Starbucks introduces VIA iced coffee. How are customers responding?

A Starbucks press release says "the introduction of the new iced coffee builds on the popularity and momentum of the Starbucks VIA® product line." Any interest in it from your customers? (And will customers who read this blog try out this VIA?) Read Starbucks' press release and the Associated Press story. || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[Hirayuki]

I won't try it until there's a sugar-free version--and I love iced coffee. It's pretty much all I drink in summer.

[Former SB SS]

This is just a knock off of a traditional Frappe. If you live in a city where there is a Greektown or go to a Greek restaurant, you can order one - and it tastes much better. Its just NesCafe shaken up with water and sugar - you get a nice froth and poor in cream or half and half - outstanding. I'll stick with the orginal which is also much cheaper than gross via. SB should stick to promoting iced Gazebo blend - that always did well in the summer. But noooooo... they go on and take out what was popular - like Sidamo and Sanani and Kona (yes they used to carry that nationwide) and stick you with stuff people wont buy - VIA

[Roger Waters]

When is the iced VIA sampling coming??

[spencer]

No one has bought any in the two days we have been sampling. It's not bad; just not great.
Thoughts on Limu?

[me, myself and I]

I really don't understand the advantage of iced via. If I like it iced, the "regular" via works just fine. And I can add as much sugar or not as I like. This product is definitely a FAIL.

[Former SB SS]

And how can it be better than an Iced Americano? FAIL LOL! (Thanks, Me - that was funny)

[Gary]

I have fixed iced Via at home and found it quick and tasty. I do, however "double up", to insure a long taste that at first excites and then stands up to the melting ice. I'd suggest Via be sold as a "take it home, fix it yourself, here's-some-recipes". I like mine very sweet, real sugar and dark!

[TCOFFEE]

Better than all of the above...

Starbucks Doubleshot on Ice sweetened, finished with half & half.

[dontcareforvia]

I like one of the suggestions to sell the Iced Via

Consider placing the Iced Via in a customers hand...

Really? Would this help our customers buy more Via??

[Joshua]

I'm just really sad that it is pre-sweetened. Why does Starbucks insist on assuming that all iced coffee drinkers want sweet coffee? YUCK!

[Blackhat]

If you don't want it sweetened than buy the regular Italian Via, same Via but no sugar.

[Javaqueen]

Lots of customers have asked me, "How is this different than regular Via? You can put that in cold water too, right?" I tell them "Yeah, but it's lightly sweetened and made especially for cold water (which I have been told to say)." I am constantly greeted with blank stares and head shakes. Dumb idea, redundant product, annoying to have to promote this stuff. Bleh.

[Colin Q.]

I love iced via! so good and easy, great call to bring it in late june

[Colin Q.]

I love iced via! so good and easy, great call to bring it in late june

[Michael Snyader]

Absolutely colin, yeah i was in a store today and one of the baristas was passing out free samples. i tried it, as did a few people next to me, and we all loved it! everyone bought at least one package and the $1 coupon was a good call. I usually don't like any kind of instant coffee, but both reg via and iced via are excellent.

[VIA is a Failure]

LOL, Javaqueen! That reminds me of an old Simpsons episode where Mr Smithers and 100 little girls run to the store to buy the new Malibu Staci doll - which was exactly like the old Malibu Stacey - except it had a new hat. Lisa pipes up "But thats the same Malibu Stacey!" and Smithers screams "She has a new hat!!!"

[VIA = FAIL]

Michael - I believed you up until "and we all loved it!everyone bought at least one package...." You clearly work for corporate or in SB marketing or are drinking the kool aid SB execs feed you.

[Roger Waters]

@ VIA = FAIL,

the VIA iced coffee is not a failure. And don't judge.

[Ninja]

@dontcareforvia - I hate that idea. I think it's rude.

And the iced Via with milk isn't all that bad.

[VIA = FAIL]

I'm judging a coffee beverage - not a person. VIA IS A FAILURE. You're taking it awfully personally.

dontcareforvia was being sarcastic btw

although I think its a matter of time before corproate makes baristas do that

[VIA = FAIL]

@ Ninja, last I heard this is still the United States of America where the First Amendment allows me to have the right to make an opinion and tell everyone about it.

[Former SB SS]

Go back to Russia, Ninja

[Former SB SS]

Sorry Ninja - I meant that for Roger Waters.

Go back to Russia, Roger Waters!

VIA SUX

[VIA = FAIL]

Sorry, Ninja. I meant my comments for Roger as well.

