March 14, 2010
Join the conversation with Dining Editor Mary Brown Malouf
09/29/09
04:36 PM
On the Table

Java jive: Malouf whines about coffee

By Mary Brown Malouf
09/29/09 - 04:36 PM
Java jive: Malouf whines about coffee

The big announcement about Starbucks' new product today leaves me cold.

The short version: after 8 months of trials, Starbucks will start selling Via, its new instant coffee, nationwide and in Canada. Starbucks brainiacs point to the huge amount of instant coffee sold in the UK as an inspiration for the confidence they feel about American sales.

Just a couple flaws in thinking: The UK drinks TEA. Brits and most Europeans have kitchens the size of a SMALL American CLOSET. The average American has 300 square feet to make coffee in, and that dimension is growing.

But beyond that—why???? Is this a reaction to how complicated Starbucks has made coffee? Is it a gift to stand-up comics who have run out of Starbucks material? Has some super-silent majority been clamoring for instant coffee?

I don't think so. The claim that "it tastes just like fresh coffee" is underwhelming. So is the promise that it's made of "100% naturally roasted coffee." What's this stuff got that real coffee hasn't got? 

I guess it makes sense for service on airplanes. (Certainly airplane coffee couldn't be worse.) And it's cheap—a buck a cup. But who made coffee so expensive in the first place???

Oh, it makes me tired.

Reader Comments:
Old to new | New to old
Sep 29, 2009 05:15 pm
 Posted by  Anonymous

I love Starbucks, fresh, instant or however I can get it!

Sep 30, 2009 09:47 am
 Posted by  Anonymous

Mary, how many of those little packets would it take to fill an empty jar of instant coffee from the grocery store? Cost of the jar? Cost of all those packets? Who says the guys running SB aren't marketing geniuses!

Sep 30, 2009 09:53 am
 Posted by  Anonymous

Hi Mary,
We miss you!!
http://tinyurl.com/y9bvkea
Nancy Nichols

Sep 30, 2009 11:01 am
 Posted by  Anonymous

I haven't tried this instant coffee yet, but I have read a few articles about it in the New York Times and Newsweek. It's apparently much better than the freeze-dried stuff. Either way, I have worked in too many offices where the mass-market tub of pre-ground Robusta coffee in the break room was only slightly more flavorful than burnt sawdust. This concentrated stuff would never replace my home coffee maker, but if it's drinkable, I'd love to keep a few packets in my desk drawer, or in my backpack when I'm camping, or as an alternative to truck-stop coffee when I'm on a road trip.

Sep 30, 2009 07:06 pm
 Posted by  Wave

OK, I confess, I had a sample this evening, on ice, with milk! How is it not drinkable? But definitely better than most burnt office coffee. Generally their coffee and especially espresso are well below the critical standards of those who care about coffee flavors, but that is a small group. I have two friends who are roasting fanatics, one amateur and the other professional, and they can unlock amazing flavors from their carefully chosen beans.

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About This Blog

A lack of serious ambition, a love of cooking and a degree in Latin naturally led to a career in food writing for Mary Brown Malouf.

Her 25 years of experience has included stints as executive editor of D magazine in Dallas, Texas; executive editor at wine.com in Napa, California; and restaurant critic for The Salt Lake Tribune.

Now, she’s the dining editor for Salt Lake magazine, where she writes about the food scene in Salt Lake City and beyond. Check in regularly for the latest restaurant news, great products from local purveyors, and conversation about all things gustatory.

If you have news, tips or other information about the dining scene you'd like to share, email Mary.

 

 

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