Coffee Review: UCC Coffee Original Blend with Milk

After a bit of a dry spell of trying to find some new coffee, I was super excited when I stumbled across a 11.3 Floz (337ml) can of Original Blend UCC Coffee while at my local World Market store for bean paste filled mochi. It was an unexpected discovery but one I eagerly scooped up off of the shelf, tucked it into my arms with the other items I was carrying and scurried rather quickly from the back of the store to the cash register to pay for everything. After taking it home and sticking it into the fridge to chill, I waited patiently before I finally plucked the can from the depths.

Cracking the beverage open and taking a sip, my taste buds were greeted by the creamy smooth blend of coffee and milk. I was pleasantly surprised that there was no bitter initial taste or even bitter after taste. It was also a delight to discover that there was no added sweetness, which in many coffee drinks makes the beverage feel as if there was a sugary sludge going down the back of your tongue. Instead, there is actually no sugar at all in the drink which allows you to enjoy just the natural sweetness of the blend itself.

For those of you out there unfamiliar with UCC Coffee, the company itself was formed in 1933 in Kobe, Japan. Their website states “In keeping with this founding spirit, we have constantly pursued ever higher levels of coffee quality, and so have become involved in all parts of the coffee production and supply chain, from cultivation and import of green beans to roasting and sales. Our products are not only sold within Japan but also exported to more than ten other countries. In markets across the globe, they continue to delight those who know and love coffee.” While I roamed to do some price checking, I discovered that you can order a can of the UCC Coffee with milk for $4.95 from Amazon.com . A bit steep for a single can of coffee especially when I paid in the $1.50 - $2.50 range which is about the same price for a small bottle of Starbucks coffee. I did discover that there is a site called foodservicedirect.com where you can order 24 cans for $45.65 and will ship in 3 days.  That would make each can $1.90 which is completely reasonable for the size and quality of the drink. Of course due to the fact that the shipment would be about 22.06 lbs ( 9.98kg) and shipping cost (an additional $26.19 depending on your location), your total would end up being $71.84. In retrospect, not exactly the best way to go if you're on a tight budget. My suggestion is that if you're interested in trying this, go to your local World Market. If you don't have one in your area, it might be best to do a little research to see if there is a specialty food store that carries it. Of course, if you're in Japan, then you can easily locate a can to sample.