Nescafé enters chilled aisle with RTD Iced Latte

Nestlé has announced the official launch of Nescafé Iced Latte ready-to-drink (RTD) cans across the UK and Ireland, marking a significant strategic expansion for the nation’s top-selling instant coffee brand.

By introducing a 250ml grab-and-go aluminium slimline format, the food and beverage multinational is aggressively moving its core coffee franchise beyond the ambient hot beverage aisle and directly into the highly competitive, high-margin front-of-store chilled display cases.

The rollout includes two initial SKUs — a standard Iced Latte and an Iced Caramel Flavour Latte. This format pivot follows Nestlé’s phased market testing, which included the introduction of larger multi-serve take-home cartons and espresso liquid concentrates.

The shift to a localised, single-serve format represents an essential corporate play to capture the shifting, year-round consumption habits of younger demographics who are increasingly treating coffee as a cold, refreshing beverage rather than a warm morning ritual.

Capitalising on cold coffee

The driver behind Nescafé’s entry into the chilled RTD aisle is a profound demographic and behavioural shift in global coffee markets. Historically viewed as a seasonal summertime alternative, iced coffee has rapidly transitioned into a staple of the daily routine for Millennial and Gen Z consumers. Market data indicates that these younger cohorts view cold coffee through multiple functional lenses: as a source of clean energy, an immediate afternoon refreshment, and an permissible daily indulgence.

By packaging its liquid in single-serve cans, Nescafé is addressing a historical blind spot in its retail portfolio. While the brand has long dominated at-home hot coffee preparation, it lacked a competitive presence for spontaneous, out-of-home, on-the-go consumption occasions. The 250ml can directly targets these impulse-driven shopping trips, placing Nescafé in direct competition with established chilled dairy and RTD coffee players.

Ingrid Hayes, marketing director for Nescafé UK and Ireland, contextualised the portfolio expansion as a direct response to consumer request data: “We know that more and more people are reaching for iced coffee as part of their everyday routine and they’ve been telling us they want Nescafé to be part of that moment. With our new ready-to-drink Iced Lattes, we’re making it easier than ever to enjoy a smooth, creamy iced coffee on the go. It’s the taste and quality you’d expect from Nescafé, in a format that fits right into your day.”

Defending market share

The expansion into ready-to-drink cans also serves as a defence mechanism against the continued growth of high-street coffee chains and specialty boutique cafes. As cold-pour beverages — such as iced lattes, cold brews, and frappes — continue to dominate high-street sales volumes even during winter months, instant coffee brands risk losing relevance among emerging consumer demographics.

Retailing at a recommended selling price (RRP) of £2.00, the Nescafé RTD cans offer an accessible alternative to high-street barista pricing, combining convenience with premium product cues like 100% responsibly sourced coffee beans, a source of calcium, and high protein content.

From hot powder to chilled liquid

From an operational perspective, the launch highlights Nestlé’s broader corporate strategy to diversify its liquid coffee pipeline. Over the past year, the company has systematically laid the groundwork for this chilled transition by introducing product innovations such as Nescafé Espresso Concentrates across European markets, allowing users to build customisable cold drinks at home.

By adding an immediate, zero-preparation RTD can to its roster, Nescafé effectively closes the loop across all major consumer touchpoints — from ambient hot granules and multi-serve home cartons to high-convenience impulse formats.