[Michael Snyader]

@VIA = FAIL

yeah, ur right, i work for corporate, u r so smart, how did u know. it's so funny to me, anytime somebody has something even halfway decent to say, it's met with skeptism. do us all a favor, and go back to ur chanty, scrub.

[Relax]

We sold $100 in 4 hours, not bad.

[Northwest]

$200 so far today pukes.....it must be terrible!!! WAAAHHHH WAAAAHHHH f#$%ing cry-babies.

[justanotherbarista]

Its kind of retarted to be arguing because some people liked it and some think its a failure, if I liked do you think you can convince me that I didn't like it? Think about the logic if some of you think its a failure wait and see time will tell if your right. Where is melody? I'm interested to see what she thinks.

[Chachi]

I tried it and I think it is pretty awful. It tastes nothing like an iced coffee (I get mine with no dairy and with no sweetener). It reminded me of a time I mistakenly made hot water for tea in a coffee pot that had not been given the vinegar cleaning in a long time. So, the iced via tastes like an iced tea with a hint of old coffee flavor. I actually think the "hot" via is OK, so this isn't just an anti-VIA poster here.

I just found it to, overall, not be very good.

[anon-girl]

Isn't everyone missing the larger point here? Stores are being *forced* into performing via challenges this weekend. This is about sales sales sales, and pushing warn out, burnt out, over worked starbucks partners into making more money. The pressure is on yet again to make certain daily financial goals. the product isn't the problem, the expectations are. via has single handedly killed any love starbucks partners have for their job

[spence]

My plan is to sample. sample. sample. If it sells, GREAT! I like it better than Limu.

[dontcareforvia]

via=fail
Nope I wasnt being sarcastic at all. I go in to work tonight and I will write down the suggestion. It really doest start off with Consider placing the iced Via in a customers hand.

I could see trying to ask every customer if they want it or not. If you dont ask then you never know if they want it or not. But suggesting to place it in the customers hand is a bit too much.

[I.Heart.Spirit.]

@spence

I really enjoy Limu.

Many customers were very confused today about the iced via. We didn't sell any iced via today, but I sold 4 threepacks and a twelvepack just from people saying. "This is good, but too sweet." and me going "oh, well would you like this? it's the same thing - only not sweetened"

Frappuccinos also have held steady, hoorah!

[milkwhiz]

I agree. VIA is nasty and makes me SOOO jittery. I don't know what the "secret" ingredient is but it feels like it has twice the caffeine of normal coffee (hot and iced). I wish starbucks would give up on this crap already.

[Free Refill]

At one point this morning we had 4 people, back to back buy iced Via. Totally unexpected, but great! I think its gonna sell well.

[Waltie]

"Isn't everyone missing the larger point here? Stores are being *forced* into performing via challenges this weekend. "

Buy "forced" do you mean that we're expected to do what we're being payed to do?

[James Connolly]

Limu and Gazebo are solid and Iced Via is alright. Drinking Via straight=up is unpleasant, but if you cover it up with sugar and cream it passes muster. Also, spence, you are crazy if you think Iced Via is better than Limu.

And Waltie, what people mean by 'forced' is that people are 'forced' to upsell a mediocre product at the expense of personal relationships with regular customers and are 'forced' to do this at the expense of doing other things that are more productive for the people on the floor and increase partner safety. The labor spent on Via challenges would be better spent keeping stores cleaner and making drinks, not selling something that ultimately pads Howard's twenty million dolllars a year bottom line.

http://www.starbucksunion.org/

[Matt]

I really like iced Via. I can't drink the regular iced coffee but the Via tastes great without needing to add any milk or sugar. But it is really hard to sell - most people ask how it's different than the regular via and give me blank stares when I (fail) to explain it.

[Melody]

@justanotherbarista - I like Iced Via. It dissolves in cold water remarkably better than the regular Via. Seems like the right amount of sweetness. Still probably not an item though that I'll buy regularly - I'm just more into the hot beverages. We'll see how it sells...

@James Connolly - Right now Starbucks IS very focused on dollars and bottom line, and control control control. Passion is being squeezed very tightly: You can almost see it turning blue in the face.

[formerpartner]

You know what I really miss? The Starbucks iced coffee they made a few years ago in the tall silver can that you could buy in 4 packs at the store. They had both a regular and lite version, and I STG I drank at least once a day- I would be 3-5 4-packs almost every time I went to the store. That ish was the bomb!

This, on the other hand, I see no use for. Why did they get rid of a ready-to-drink product in order to launch something that requires me laboring? And yes, it's labor, because I have to buy the half-half and mix it all together. Sometimes a busy mom like me just wants to grab the silver can and go, ya know?!?

