Starbucks instant coffee unveiled

CNNMoney.com ^ | September 29, 2009 | Ben Rooney

[RayChuang88]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Starbucks unveiled a brand of instant coffee Tuesday that the high-end chain says "will change the way people drink coffee."

The Seattle-based company will begin selling a "ready brew" coffee called Via at all of its U.S. locations in a move designed to tap a growing market for instant coffee.

"With a $21 billion global instant coffee business, and instant coffee representing 40% of overall global coffee sales, we believe Starbucks is uniquely positioned to capture a significant share of this market," said Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, in a statement.

[RayChuang88]

In my opinion, this is a TERRIBLE idea for two resaons:

1) Starbucks will experience trouble taking on the originator (and still gigantic world market leader) in instant coffee, Nestlé, who introduced instant coffee in 1938 under the Nescafé brand, today one of the world's most recognizable brand names. You know Nestlé won't take this competition lying down, and in fact has already put up an informational website defending the Nescafé brand.

2) The cost of Starbucks' new instant coffee is just exorbitant at US$9.95 for 12 servings. I can at least 64 servings from an 8-ounce package of Nescafé Taster's Choice instant coffee for US$7.14 at Wal-Mart.

[rdl6989]

Starbucks is overpriced??? I’m stuned, just stuned I tell you.

[diamond6]

Starbucks donates huge amounts to Planned Parenthood. There is a christian based coffee distributor that makes DELICIOUS coffee called “Esthers Coffee”. Google Overus.

[diamond6]

The site is http://www.overus.org/

[RayChuang88]

Pricey for an espresso or cappuccino at Starbucks is one thing, but US$9.95 for 12 servings of instant coffee is just ridiculous. The Taster's Choice example I mentioned is actually considered expensive by instant coffee standards; I can get Folger's or Maxwell House instant coffee for just over US$5 for an eight-ounce package.

[Pharmboy]

My lady (who is a Starbuck's lover) excitedly told me today about sampling it at a local store. She said "You will love it...it's strong!"

She didn't like it...too strong for her.

[BigBlueJon]

Starbucks Instant, uh...no. For me, there is only one true instant coffee, and it's G7, baby.

http://www.trung-nguyen-online.com/g7-gourmet-instant-coffee.php

[RayChuang88]

Except I don't like strong instant coffee. Why do think I have an 8-ounce package of Taster's Choice instant coffee now sitting inside my refrigerator?

[doc1019]

To me instant coffee has a distinct and awful taste and noticeable after taste. I experience the same thing with diet soft drinks. No matter how the manufacturers try to cover this taste and after taste it is still there. To expect me to pay outrageous prices for this, I think not.

[La Lydia]

Not gonna buy it. Their ad makes fun of the town hall meeting participants.

[DemforBush]

Great! Now I have one more reason not to go to Starbucks!

(I don’t like coffee at all).

[JRandomFreeper]

Instant coffee is neither. It is an affront to G-d and all right-thinking humans. I've had GIs gladly drink cowboy coffee made in a 20 gallon pot and filtered through a clean sheet before they would touch the little packets of 'instant coffee' in MREs.

/johnny

[Pharmboy]

Well, I do...I will give it a try.

[justkate]

Great news for those of us who travel incessantly & have to either:

Order coffee from room service or

Hold yer nose & gulp down the acid bath instant provided by
Courtyard & it's clones or

Scare the pants off other guests as we march thru the lobby in wrinkled tees & yoga pants, ready to kill or be killed until we have our caffeine addiction under control.

[devolve]

.

Starbux png

[WellyP]

Dunkin’ Donuts is my style! Starbucks can STUFF IT!

[potlatch]

Thanx

Might be better than regular instant coffee.

[Red_Devil 232]

Hey doc I am with you! No instant coffee or diet soft drinks allowed in my house! Nasty Nasty stuff! Actually we do not drink a lot of soft drinks. Now coffee must be ground fresh just before brewing and for the price you can’t beat Eight O’Clock whole bean!

[RayChuang88]

The problem with most instant coffees is that they don't taste that great, especially with the strangely bitter taste some brands have (I really don't like Maxwell House instant coffee).

There's only two instant coffees I like: Nescafé Taster's Choice and Eagle Family Foods' Kava. Both are not cheap, but their price is still WAY under what Starbucks wants for their instant coffee.

[aruanan]

The Seattle-based company will begin selling a "ready brew" coffee called Via at all of its U.S. locations in a move designed to tap a growing market for instant coffee.

This is an old, old, old story. I've been drinking Via for a long time. I kept it for emergencies. It tastes great, but I need to use two of them for my normal size coffee quantity. That makes it about as expensive as just getting a venti size coffee. The quality, though, is very good. And it's way, WAY better than Nescafe.