OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: How are your VIA taste tests going today?

What are customers saying about the instant coffee? Discuss VIA or anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD.|| Read "Free Starbucks coffee taste test starts Friday" || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[Melody]

I wouldn't mind hearing more about the full-leaf tea launch mentioned in the "Sell Via or we'll shoot!" thread. Does anyone know more?? In my own blog I had posted a tea menu several weeks ago, and now I wonder if it'll be the same thing. (link to tea post in blog in my name)

[Aces of Eight]

My store is high brew, probably about a quarter of our sales is just brewed coffee.

So, our regulars know coffee, but surprisingly, while a lot of them could tell the difference, many of them took a bit of time to think it out. In other words, regular coffee drinkers (and I don't just mean pike addicts, I mean a ton of people who only come in in the morning and drink just bold, which is a large group of our customers) had trouble telling the difference. When they did figure it out, they had to admit that it took them a little while, and that for instant it was certainly quite a cut above the rest.

Also, interestingly enough, we are selling a ton of it. They are trying it and they are buying it. I have lots of business people and doctors and nurses who want coffee for the office or the hospital when they can't go to Starbucks, and once they try it, they want it for those times they can't get out to visit the Siren.

Our partners are sampling nonstop, and suggestive selling, and hard selling and just really working on it. But our regulars are not upset, because we know when not to ask anymore, and when to shut up, we know our customer base well.

And guess what? It may only be a couple days into the promotion, so it could certainly change, but at the moment my store is selling more than any other store in the region. I will not say what region in case their is a way someone from my region could look up the store that is doing the best, which is probably quite easy. And from there my identity would probably not be all that difficult to guess, I prefer of course, to stay anonymous.

[yukonluvr]

i got to do the sampling today and it was fun! i wish i could have been there all day doling out samples. Every customer liked the via, and many some bought 3 and 12 packs. this via launch, i'm noticing, is a great way for us to connect with our customers again. instead of just giving them a robotic greeting and offering of the promo drink and pastry. it's fun to explain to them the process to make via, and helps us to show our coffee knowledge.

[jus sayin]

i was pretty skeptical these last few days, having been beaten down by arbitrary sales goals and disinterested customers, but i did the via taste challenge today and sold 200% of that 'arbitrary goal' by myself. i wish they had just done the challenge first because so many people believe in it now. i just hope they don't up that goal to like 500% or something crazy!

[Erik H.]

Well, from the other side of the counter, I had to take a moment to figure out which was which. I did, though. Anyway, in the small Ohio town I live in, there is no SBUX, unless I want to drive a minimum of 20 minutes, which isn't always possible. As I said on another thread, 90 cents for a SBUX 'experience', made in 5-6 minutes (depending on how quickly the hot pot boils) beats 1.25 dreck at the local java pot. Thanks!

[CoffeeMaster33]

I did a taste test today with a married couple. They each thought a different cup was Pike Place Roast/VIA. It was funny that they made it an I'm right/you're wrong scenario haha. The husband ended up being right, but they both hummed and hawed for quite a while before making their decisions. I used Colombia Roast, so I think if I'd used the VIA Italian Roast, it would've been even harder.

All in all, people are having a great reaction to it. People are really into the tumblers, too.

[javafan]

Most customers at my store guessed which one is the instant. I was kinda bummed, but what do you do about it. Oh well. Most customers said it tastes real good for an instant coffee.

[cheerio]

Unrelated to Via (though I do like it), but what is the standard amount of syrup in a pumpkin spice latte? I ordered a tall, and it tastes like a cup of pumpkin syrup with a splash of milk -- is this normal?? I've never had two pumps of syrup completely overtake the coffee flavour like that.

[Champy]

I guessed which one was VIA because I hate Pike Place, and I'm a former partner. But I also like VIA as an alternative to the crap they have available where I work.

[s]

A tall pumpkin spice latte should have 3 pumps of syrup.
Via: I set up and sampled for 4 hours today. Although, half the people couldn't tell the difference between Via and Pike, they didn't buy it because they don't like Pike.
Then we started offering a tall free beverage if they buy a box for the troops. That worked. We sold lots. Only a few people bought it for personal use.
Honestely though, we are a bold store. We brew it from morning to close. If we only brewed pike in the afternoon and evening, we wouldn't have many takers.

