Cafe Bustelo Vs Pilon (Which One Should You Choose?)

If you’re a fan of Latin-style coffee, you’ve probably heard about the debate between Cafe Bustelo and Pilon. These two brands of coffee are extremely popular, but what’s the difference between Cafe Bustelo vs Pilon?

Cafe Bustelo and Pilon are both espresso-style coffee beans that are popular options for making Latin coffee. Bustelo tends to have a sharper, smokier flavor, while Pilon is slightly smoother and more chocolaty. Each brand has a unique origin story, but today both are owned by The J.M. Smucker Company.

Pilon and Cafe Bustelo do have slight differences in their flavor profile, but there are other differences that can affect your decision to choose one or the other. Keep reading to learn more!

Pilon vs Cafe Bustelo (Comparison)

Cafe Bustelo vs Pilon – What Are The Differences?

Because Cafe Bustelo and Pilon are both Latin-style coffees, they have a lot in common. However, there are some differences as well. Specifically:

Their flavor profile
Availability for single-serve coffee machines
Single-origin options

Let’s quickly go through each one of these differences.

Pilon And Bustelo Have Different Flavor Profiles

Cafe Bustelo and Pilon are espresso-style coffees, so neither of them retains the bean’s natural, complex flavors. Instead, they have been carbonized by roasting and have strong, smoky flavors.

However, Pilon makes a smoother cup of coffee than Cafe Bustelo. Pilon is also more aromatic and chocolaty as well. By comparison, Cafe Bustelo is sharper and more bitter.

This difference in flavor is related to the specific coffee blend each brand uses and its roasting formulas. But keep in mind, the flavor profile is only important if you drink your coffee black.

The addition of a significant amount of milk will minimize most differences in flavor.

Cafe Bustelo Is Available for Single-Serve Coffee Machines

One huge difference between Pilon in Cafe Bustelo is their availability for single-serve coffee machines such as the Keurig.

Pilon is only available as pre-ground, whole-bean, or instant coffee. Cafe Bustelo is also available in these options, but they’re also sold as K-cups and espresso capsules. (Links go to Amazon.)

While Latin-style coffee isn’t traditionally made in single-serve machines, it’s a nice option to have for those of us who want quick coffee without a lot of work.

FYI: Most Latin-style coffees are made in a Moka Pot. We recommend the Bialetti Moka Express. It’s the original Moka Pot and we’ve been using ours for years to make phenomenal Cuban coffee!

Cafe Bustelo Has Single-Origin Options

One final difference between Cafe Bustelo and Pilon is the single-origin option.

Each brand’s regular coffee is a blend sourced from several different countries. However, Cafe Bustelo has a line of coffees called “Origins”.

These coffees are single-origin beans from Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Brazil.

So, if you’re a fan of single-origin beans, Bustelo has the advantage here.

Cafe Cubano - Cuban Coffee - Miami Espresso — ***Volcanica’s Cafe Cubano***

About Cafe Bustelo And Pilon

Today, both Cafe Bustelo and Pilon are owned by The J.M. Smucker Company. However, each one had a long, unique history before being acquired.

History of Cafe Bustelo

Cafe Bustelo started with its founder Gregorio Bustelo. He originated from Spain and traveled to various places throughout Latin America.

During his travels, he fell in love with Latin-style coffee and when he eventually made his way to New York, he founded Cafe Bustelo. This coffee was initially popular among the Cuban immigrants who lived there but quickly became popular among the wider Latin American community.

If you want to learn more about Cafe Bustelo, check out our post “Is Cafe Bustelo Cuban?“

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History of Pilon

Over 100 years ago, Pilon was a popular coffee brand in Cuba. Years later, another company, Cafe Souto entered the Cuban coffee market and became popular as well.

The two leaders of Cafe Pilon and Cafe Souto eventually came to America and restarted their coffee companies. Both used their traditional roasting formulas to make the coffee that was so popular in Cuba.

However, when Pilon wanted to get out of the coffee business, Souto bought his company knowing that his brand name was stronger. (You can check out the full story on Pilon’s site.)

Is Cafe Bustelo Or Pilon Authentic Cuban Coffee?

Cafe Bustelo and Pilon are both popular brands for making authentic Cuban coffee. You can find both in Latin stores, Cuban cafes, and homes.

