Eight months after launching its Via instant coffee line in Seattle and Chicago, Starbucks Corp. has announced the product's nationwide rollout.
The launch will be supported by the company's first-ever television ad campaign and the distribution to an estimated 1,500 locations besides Starbucks' retail stores.
According to a story on Yahoo Finance, Starbucks is trying to capture its share of the $21 billion instant coffee market.
From the the story:
Based on the success we've had, we feel strongly that we're sitting on a very big opportunity," said Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said during a conference call with journalists. "What's going to sell Via at the end of the day is that (it) delivers in the cup. Most people will not be able to tell the difference."Among the surprises so far are the various uses of the drink discovered by consumers, executives said. Some people are buying the ground coffee to cook and bake with, while others are mixing it with cold water or milk. Schultz said it's also being bought by teachers to keep in lunchrooms and desks and by physicians who want a quick cup of coffee in a hospital.
