I love coffee. Which is why I wouldn't drink Starbucks coffee if they gave it away.

Bob, you opened up a whole 'nuther can o'worms!

It's instant coffee. Even the clerk at the Starbucks drive-through window gave it an "eh" when we asked her what she thought of the product.

I've haven't had any, not planning to.

I have actually tried it. It actually wasn't too bad-it had a very nice, strong coffee flavor but I found it had a bit of an aftertaste I didn't care for. I got a free sample set in the mail a few months ago, then another sample when I was going through Starbucks the other day. I ended up using most of the packs in my chocolate cake recipe and my homemade homemade ice cream. If you like instant coffee or you aren't too particular about your coffee, I think you will love this product. Otherwise, it's pretty pricey in my opinion.

Tracey

I haven't yet. I probably would just to see what it was like but only found out about it today. I did have my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season today and it was marvelous. In the town I live in we don't have Starbucks so going there is actually a rare treat for me. I like their coffee.

Kate

I, too, love that pumpkin spice latte-- artificial flavors and all. I think I read that Viva works out to like $1 an envelope. Way more expensive than real coffee-- probably even more expensive than a homemade espresso with cream-- so I don't care whether it's decent or not. Harummmph!

Nope, like Renee, I like coffee but I don't like Starbucks. They can keep the instant stuff, especially at that price!

The closest Starbucks is 50 miles away anyway, LOL, and my grocery store doesn't carry it.

Annie

Put me in the group that doesn't like Starbucks coffee at all, so no I won't bother trying it. We have Starbucks all over my little town including IN the grocery stores!

Alexa

For instant coffee it is not too bad....but it is not fresh brewed.

They are sampling it this weekend at Costco..and have a blister pack of them..I didn't check the price though..but folks were lined up to try it yesterday when I was there.

I won't be trying it..I too don't like Starbucks, unless it's a Chai Latte, or Caramel Macciatto(full of flavors other than charred coffee). LOL

I like Starbucks coffee...I like that very dark roasted flavor...but I hate instant coffee...it has an artificial flavor...and I won't be trying Starbuck's very expensive brand.
I am lucky...we have a non chain local coffee shop in town...lots better than Starbucks and no more expensive.
Linda C

I did not post my thoughts because I didn't want to bias any responses from the start.

I've tried Via at Starbucks. It was good as instant coffee goes but not quite as good as their regular coffee in my opinion. They are pushing it hard because Starbucks is hurting, and they are trying to crack a new financial market. Eighty percent of Europeans, it is said, drink instant coffee. Not so here where instant has (deservedly) earned a bad reputation.

Via costs $1 a cup. A pound of premium coffee beans will come down to a cost of 12 cents or less per cup.

I will be surprised if Starbucks makes it with the new experiment. It will be interesting to watch this new gamble on marketing. (Makes me think of the expensive Coke experiment.)

RB

Instant coffee is also very popular in Mexico, where coffee is grown! The most popular brand is Nescafé, and the powder is added to steamed or heated milk to make café con leche. I gave up coffee quite a few years ago because it upsets my stomach - plus the milk makes it even more upsetting to me. However, I do have a concern about guests of mine who do drink coffee, including my niece. When I lived in Venice, I sent guests down the street to the French Market Café to get really good, fresh coffee, but I'm no longer walking distance to a restaurant, let alone one that good. I've considered buying instant coffee for these situations but haven't done so yet. It will probably be a while before my niece visits again anyway.

Lars

I agree with Lars, there are probably some instances where instant coffee will come in handy for some people. I used to keep it on hand at work. But I just got addicted to the taste and price of real coffee, and so many places now sell fresh brewed coffee--like the gas stations, lol! And even at work so many places now have those coffee makers in the break room--even if they do look kinda nasty after a while! I agree with Bob, will be an interesting thing to watch.
I think Starbucks is just OK. They had a nice little coffee house chain going but they beat it to death. I'm also not crazy about the fact that they don't offer free trade coffee. I like other brands of high end coffee better, and their other stuff is a mixed bag. They can't compete with the fast foodie places on price, and have lost out quite a bit in the ambience market to other competitors. Now they seem like the worst of both worlds. Some local outlets seem better than others though, has been my experience. Being an expresso junkie, I do stop at a Starbucks from time to time. I find they vary quite a bit in the quality of all the items they sell, from coffee to sandwiches. Same with Dunkin' Donuts, my other routine caffeine supplier. Nothing beats the stuff I do at home though, so I try to bring it along whenever I can so I don't need to stop. We have a canteen at work that offers free trade Joe, so it gets most of my business. Maybe Starbucks has good fru fru coffee, but I don't like that stuff. I like their chai! But I don't drink it fast enough to buy it pre-mixed in bulk.

Lars, I discovered an instant coffee product that would be perfect for coffee drinking guests. I buy it for my husband. We're strictly a de-caf family, but every once in a while, he thinks he needs a shot of caffeine. Regular jarred instant coffee seems to go stale even faster than ground, but this stuff is packed in individual servings so it stays much fresher. It's Nescafe, Taster's Choice Gourmet Instant Coffee. There are 7 packets per box.

When my coffee drinking mother-in-law would visit, she always stayed with my mom who never touched the stuff. I'd set my mom up with Victorian House Coffee Concentrate. It worked fine for the visit but then would go untouched for over a year. I figured it went stale too. That's why I was intrigued when I saw the Taster's Choice option.

Here is a link that might be useful: Taster's Choice Single Serve

I use the Tasters Choice Singles in recipes, if I don't have a jar of instant espresso.

For those folks who don't drink coffee but want to have some at home for guests - I'd consider anything BUT instant coffee, Starbucks included.

If you travel or know someone who does, motels usually supply single serving, foil packed ground coffees that you can toss in the freezer. I also see small foil vacuum sealed packages in the coffee aisles of the markets. Last, if you have a Food Saver, and can filch some ground coffee from a friend, I would seal and save a package in the freezer also.

I've tried it and it had a weird after taste like "turkey stuffing"...call me crazy, but that's what it reminded me of!

Overall, it was nasty!

I agree, Jessica, ANYTHING but instant. I'd even drink Folger's, which I have a special bias against because Dad made it. One pot got 3 tablespoons of coffe, LOL, it was just brown water.

Still better than instant.....

I'd say get a little one cup french press and just buy a small amount of ground coffee when you will have coffee drinking company.

Annie

I do have an espresso machine that I no longer use (but not a regular coffee maker), and so I could have guests bring ground coffee when they come to visit, but I'm not going to keep anything in the freezer waiting for random guests to arrive. If I really like them, I will buy it in advance, but I can't think of any of those that are likely to visit any time soon. When I used to drink coffee, I kept instant on hand in case of earthquake, and that really did come in handy in 1994. After an earthquake, instant coffee works just fine and doesn't require electricity. I keep camping gear in the garage, and so I always have a propane burner or two for heating water when there is no electricity and no gas. I keep a fairly good supply of water on hand, but I'm sorry to say that I no longer have a pond to rely on. I don't have a percolator and never liked those anyway. When one is desperate (as I have been at certain times), standards go down!

Lars

Hate Starbucks the only thing I like there is the Orange Pound Cake!