Instant coffee is for amateurs, right? Don't real coffee drinkers grind the beans from fresh and go to the coffee pot or preferably the French press from there?
Starbucks has built its business around the cachet of drinking gourmet brewed beverages but now the chain is rolling out a soluble (see: instant) coffee under the Via brand name.
The new instant coffee seems like a departure from Starbucks core identity but, according to three unidentified executives interviewed by AdAge.com, it will clearly differentiate from instant brands including Folgers, Sanka and Brim.
"It's a breakthrough in soluble coffee," a person identified as being "close to the project" told AdAge.com.
The development of Via is said to be the brainchild of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and is expected to get strong marketing backing from the company. The product, which is scheduled to be introduced at Starbucks' annual meeting on March 18, will initially be sold in the chain's cafes. There is no word if it will eventually migrate to grocery stores.
Discussion Question: Will entry into the instant coffee category dilute the Starbucks brand or is it the right product for current economic times?