the Macmillan Coffee Morning, finding that many canned lattes and protein drinks contain high milk and sugar levels, making them quite different from traditional coffee. Her review highlights the difficulty these products face in satisfying purist tastes while balancing convenience and nutrition in a growing market.

In anticipation of the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning, which supports healthcare charities, Mina Holland undertook a tasting of various coffee-flavored beverages to assess how closely these products compare to traditional coffee. With nearly three decades of experience as a coffee drinker, Holland maintains a preference for a short, strong brew made in a moka pot with only a small amount of milk. Despite experimenting with different brands and styles, she remains loyal to classic preparations.

Holland’s review focused particularly on the growing market of canned coffee lattes and coffee-flavored protein drinks, which have become increasingly popular but often deviate from the characteristics of real coffee. Many of these products contain a high proportion of milk—typically three-quarters or more—along with added sugar or artificial sweeteners, resulting in a sweetened beverage more akin to a liquid dessert than a traditional cup of coffee.

Among the canned options, the Grind Iced Vanilla Oat Latte stood out as the best in terms of coffee content and sugar levels. This product contained 57% milk and 40% coffee, with less added sugar than many competitors. However, most such drinks rely on ultra-high temperature (UHT) treated dairy or plant-based alternatives, which can impart flavors less favorable to purists.

Protein-enriched coffee beverages were also examined. Emmi’s Caffe Latte High Protein claims to offer a higher protein content, but Holland found it comparable to other similar drinks, suggesting the branding may be more of a marketing tactic targeting health-conscious consumers rather than offering a genuine nutritional advantage. Yfood’s “This Is Food” product, a ready-to-drink coffee-flavored meal replacement with 30 grams of protein and a complex ingredient list, was criticized for failing to resemble either coffee or conventional food, raising questions about its appeal and efficacy as a substitute.

Overall, while the market for coffee-flavored drinks is expanding with diverse offerings, these products often fall short of delivering the authentic coffee experience preferred by traditional drinkers. Holland’s assessment highlights the challenges in balancing convenience, flavor, and nutritional content in ready-to-drink coffee beverages.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.