Black Swan brand coffee can be found in Magnit supermarkets - this is their own brand, indicated on the price tags as “Our Brand”. It costs much less than its analogues, and therefore it is actively taken by those who want to save money, or are simply not picky in their choice. If you haven’t bought it yet, it’s worth learning more about the manufacturer, production features, assortment, reviews and prices for Black Swan coffee.
About the brand
As we have already said, this is the Magnit brand. Many retail chains themselves produce or order the production of inexpensive products, and since they do not need to spend money on advertising, the products turn out to be cheap and are bought quite often.
There is elite Black Swan coffee in the world, from individual plantations, as well as the American brand of the same name. But then the manufacturer is not Russia, and the composition and characteristics are clearly written on the pack. Well, the cost of such a product is very high.
Nescafe
It turns out that the products of one of the most famous coffee producers in the world are not of the best quality and, on the contrary, it is better to immediately stop using them.
And all because the advertised Nescafe contains substances that imitate the taste and smell of coffee beans, but have nothing to do with them.
Yes, we are not talking about something dangerous, since the product has nevertheless passed state standardization; another thing is that this does not imply naturalness, much less benefit from use.
See also:
Don't buy this chocolate! TOP 7 worst brands determined by Roskontrol
Raw materials and production
Everything is very interesting with Black Swan coffee producers. Magnit does not have its own factory, and the production of products is ordered from a variety of enterprises, mainly in the Moscow region. Here are at least four options we came across:
- in Mytishchi - produces many different brands of instant coffee for a variety of customers);
- Outspan International in Moscow – imports raw materials and packages locally;
- in Domodedovo - they also produce the Alta Roma drink and many other brands on order;
- SEDA International in Yakhroma, MO - purchases raw materials from SEDA in Spain and packages them themselves.
It is clear that with such a variety of manufacturers, it is impossible to talk about a stable taste of the product.
Therefore, the packaging does not indicate where the grains come from or what variety. There is not a single inscription on the packaging that it is Arabica, only “selected grains”. Russian-made Black Swan coffee is an almost random composition of beans, produced in an almost random factory.
Manufacturer's description
The owner and manufacturer of the product is . This is a large chain that produces its own products. Thanks to this, the organization sells the product at a lower cost. The product is produced using leased facilities. There are several main workshops that produce the drink. These include:
- “Intercafe” – located in Mytishchi;
- “Almafood” – located in Domodedovo;
- "Outspan International" - located in Moscow;
- SEDA International is located in Yakhroma.
Because coffee is produced in different places, there may be some differences in taste. The raw materials from which the product is made are quite difficult to determine. The necessary information regarding the types of drink is missing on the packaging.
Coffee is produced under the Magnit brand.
Raw materials and production of coffee
Magnit does not have its own factory. Therefore, he manufactures his products at various enterprises. They are mainly located in the Moscow region. Thus, Intercafe, which is located in Mytishchi, produces many different types of instant drinks for different customers, including Magnit. , located in Moscow, imports coffee beans and packs them locally. The Almafood factory, which is located in Domodedovo, produces many brands to order. These include the popular product Alta Roma. There is also a plant in Yakhroma, Moscow region - SEDA International. They buy raw materials for the production of their drinks from SEDA, which is located in Spain, and package it themselves. The variety of manufacturers does not allow achieving excellent taste of products. Therefore, it is impossible to find information on the variety or origin of the grains on the packaging. The pack doesn't say it's Arabica. The only information available indicates that the product is made from selected grains.
Range
Since there is no official website for Black Swan coffee, and it is not sold in online stores, we can only describe what we found in stores. The flavor and aroma characteristics of the drink vary depending on the manufacturer and composition, so our descriptions, based on reviews of specific products, may not be accurate.
- Black Swan freeze-dried coffee, in black packaging or glass jar with a black label. The smell is slightly sweet, caramel, the taste is sharp and bitter. Many people taste like a barley or chicory drink; many write that “it’s not coffee, neither in taste nor in smell.”
- Granulated, in red soft packaging. Granular, in fact, is the same cheap powder, only the powder gathers into lumps under the action of steam. The granules are heterogeneous. Consumers note that the drink is “weak.”
- Ground coffee Black Swan, foil soft pack of red-brown color with a print of ground coffee. The manufacturer promises low acidity and a chocolate flavor along with a pleasant aroma. There is not a hint of Arabica on the pack, which means it contains Robusta. It is clear that the aroma and acidity of Arabica cannot come from anywhere. Universal grinding.
- Black Swan coffee beans are in a large white pack, there is no degassing valve. Various-sized grains of all shades - from very light to dark brown. Customers' photos often show twisted, broken grains. A mixture of unknown varieties and species, even the country of delivery is not indicated. But the manufacturer carefully writes that the grain must be ground before cooking.
It is possible that the range of brand products may change, since they are produced to order from the supermarket. If you see other options on the shelves, this is not a fake, but the assortment has simply changed.
Which coffee beans is better?
To choose the best bean coffee, you first need to decide which variety suits you best in terms of smell, taste, strength and some other characteristics. And you should start with roasting.
We have already written about which ground coffee is better to choose here, and about choosing instant coffee here.
Roasting degree
Coffee beans are roasted for different times. If the processing was short, we are talking about light roasting. This coffee will appeal to those who like to drink it with milk or cream.
If roasting lasts a little longer, the beans will be medium-roasted, with a bitter taste and a pronounced aroma. Most coffee lovers prefer to buy this product.
Heavily roasted coffee is the strongest and bitterest. It is most in demand in France and Italy.
There is Viennese, Italian, French roasting. When choosing beans, you should know that their size affects the color and taste of the drink .