[DoctorsPepper]

This VIA taste challenge isn't going so well for me. I was picked to be the designated sample girl at my store. We are in Washington, so the VIA isn't so new to us, and no one was really interested. In four hours, I maybe had 30 people do the taste test, and about 80% of them guessed right. The lack of interest from the customers is very discouraging, but I can't blame them because it has already been out for 6 months ago.

[SBUX Customer]

Did the taste challenge today. Even after the answer was revealed, I could not tell the difference. I though I would be able to because I got the free Via in the mail a few months ago.

[SBUX Customer]

Instead of free cup of coffee as advertised, we got a coupon for $1 off instead. I haven't looked at the coupon yet but I think it is for $1 off the next Via purhase.

[spencer]

SBUX Customer, There are two coupons on your Thank You note. One coupon for $1.00 off any size Via. And one coupon for a tall drip coffee.

[JonnySF]

I am a regular starbucks coffee drinker and I did a taste test today. I was pretty sure it was going to be an easy task. Somehow, I had to really double check it twice before I was certainly sure which one was the fresh brew coffee. If I don't smell the coffee, I might had pick it wrong. The taste for VIA is surprising good. However, it does not have the freshness of brew coffee. The scent really gave it away. VIA doesn't have much scent like fresh brew.

Hey, I still think it's pretty good coffee. I will drink VIA over many other coffee alternative. I use VIA at home all the time if I can't make it to the store. I HATE, again HATE coffee makers. IT takes up space and so much waste, if I just want to brew ONE CUP of coffee. I end up with beans sitting around for days and coffee brew at home becomes stale.

Anyways, I like VIA and i think it's a great idea. TO BARISTA, I was a bit shy to try out the taste challenge. Besides when there are many people, it's kind of hard to wait and do the challenge.

[elibracken]

staffing is horrible at my store. so, when tone of customers showed wanting to take the "taste test challenge" we didnt have an available barista to lead a tasting. we ended up giving samples of just via by itself and gave out the coupons. for the first day i would say it was a pretty big success. most customers loved via and couldnt tell the difference between brewed coffee and via ready brew. i just wish my manager would have scheduled enough coverage to have a single barista preforming the taste test all day long.

[Marcus]

My store didn't seem set up for the challenge. When we got there, there was no designated place to do it, except at the very small counter area where the register is (it's a small store). People were in line behind me and since I knew I wanted to do the challenge and it seemed like there was nowhere that they could possibly do it but at the counter, I let them go ahead of me telling them I was going to be taste testing. I asked the barista if I could take the challenge and he was confused. I don't think they did many tastings because the barista asked the other barista what he was supposed to do. She came out with grande cups but only a bit of coffee in each one, and I said so one is the instant and one is the brewed, and she said, "Yeah." I would have thought they would have small cups for testing. They frankly seemed annoyed that we asked.

I felt bad for you all before, but if this is the excitement the baristas produce after all that pressure, maybe even more pressure was needed. I'm JK--I'm sure it's just my store.

It really wasn't crowded (I went at 8 at night), so they could have been a bit more attentive. I had to track down the barista who set it up for me to ask her which was which. I had guessed correctly and my dad was wrong. In fact he was positive the pikes place coffee was the instant and made a grimacing face when he tasted it saying it had a horrible after-taste. It was definitely acidic, and we both agreed the via coffee was far better quality, much, much more complex and pleasant than the pikes place. I think they gave us the Columbia via but they weren't too sure.

It's funny, I have been in sales before, and I was the one actually trying to hype it up telling the barista it would go great in cookies I make that call for instant espresso powder. My dad bought a package of three. One woman asked what we were doing and we told her to try it and how good it was and that afterward if she did it she could ask for a free coupon for a tall coffee and a dollar off the Via, so I felt like we were doing all the selling!

It is possible that the staff earlier in the day had been more properly set up.

Anyhow, the Via is a good product, I don't tolerate too much caffeine and normally only get a drink with one shot of espresso, but if I drank coffee regularly I would probably order this over the pike's place. I do like when they have komodo dragon, but I haven't seen that one for a long time on the boards. I'd like to see the Via come in decaf, especially for baking purposes! Or if they had a smaller pack, like a pack equivalent to a shot of espresso that I could add to cold milk to make an instant iced latte.

[Terry]

Has anyone tried adding a Via pack to a cup of hot milk to make a cafe au lait?