While neither brand sources its beans from Cuba, they both use roasting and processing methods that were developed on the island and are considered legitimate Cuban coffees.

The only thing that may call into question the authenticity of either brand is the founder’s origin. Pilon was founded by a Cuban family who came to the U.S. in the mid-20th century. Back in Cuba, they had been coffee roasters for decades.

By comparison, Cafe Bustelo was created by a Spaniard who traveled throughout Latin America. He created his brand to promote the coffees he loved in Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Cafe Bustelo vs Pilon (Comparison)

Is Pilon The Same As Bustelo?

Pilon and Butselo have a lot in common, but they’re not the same. This question may come up because The J.M. Smucker Company currently owns both Pilon and Cafe Bustelo.

It’s reasonable to think that Smucker would try to cut costs by sourcing the beans from the same location, having the same roasters, and having the same processing methods for both brands. So, the only difference would be the packaging.

But this isn’t the case. Pilon and Bustelo have their own unique history and roasting recipes that give them a specific flavor. Although The J.M. Smucker Company owns both, Pilon and Bustelo remain two separate companies with their own ways of doing things.

Is Pilon Better Than Bustelo?

Whether Pilon is better than Cafe Bustelo is a matter of personal preference, but we prefer Pilon and that’s generally what we recommend.

Pilon is more aromatic, makes a smoother coffee, and has chocolaty notes (which we love!). By comparison, Bustelo is sharper and has a more bitter flavor.

The smokiness and bitterness are cut dramatically by the amount of sugar added to Latin-style coffee, and if you add a significant amount of milk to your coffee, the flavor differences between the two are hardly noticeable.

While we recommend Pilon, many people, including some of our own family members, prefer Bustelo and only buy that brand.

cafe Bustelo vs Pilon — ***Image: Cafe Pilon***

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What Kind Of Beans Do Cafe Bustelo And Pilon Use?

We reached out to The J.M. Smucker Company and they stated that they use Arabica Beans in their Café Pilon Espresso Coffee and that Café Bustelo Espresso Coffee is made with a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans.

If you look at a bag of either Pilon or Cafe Bustelo you won’t find this information, but you would imagine that if Pilon was 100% Arabica they would advertise that on the package like they do with their Gourmet coffee. (link goes to Amazon)

However, if Pilon is 100% Arabica that would mean it has less caffeine than Cafe Bustelo. It would also explain the relative smoothness of Pilon when compared to Bustelo.

Key Takeaways:

Both Cafe Bustelo and Pilon are popular options for Latin-style coffee
Pilon has a smoother, chocolaty flavor while Bustelo is stronger and more smoky
Cafe Bustelo is available for Keurig machines and has single-origin options
Both coffees have a long history and a large fan base.

Cheers Coffee Lovers!

KEEP READING

Idalmis Holmes

Idalmis is co-owner of Coffee Break Lovers. She is a Cuban coffee enthusiast that is passionate about coffee and coffee culture.

Coffee Brand	Flavor Profile	Buy On Amazon
Pilon	Pilon is robust, smooth, and has a heavy mouth feel. The beans are more aromatic and have notes of chocolate.
Pilon Gourmet	Pilon Gourmet is 100% Arabica. It’s also sold as whole bean and pre-ground. It has a rich and deep flavor, with no bitter aftertaste.
Cafe Bustelo	Bustelo is a sharp and robust coffee. It has smoky flavors and bitter undertones.
Cafe Bustelo Supreme	Bustelo’s Supreme is their 100% Arabica version. It’s sold as whole bean and pre-ground. Expect a rich cup with an intense flavor and no bitter aftertaste.

Coffee Brand	Flavor Profile	Buy On Amazon
Pilon	Pilon is robust, smooth, and has a heavy mouth feel. The beans are aromatic and have notes of chocolate.
Pilon Gourmet	Pilon Gourmet is 100% Arabica. It’s also sold as whole bean and pre-ground. It has a rich and deep flavor, with no bitter aftertaste.
Cafe Bustelo	Bustelo is a sharp and robust coffee. It has smoky flavors and bitter undertones.
Cafe Bustelo Supreme	Bustelo’s Supreme is 100% Arabica coffee. It’s sold as whole bean and pre-ground. Expect a rich cup with an intense flavor and no bitter aftertaste.