OrangeSlyce

If there is one thing that small businesses and college students have in common, it’s an undying love and need of coffee. Coffee is the crowbar that keeps eyes pried open through long nights of work, and the warm morning welcome to begin the day on an energetic note. Everyone complains about how coffee is too overpriced, but the work gained from coffee leads to an unquantifiable amount of productivity. One could argue that without Starbucks, society as a whole would come to a standstill.

All right, I may have been somewhat facetious with my previous statement, but the bottom line is that Starbucks sells over 4 million coffee drinks daily. However, Starbucks has developed a new product that will make coffee a more convenient product that can be drank anytime, anywhere. The name of this revolutionary product is Starbucks Via, and Starbucks is touting it as a more convenient way for customers to get their coffee fix. Starbucks Via is basically finely ground, instant coffee that can be mixed directly into milk or water without brewing. It’s an interesting idea, but is it a gimmick or does the product actually stand well against an old fashioned brewed cup of coffee?

If you’ve been to the ASU bookstore in the last week or so, you will have likely noticed a Starbucks table outside serving samples of coffee. Students are asked to sample two separate cups of coffee, one being regular brewed coffee, and one being Starbucks Via. I decided to test my own taste buds and see if I could distinguish between the two. Of a total of 4 participants (myself being one of them) I was the only one match the sample to the correct product. The only difference was a slight graininess in the Via sample.

I thought I’d put Via to the test as an alternative to a regular coffee and bought myself a box. I figured I could mix it with some milk to make myself a quick coffee drink in the mornings. Unfortunately, I’ve found that mixing Via with cold liquid makes the powder clumpy. The taste is well done, but I’ve never been interested in drinking a chunky cup of coffee. Also, Via has been marketed as an on-the-go product. However, the vast majority of Starbucks customers are not interested in having a cup of black coffee. The reason Starbucks is so popular is because you can order a Venti Non-Fat Mocha Latte Frappa-whatever. Besides, what’s the point of having Starbucks on-the-go when there are literally 5 Starbucks in every square mile. It would probably take less effort to go to a Starbucks and get a cup of coffee rather than mixing it on your own.

I appreciate Starbucks’ effort to make a more convenient product, but I just don’t see the point in a product like this. With the amount of coffee that students and members of the work force drink, carrying around 10 bottles of water to mix your Via simply isn’t plausible.  I’ll give it a few months before Starbucks Via becomes a distant memory.