[SPORK]

Marcus,

Starbucks is working on Decaf, mostly for a single cup alternative to customers who want decaf after noon, so give it a wait. You should also know that Via has much more caffeine than a regular cup of coffee, at least from what I've been told

[curious]

I receved my review today rated ME well on my way to CE so I was told would probably be CE next round if things continue as is. My increase was 1.5% DM said actually surprised that they are giving out increases at all given the entire economy. So...I was just wondering all the other managers out there what % have you been given and if this really is consistent. Has anyone Manager or DM received anything higher??
Just curious!

[me]

cheerio.... the pumpkin spice is CRAZY SWEET. Ask for a double tall 2 pump... or something like that... a shot per a pump will still be pretty sweet, but not crazy...

[SBUX Customer]

Do you guys think that the Via will eventually be sold in grocery stores such as Wal-Mart?

[SBUX Customer]

Folgers, Tasters Choice, etc. already have instant coffee. Does anyone think that Folgers, Tasters Choice, etc. will start making instant coffee like the Via to compete with Starbucks?

[CamSpi]

SBUX Customer
There is a patent pending on the process Starbucks uses to create Via... SO if the patent goes through, then Folgers and Nescafe cannot use the same method. Plus, their beans suck anyway and Starbucks coffee beans are always top notch.

[Burned Bean]

i still can't believe that we are the words starbucks and instant coffee in one sentence. btw, the mouth feel is flat...

[CoffeeMaster33]

For the person wondering about the $1 off versus free tall coffee, where are you located? I'm not sure about in the States, but up here in Canada we just have coupons for the $1 off a pack of VIA. Ours sold okay today. I personally sold two or three packs of it today, but gave out tons of samples. I think our sales will go up once those people try it and decide whether or not they'd like to pursue it.

I've gotta say though: I'm excited for this stuff. I can't wait to grab some for my next markout.

[erstwhile]

American consumers won't try anything new unless there's the word "free" involved. That's why our coupon books have a free coffee coupon included. Otherwise, it's not worth our time.

We sampled Via all day long today, to anyone interested and even to many who weren't really interested. We handed them out to every customer in the window. There's only about 1/10th of the samples left after one day. We still missed our sales goal by a few dollars. I'm not sure what more we can do to hit it aside from being dishonest. Our DM has been in our store two of the last three days, and on the phone many more times aside from that, constantly fishing for sales updates and explanations for missed targets. It's frustrating because we really are trying -- our customers just don't seem interested. We've even been using the line "you can save a dollar today with this coupon!~" to make it seem as if the coupon is only good here and now, not in the future. That seems dishonest enough for me -- I couldn't imagine ringing out Via in the place of another product the customers actually wanted, or other sneaky tactics I've heard of happening.

What's more disheartening is that our store is comping 25% over last year and shattering sales goals on everything else, except Via, and we don't even get to celebrate those successes. It really is challenging to schlock a product when you have two baristas on the floor because you're understaffed and breaking sales goals in a drive thru store with two lines to manage.

It's really hard to be any more motivated than we already are, except out of fear or desire to get our DM out of our hair. A party doesn't seem that great to me, especially since I had to work the last time our store had one. To top it off, new quarter, and constant threats of a QASA audit on the horizon. Working at Starbucks should not be this stressful and unrewarding. I just want to make customers their drinks.

[soydork]

my favourite sampling experience of the day was the man who said no to taking the challlenge, then yes, (without me asking a second time) then tasted both, stuck his tongue out at me like a 3-year-old and said "nice try," before storming away. It's a free sample. If you don't want it, don't take it.

[David Murphy]

Via = good stuff. I guessed wrong in the taste test.

[(former) FLA SM]

All this crazy business about Via reminds me of the old Saturday Night Live bit with Chris Farley where they did the parody of the old commercials for instant coffee. ("We've replaced his regular coffee with new Folger's crystals!") Once they inform Farley about the switch, he goes berserk, screaming "YOU LIED TO ME!!!" and tearing up the restaurant before finally being clubbed into submission. If you've never seen it, you gotta check it out.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/206019/

[green_cup]

For the person wondering about the $1 off versus free tall coffee, where are you located? I'm not sure about in the States, but up here in Canada we just have coupons for the $1 off a pack of VIA. Ours sold okay today. I personally sold two or three packs of it today, but gave out tons of samples. I think our sales will go up once those people try it and decide whether or not they'd like to pursue it.

I've gotta say though: I'm excited for this stuff. I can't wait to grab some for my next markout.