[g]

Isn't everyone missing the larger point here? Stores are being *forced* into performing via challenges this weekend. This is about sales sales sales, and pushing warn out, burnt out, over worked starbucks partners into making more money. The pressure is on yet again to make certain daily financial goals. the product isn't the problem, the expectations are. via has single handedly killed any love starbucks partners have for their job

Posted by: anon-girl | June 29, 2010 at 04:45 PM

It's almost, like... *gasp!* ... you're being paid to do a job and as part of that job, you have to push product to make sales that are helping the bottom line for Starbucks...

Oh, god! What?! Starbucks is a business first and profit is one of their largest motivations?! You mean, they're not in business to give people warm-happy-touchy-feely feelings and instead, drive revenue from people BUYING things?!

Do your job or move out of the way. I'm sure, especially in this job market, someone would love to push product for a paycheck.

PS: The "pressure" you feel is what others in normal jobs call "goals." Typically, you're accountable to reach those goals through revenue drivers aka "pressure." Welcome to the real world.

[David]

former partner,

That silver can stuff was the bomb. I totally agree with you!

Iced via is good though, or at least at first glance. But I like my iced coffee sweet and creamed, so it works for me.

Although the silver can stuff would be best ...*sigh*....

[CD]

Re the silver can stuff, I agree that those types of drinks are more convenient (and in many ways better) than an Iced Via type of offering.

Does anyone remember Cappio (before Starbucks hit it big nationally?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhkGhAe0rNg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpOqd0f7W8

[Jo]

@g-Wow way to be and ass!

It would be one thing to force employees to sell a decent product. However, Via is not good and is very hard for me to get behind.
The fact that we are selling pre-sweetened instant coffee is shameful!

[Waltie]

"And Waltie, what people mean by 'forced' is that people are 'forced' to upsell a mediocre product at the expense of personal relationships with regular customers and are 'forced' to do this at the expense of doing other things that are more productive for the people on the floor and increase partner safety."

I don't think it's a mediocre product, nor do I think talking about it with customers ruins the third place environment or annoys long-term customers. If you are being annoying about it, that's because you're annoying, not because Starbucks is doing anything wrong. And, no, safety isn't an issue. Nobody ever got hurt at a store because of Via goals.

[Roger Waters]

yo what up G?

Very well put. That's how business is, and will always be. Now I wonder if Starbucks will be doing that free pastry day again this summer...

[Lara]

I looked at the nutrition content when I stopped in for my soy misto the other day. Each serving of the new via iced coffee has 22g (5 teaspoons) of sugar. I am personally going to stay away from this new form of diabetes in a 16 oz glass.

[is it so hard to be civil]

@G

Yes there are other people that want jobs right now. If they did get hired at Sbux then sure they'll be happy about being employed. Then once they realize what BULLSHIT they'll have to deal with they become like all of the other Sbux employees you trash on.

If you've ever had another job or worked at Sbux before they sold their soul then you know how bad you are being treated. I've had some shitty jobs(KFC dishwasher). I was always treated with dignity and respect. It was never part of a BS mission statement. It was just how you treat another HUMAN. Sbux is a lie!!!

I was told when I started we would never do instant coffee. Here we are! After that I knew that we can't believe anything they say. SBUX IS A LIE!

[me, myself and I]

Hey g, did you loose your c???

As mentioned a hundred times on here before, the problem is not the fact Starbucks is a business first. It is the fact Starbucks pretends to be different and putting customers and employees first, profits are officially recognized as important, but not the only driving force. In their actions, Starbucks seems to be entirely different. These days it is profit, profit, profit only.

I guess money corrupts even people with the best of intentions, like Howard.

I guess I am just jealous. I would love to try out if a ton of money would corrupt me too. :-)

[Erik]

I typed this before, but since the topic is iced Via...
I saw it for the first time today. Presweetened turned me off right away. When summer rolls around, I have a mason jar that I fill with water and coffee grounds overnight, then cold filter in the morning. It was a mix that I got from a NYT article about a year or so ago, and you get a strong coffee base that you can dilute with water and sweeten to taste. I just add half and half (I am not a big sugar in coffee person). This is the best iced coffee I have had so far (I am always open to other options). But I am not real wild about regular Via, other than a "use in case of coffee emergency" coffee - and in that, it is better than any instant.

On another note, having gone to Disneyland again this weekend, why is all the coffee at Disneyland so AWFUL? The only drinkable coffee is at the "coffee house" on main street and in the Blue Bayou restaurant. But not a good cup to be found anywhere!