Caffeine addicts nationwide got first tastes of Starbucks Corp.’s newest offering Tuesday as the coffee giant blanketed the nation with tens of thousands of free samples of its instant coffee called Via.
The beverage, which comes in a long cylindrical plastic sleeve and dissolves in a cup of water, debuted nationwide after months of preliminary sales in test markets.
Starbucks employees handed out free samples of Via and mixed up drinks for customers from coast to coast as part of the chain’s quest to convince customers that instant coffee — long viewed as inferior — can taste as good as brewed.
Verdicts from customers ranged from a tentative thumbs-up to serious skepticism.
“I can’t tell the difference,” said Margaret Vazquez, 39. “But that could be because it’s the first coffee I’ve had today.”
The Associated Press
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