Instant Coffee. Instant Success or Instant Disaster?
You know you are in troubled economic times when THE coffee icon is trying to create instant success. Starbucks is now in the instant coffee business.
Last Thursday, Vivek Varma, Starbucks Senior Vice-President of Public Affairs issued a memo announcing that the Seattle-based coffee giant will introduce an instant coffee to its stores by February 18th.
Varma indicates that this won’t be a Sanka look-a-like instant coffee. In her memo she states that Starbucks has developed technology to “absolutely replicate the taste of Starbucks coffee in an instant form.” She also went on to say that Starbucks has been working on the project for 20 years.
Well, maybe I’m a little jaded, but isn’t that setting the bar a little high? 20 years? It better be the BEST instant coffee ever to hit a freeze-dry machine. 20 years?
The Varma memo went on to say that worldwide, there is a $17 billion market for instant coffee. Maybe this has to do with the fact that Starbucks is tanking during this recession. Please understand, there is blame any company to seek a market and make a profit. But if coffee-buffs are brewing at home rather than paying “four bucks at Starbucks” what makes them think the average Sanka drinker is going to ante up in the drive-thru for Starbucks instant?
Maybe this is my knee-jerk reaction to instant coffee in general.
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6 Responses to “Instant Coffee. Instant Success or Instant Disaster?”
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Tell ya what, Instant Coffee sucks. You gotta be kidding me, 20 years research on instant coffee? Even you find the best instant coffee maker, it ain’t gonna be perfect say after 6 months? (or lesser than that). The best coffee isn’t made just because you get the best coffee powder, but the right mix of all other ingredients!
Wow! Is Starbucks selling out? I could never see using instant coffee unless it’s an extreme emergency and I have no other option. Instant coffee simply tastes horrible and in most occasions I would rather do without than suffer through a cup of instant. Starbucks may be able to pull this off if they market the product for narrow uses such as in weight conscious backpacking and camping. I suppose the market will tell them if the idea is a success or not.
I have to agree, I don’t think many people are willing to pay $4.00 for instant coffee. But, it might sell at the supermarket. It’s worth a try.
This will probably get me booed by other posters, but I have to say I like instant coffee. It’s not the real thing by any stretch, but when you’re in college and an electric kettle is the most readily available thing - you have to get by. I also like that I don’t need to buy so many accessories for instant. If I want choco-mocha latte, I just buy it. No need to worry about creamer and sugar and all that.
I actually never bought Starbucks, because the same coffee beans that they use also get sold to Costco for their coffee. I just figure it’s the name that’s big. I wouldn’t pay $4 for their coffee, but I would pay $3 for their scones.
Instant coffee is no good period. The fact that Starbucks says they spent 20 years researching it is just ridiculous. Coffee is good because it’s fresh from a powder it’s just not the same. I personally find it outrageous that Starbucks would sell out like this, but that just my opinion.
Yeah this is true that instant coffee has instant disaste. I don not like to drink instant coffee it coffe has beared in teste and i fells bad after drinking instant coffee. never drinks instant in any circumstances.