Starbucks VIA instant coffee review

As a regular drinker of Starbucks coffee, I decided to give their new VIA instant coffee a try. I will say that it surprised me that it was as good as it is. I liked it, particularly judging it as an instant coffee and in direct comparison to a proper brew as part of their taste challenge.

Starbucks it seems to me has been trying to reduce their imprint on landfills, as much as a coffee house of their nature and size can that sells product for people on the go. So that's why it's surprising to me that each individual coffee beverage comes in it's own little wrapper, instead of one larger container, which as yet is not an option. It works out to be essentially the same price of a coffee you'd buy if they brewed it for you. I realize there ARE rare occasions where you venture beyond the domain that Starbucks Cafés usually occupy, but I'm not really sure what void this product is filling. If you're away from Starbucks yet still have access to hot water, chances are you're going to be able to brew some coffee properly.

So I gather from some blogs I've read that this product is geared for the people who only want just one quick cup and want it fast, no fuss no muss. It should be interesting to see how well this takes off. One could argue that the VIA drinker would produce less garbage than the average coffee drinker, presuming they typically stuck to reusable cups, but it's the kind of garbage, plastic, that doesn't disappear so quickly that is concerning. Starbucks has been pretty good about offering a discount to people who bring their own cup or to encourage people to reduce waste, so a move like this seems like a surprising step in the wrong direction.

Here's a little promo of theirs explaining their angle: