SBUX, View of

Though a hazy summer day, the view from the ferry was quite impressive the other day.  When I looked to the south, I was able to see Ranier behind the Starbucks' offices.  Quite a Seattle based treat.

Starbucks VIA

The idea of instant Starbucks coffee seemed an anathema.  Repeat: an anathema.  Good phrase.  But I digress.  If Starbucks is serious about coffee, roasting, freshness, presentation, all that sort of alchemy that makes the brew what it is, how can they introduce instant coffee?

I like Starbucks better than most coffees, but I really appreciate the micro-roasts and all that.  I am not a coffee fanatic or snob, but I avoid instant in this country at all costs.  In the US market, instant is nothing like the instants available in Europe and other parts of the world.  Nor is the market as big.  So, being a willing consumer of instant coffee when traveling abroad, I was hoping for a great product with VIA.

I took the taste test, and could discern the difference, I preferred VIA less, but just.  It is definitely worthy of the Starbucks brand.  The idea of a great instant in the kind of uber-convenient package that we use when traveling France is one I appreciate.

VIA is used to make the iced coffee drinks you enjoy at Starbucks.  Surprise.

The process for making VIA is patented, of course, but it focuses on quality, suffering low yield gladly to attain flavor.  A portion of VIA is micro-ground coffee beans.  That explains the bit of grit that reminds me of the sludge in the bottom of my French press method coffee.  But more important, there are no chemicals used, so no chemical taste other than what the bean and roasting contributes.

I suggest you add some VIA to your pantry for use in cooking, and for taking on the road.  You never know when a Starbucks or other great coffee shop is going to be out of reach in the early morning, and VIA is preferable to the coffee provided in hotel rooms.

Oh, and the ultra tech Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Tumbler helps.  If only it made a cool air powered ka-chunk sound and auto loaded VIA packets like a pump shotgun!  I would wear it in a holster with a bandolier of VIA packets.

Starbucks Iced VIA

Starbucks Melody has a nice post on her blog about the new Starbucks product, Iced Via.  Follow the link to get the story.  I can tell you I am a fan, having enjoyed a preview taste.  Full bodied, good coffee aroma, stands up to an added shot of soy, not overly sweet. A couple of packs of this, some icy bottles of water, and a summer road trip gets even better!

Starbucks Merchandising Clutter

Starbucks likes to merchandise.  Plussing up the guest experience includes providing extras that enhance a customer’s joy.  In Dallas, there is a certain location that seems to be taking this a bit far, or have I simply not noticed the clutter in other Starbucks?  I had to take a picture, because this place is just out of control- it looks like a bagel shop near us, where the owner can’t say no- anyone who 

walks in with something to sell is accommodated, and the counter and 

walls have disappeared behind layers of disparate signs and displays merchandising disconnected items.  Is this the future Starbucks, or a renegade?

Even if it were cleaned up, the nature of the merchandising suggests that the home office is a loosely confederated polyglot conglomeration of marketing fiefdoms who may or may not be in touch with each other.  Is there any planning or intent to connect the new Frappuccino with the enormous display of cold drink cups that clog up the lobby?  Someone told me the cardboard boxes the cups are displayed on are supposed to be ice cubes.  Well, they ARE white.  Good thing I got that interpretation, cause I never would have guessed.  The display is ginormous, but holds only a few cups.  I guess the labor to restock isn't an issue since the sales are likely depressed by how customer un-friendly it is.  Or because when you go in a Starbucks, you tune out the crap to get at the coffee. It is no longer entertaining, just aggravating.  Or, I may not be sensitive enough for the marketing gurus at Starbucks.

Oh, and would it be too obvious to connect the idea of using the cold cups and Frappuccinos to incent sales of each other?  C'mon, this is so basic.  Of course, that god-awful Taco Bell-tacky window cling may be all you need to sell the new Frappuccinos.

Since I am on a rant, why is it that no one (other than a single heroic barista), at Starbucks has ever told me what the benefits of Via are?  Or that it is really micro-ground beans, a super cool approach to instant coffee- no chemicals!  We don't get it out here, why the hell we should pay $1.00 for a cup for instant coffee when competitors sell for less than $0.15- BENEFITS?!  Yeah, it tastes good.  Not that good.  I am hoping that the European and international launches are run by smarter marketeers, cause instant is a big segment there.

Oh, and that new menu board?  It looks like a cheap Wichita café has stolen all the Starbucks drinks- hideous!  Marketing heads must roll!  It is hard to describe the nothingness I felt when I encountered it in the drive thru.

Is the trip back from the brink over and the Starbus turning back? Shall I sell SBUX?  Howard? Howard! Walk in the door, look around.  My shares are shaky.