If you take a look at their list of ingredients, you'll discover new words to add to your vocabulary. Many of these ingredients are necessary to increase the shelf life of the product and improve the flavor, which disappears when food is not fresh. Most of their coffee is made with a blend of Robusta and Arabica coffee beans from Central America. Café Bustelo does not indicate the real origin of the beans on its packaging or website.
According to an email from the company, its coffee comes from suppliers in more than 20 different countries. The percentage of grains in any country varies depending on availability. It is then processed, decaffeinated and roasted at facilities in the United States. People who enjoy the intense and bold flavor of Bustelo Coffee compare its profile to notes of chocolate and nuts.
Today, Bustelo Coffee is roasted and packaged by Rowland Coffee Roasters, from Miami, Florida, which fits perfectly with the large Cuban population of Miami. No matter how you prefer to prepare your coffee, Café Bustelo can be the perfect product because of its versatility. If all you're familiar with are the bright yellow and red cans on the shelves of your local supermarket, or even if Café Bustelo is a staple in your home, you might not know its interesting origin story. Another good thing to know is that there are several different variations of the traditional Café Bustelo.
The audacity of its yellow and red packaging and the competitive price sometimes make people doubt whether Bustelo Coffee is made with genuine beans or not. Some coffee and espresso grounds, especially those produced in large quantities, can taste overwhelmingly bitter or burnt (according to this Pure Wow review), but Café Bustelo still boasts an intense flavor that is second to none. Café Bustelo coffee is an inexpensive, dark roasted Cuban coffee, with a delicious mild flavor that competes with much more expensive brands. After the success of the first store in Spanish Harlem, Café Bustelo's physical product began to reach wineries and stores throughout New York City, as Bustelo personally purchased its product in the 1930s.
This is Café Bustelo Supreme, which has an even greater impact, as it is made from 100% arabica beans (through Café Bustelo). Gregorio brought this Latin-inspired coffee idea to the United States and thus Café Bustelo was born, which today is one of the most popular Cuban and espresso-style coffees in the United States. If you think your current coffee seems a little weak or you simply want to improve your coffee level, then Bustelo Coffee might be the right choice for you. In fact, Bustelo lived for a while in Cuba before emigrating to the United States, and it was there that he let himself be carried away by his specialty espresso coffee and wanted to take that experience to the United States (via NBC News).
There is also a line of Sweet & Creamy coffees, such as Dulce De Leche instant coffee packages and Café con Leche in cans, with a cartoon of Lady Bustelo Angelina, Gregorio Bustelo's wife, according to the brand's website. Art of Barista says Bustelo Coffee is a great black coffee, but he also suggests adding some milk and brown sugar to achieve a traditional coffee flavor profile. Bustelo Coffee has been popular for quite some time, and dates back to its beginnings in the early 20th century.