Posted by: CoffeeMaster33 | October 02, 2009 at 09:58 PM

Wow. You'd really give up a REAL pound (half-pound?) of coffee for instant? Wow. Yeah, Via will do well at Starbucks -- even the "baristas" like the instant over the real stuff, which is unfathomable.

[pHluid]

Starbucks is in the coffee business. It's only right that we use instant coffee and starbucks in the same sentence. It's a 21 billion dollar market and it's time for us to grow this business. Why shouldn't starbucks enter into the instant coffee market? They have innovated the instant coffee market and it will never be the same again. Amazing product. Starbucks got it right this time and I'm proud to sell this stuff. You will blow your target out of the water if you can convince customers to donate to the troops. We are 500% to target and customers love it too. Almost all feedback has been positive. Make it relevant to the customer. Ask them what they are doing this weekend. And apply what you know about VIA to the customers happenings for the week. Fantastic job to all the baristas who believe in the product and do everything they can to make it relevent to the customer. Good job!!

[Marcus]

@ SPORK, Thanks for the heads up about a possible decaf version.

Is it true they have 160 mg caffeine per packet? In that case I could only have half a packet at most per day (anxiety disorder), which would save me money anyhow. I'm out of milk, but once I pick some up I'm going to experiment with using half a pack to make an iced coffee drink.

[Michelle Smith]

Our RD asked us not to use it as a "Donate to the Troops" campaign because those are only one time sales--we are supposed to be helping the customers create a VIA routine.

[redcup]

newsweek magazine ranked starbucks the 10th greenest big business (in america?). well ahead of mcD at #24, but our greenhouse emission is only slightly less than half of mcD's. given the business size, i think we can do better.

i was opening pastry case the other day, and notice how far away our bakery items come from, especially the promo ones.

coffee & tea, of course, are imported big time. bananas, too. sugar, major source of sustainability debate. all those retail items from china. ubiquetous packaging (especially for holiday items), disposable mentality.

i'm not saying that we are alone in this. i mean all those beef and potatoes and flour at other QSR, god knows that they were procured. but sometimes I take a look at the consumption and wonder when enough will be enough. maybe never?

[me]

yes Marcus, thats right. But that's not just via... Starbucks coffee has 20 mg of caffeine per ounce. Meaning that a quad grande latte has as much caffeine as a grande coffee.

[coffee drinker]

My somewhat local starbucks got a sale out of me - I ordered a tall coffee, not much interest in Via, and they barista offered me a pack of via for $1.95 and a free cup of coffee. Smart - that's just the two coupons, but it made the Via cost to me $0.35 - which is probably the right price point for me... I hear Nescafe Clasico is the best grocery store instant, so I'm going to buy that and taste test vs. Via

[Richard]

Do "Donate to the Troops" sales often happen in the US
It seems kind of weird from my point of view. A company is profiting off of the respect that people have for soldiers? I can understand if the company is giving all of the profits to a military widows charity or something similar, but actually profiting from it?

People are getting blown up all over the world and Starbucks is making money because this is a popular idea?
Eugh.

[SMgal]

@ curious

my ME raise was not even 1%

I think being a SS again is worth it.
No promo threats, non-taxed tips, maxed out hourly, can't work over 40...just sounds like heaven.

[SBUX DRONE LOS ANGELES]

@pHluid

Like I've said before, Via is good, not great. I am proud to sell the stuff because it's required of me to do so, it is an innovative new product, and it will generate business. I just don't understand how some partners can come on here and say it's AMAZING, when it really isn't. Our whole bean selections are BILLIONS OF TIMES better than Via will ever be. So now that Via is around, we have to sell that instead of the whole beans? Why not try selling whole beans all the time as well? I would like to know why the powers that be haven't told us to focus on selling whole beans instead of now trying to sell the heck out of Via. There's profit in selling whole beans too, but now that Via has arrived we have to try and meet bogus goals or face the consequences for not selling enough of it. No, don't respond by saying I am negative and I don't love the company or my job or any such things. I love my job and I am proud to work for Starbucks, but selling Via, an INSTANT coffee, because that's what it is, is all of a sudden A BIG DEAL because some of our heads are on the line? It's bogus. Some customers like it and some don't. Let's not try and force it upon those who don't want to try it or don't like it because we end up losing what valuable business we have to those loyalists.

Another thing, it's clear to me Starbucks didn't think of the loyal customers when it brought Via out. Did they actually think loyal/regular customers were going to be suckered into buying this stuff? That's why I've given up with the regulars, they don't want it, simple as that. Let's not try to alienate them by pushing Via down their throats. Focus on the rest of the customers, but leave the regulars alone.