If the grains are the same, the color will be uniform. If they are different, it means that the roasting was either weak or strong, and this can spoil the taste of the prepared drink.
Manufacturer country
- Brazil ranks first on the list of producing countries . This is where most coffee is produced. Many consumers consider Brazilian coffee too simple, but they love it for its lack of impurities, bitterness and cocoa taste.
- In second place is Guatemala . Gourmets value Guatemalan coffee for its characteristic spice notes.
- The bronze medal in the ranking goes to Ethiopia . Coffee produced in this country has a sour taste and an admixture of wild berries and cinnamon.
- One of the best types of African coffee comes from Kenya . Coffee production here is strictly controlled by the state. Therefore, the product is of high quality, with sourness and currant notes of taste.
- Another producing country is Colombia , where the emphasis is on fruity tones and the lightness of the finished drink.
In addition to the manufacturers listed in the rating, there are other well-known brands of bean coffee. For example, Caribbean is famous for its rich and bright aroma.
Yemeni coffee has too noticeable fruity notes, which often confuses true coffee lovers. But the unique taste compensates for this feature.
Those who like a soft and tart taste can opt for Indian coffee.
Cuban coffee lags behind Colombian or Brazilian in popularity, but has excellent taste characteristics, which is why it also has many fans.
If you haven't tried Indian masala tea yet, the recipe and tips for adding spices to the drink will probably interest you.
Read about the benefits and possible harms of jasmine tea in this article: all the properties of the components of this drink are described in detail.
Prices and where to buy
On the issue of purchasing: the store’s own brand is sold mainly only in the network of these stores. Other supermarkets don't sell it. But sometimes packs can be found in markets or private shops. Black Swan coffee is frankly cheap, and sellers buy it from Magnit to then sell it at a slightly higher price. Moreover, stores often run promotions on their own products, and the price becomes even lower.
- Granulated, 100g – 80 rubles;
- Sublimated, 100 g – 90 rub.;
- Ground, 250g – 125 rubles;
- Cereal, 500g – 300 rubles.
As you understand, this is a very, very budget option. As consumers rated it, “the price corresponds to the quality.”
"Every day"
This coffee substitute is not suitable not only for every day, but also for consumption once a year, despite passing the GOST test. The unnaturalness of the product is also indicated by its low price - the main bait that most buyers fall for.
There is only one conclusion, and it is that in order to get a tasty, noble, and most importantly, natural drink on the table, you need to buy whole roasted grains. And only grinding and brewing them yourself allows you to hope for a high quality product.
Reviews
We have already cited customer opinions in this review, but it is worth dwelling on this point in more detail. On average, according to reviews, Black Swan bean coffee receives ratings of 2.5/5, ground coffee - 3.8/5, instant coffee - about 3/5. Some consumers are very categorical, others are quite satisfied with the product.
“Musty smell, moldy taste, doesn’t taste like coffee at all. I threw away the opened pack of grains (half a kilo), it’s impossible to drink.” — Alina, Krasnodar
“We were given Black Swan coffee at work. At first I thought it was something new and interesting, but it turned out to be cheap granular, the smell is weak, the taste is a C grade. I’ll drink everything at work, but I won’t buy it for myself.” — Mikhail, builder, Adler
“Coffee for state employees, and the price is appropriate. I got it on sale at Magnit. In principle, with milk and sugar the bitterness is not so felt, it is quite possible to drink. It’s likely that I’ll buy more if there are stocks.” — Tatyana, Novorossiysk
Overall, the product is quite dubious. This is a variant of a very cheap drink, produced at different factories from unknown grains. In its price category it is not bad, but does not reach the level of most products in the economy segment.
Consumer Reviews
Numerous reviews of Black Swan coffee are very contradictory:
- Galina: I can’t say that coffee has a distinct aroma. Rather the smell is below average. The drink has a medium strength. I can say that for such a price the product is quite good. Of course, you can’t call it exquisite, but you can drink it.
- Alena: I recently bought Black Swan ground coffee from the Magnit network. I can't say that this is an ideal option. But for that kind of money it’s a completely acceptable solution.
- Victor: I didn’t like the instant coffee of this brand at all. In taste and smell, it rather reminded me of a chicory drink. I will not buy this product again.
Black Swan coffee is a popular product in the affordable price segment. It can be purchased exclusively in the Magnit chain of stores. The brand's assortment includes several product options, each of which is characterized by certain features.
4th place goes to Blue Mountain from Jamaica
Its minimum cost is fixed at 27,000 - 28,000 rubles. This is exactly how much you will have to pay for a kilogram of aromatic pleasure. Naturally, this price will increase to 3.6 thousand rubles per 100g if you want to treat yourself to smaller quantities of coffee. This original JBM will be appreciated by absolutely all coffee lovers, impressed by the incredible and memorable bouquet of taste. But this variety ripens not only on the Jamaican slopes. Therefore, it can be sold with a variety of coordinates.
5th place: Panama Geisha La Esmeralda
This famous Panamanian Geisha beat out many competitors to take the final prize. For one kilogram of freshly roasted coffee you will have to pay 10-11 thousand rubles. Well, if you want to buy not so much, then expect the cost to increase to 1.5 thousand rubles (per 100 grams).
Experts have recognized it as the best example of a variety native to Panama. The La Esmeralda brand sells coffee under its own name. There is also a Colombian analogue, which is inferior to the Panamanian one, but it can be purchased under the original name Geisha.
And for everyone who does not understand where the African flavor came from from a purely Japanese concept, we give an explanation. The official version says that this is the name of the area that is the birthplace of the coffee variety.
