Starbucks in an instant

Coffee giant Starbucks has made the brave yet long-planned step into the world of instant coffee, with the announcement of its latest innovation: Starbucks VIA Ready Brew. The product will still be made with 100% natural roasted coffee, and without preservatives or processing aids.

The aim of the company has been to make a transformational instant coffee that “replicates the body and flavour of Starbucks”.

Starbucks chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz stated: “We have worked for nearly 20 years to develop an instant coffee. This is a big move for us. The opportunity to reinvent a category, create new rituals and grow our customer base is substantial.”

Starbucks VIA Ready is pre-portioned into single-serve packets and will be packaged in books of three or boxes of 12. The suggested retail price for the UK will be £1.20 for three and £3.95 for 12.

In the US, the national rollout of the product is planned to begin in late Autumn 2009. It will be available first on 3 March in the Seattle area and in Illinois Starbucks stores.  

From 25 March, selected Starbucks stores in London will offer the product.

Globally, instant coffee represents 40% of coffee sales, equating to a $17 billion market that is growing.

In the UK, 81% of coffee sold is instant, and in Japan that figure is 63%. Both markets combined account for over $4 billion in instant coffee retail sales. In the US, instant coffee is a $700 million market.

Alexis Hercules, 18.02.09