[Marcus]

I wasn't going to say anything until you did @Richard, but I agree that asking people to donate to the the military is a bit tacky. And I am grateful that my Starbucks hasn't asked me to do that. The military is an agency of the government. It would be like asking people to donate to the Department of the Interior. Whenever I'm asked to donate to the police, military, etc, I say (non-sarcastically), raise my taxes if need be. I think the military has coffee. I donate privately, and the money I donate isn't lost in increasing the profits of a company. At least Starbucks could ask people to donate the coffee at the at-cost price of the coffee. Or Starbucks could try to do what companies do which is try to SELL coffee to the military. The government looooooooves giving out defense contracts, and they're not always too cost conscious. Heck, support a campaign or two of some key congress people and you could probably charge them twice as much for the Via ;)

Having said that, no one at my Starbucks has suggested anything like that, so all is fine.

[jonnysf]

I got many $1 off coupons and I'm going to buy at least 5 packs of 12 bags via in the next week or so... I cannot wait to put it in my own foamy steam milk with VIA and hot coco with VIA...

It's going to be so GOOD!!!!!! AGAIN I hate making coffee at home with coffee maker. So much mess... can anyone tell me why you would 1. go buy fresh beans 2. grind it 3.fresh press it 4. Add cream, sugar

That's 4 steps!!!! so much work! Can VIA come out with a version with cream included inside? So it's just add hot water... that will really make my day! :)

[>>><<<]

We sold a fair amount of VIA today but nowhere near the outrageous goals our store had set. The lines and wait times were so long due to lack of labor that customers could have invented their own VIA while waiting to "take the challenge".

[east coast mgr]

I am an SM on the east coast ... and just came home from a LONG day of sampling and selling VIA. but as I left we were at over 600% goal for today!!! it was fun and fairly easy ... customers want to be sold on it. Just not sure how we will be making goal (200% in our area) every single day without the extra labor. anyone else blowing their goals out??

to curious and SMgal haven't had my review yet but am afraid of raises like that as well ... thats an insult!! I work my ass off on a daily basis, never make less then 50 hours a week and I often am the go-to for the entire district, I hope I will get more than 1.5% thats for sure, but I guess we'll see.

[a sad day for starbucks]

Via is horrible. I am a customer. I can't imagine it tastes better than any other kind of instant coffee. But I wouldn't know since
I DON'T DRINK INSTANT COFFEE. I am not really sure what sbux is thinking with this. Oh wait, yes I am--$$. Once they come out with flavored coffee they will have officially jumped the shark.

[Curious Customer]

Why does the Via package say to add 240 ml of water without giving the conversion to ounces?

[sm]

I got a 1% raise this year! I'm not really that upset since I didn't think they were going to be giving any this year. The bad part of it is this was one of best reviews/years I have had, but the least amount of money I have been given. Oh well, as long as next year is better...........

[Sad Customer]

Are Store Managers the only ones receiving raises? If you are a Store Manager, can you comment on the raises given to your supervisors and baristas? Is there a cap and are raises fixed? i.e. so individuals who perform considerable above and beyond still get mediocre raises? One of my favorite baristas is about to leave because of bad pay raises even though I think she does an awesome job. Please respond.

[me]

curious customer... maybe its canadian via.

[info provided]

@sad customer

This is how it works for baristas and shift supervisors. Reviews happen every six months. There are three ratings: needs improvement, meets expectations, and consistently exceeds expectations. The first review a partner gets after six months of employment raises them from the start rate to the six month rate, as long as they are an ME or a CE (NI gets no raise (and goes on an action plan). In Los Angeles that is a raise from $8.25 an hour to $8.84 an hour - in others areas the starting rate is less or more, but the ratio of the increase at six months is the same. At subsequent six month reviews, an ME gets a 2% raise (4% per year), and CE gets a 3.5% raise (7% per year). They have just rolled out a new review program with four ratings (Must Improve, Meets Expectations, Above Expectations, and Consistently Exceeds Expectations). I am not sure what the increases will be, but they are standardized like the old ones and are probably something like MI - 0, ME 1% or 1.5%, AE 2% or 2.5%, and CE 3% or 3.5%. The raise after the first six months will continue to work the same way as under the old system. Pretty fair, I think, and comparable to similar service jobs.