Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew Voted Most Innovative New Product of the Year

Industry Peers Praise Starbucks New Category Offering

LONDON. – Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced that Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew has been voted “Most Innovative New Product of the Year” following an industry-wide survey by Allegra Strategies1.

Darcy Willson-Rymer, managing director, Starbucks UK and Ireland, who will be speaking at Allegra’s UK Coffee Leader Summit in London today, on the coffee industry’s joint responsibility to local and coffee growing communities, commented that, “Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew has been more than 20 years in development, and realises our desire to produce a coffee that replicates the body and flavour of Starbucks® coffee in an instant form. It was a significant move for Starbucks and this recognition by industry peers validates our belief in this innovation.”

Unlike many instant coffees, Starbucks VIA™ is created using a unique natural roasting process. While some instant coffees use lower-quality coffee beans and add chemicals and by-products, Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is made using an innovative (patent pending) process which transforms the same high quality arabica beans used in all Starbucks coffee into a great instant coffee combined with microground coffee, giving it that same rich flavour expected from Starbucks.

Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is available in 32 Starbucks coffeehouses in West London. Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is made by adding hot (or cold) water to a cup, which brews the coffee in an instant. Portioned into single-serve sachets, Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew is sold in packs of three or twelve and is available in two flavours - bold, nutty Colombia and smooth, rich Italian Roast. Customers can purchase Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew in London Starbucks stores for £1.20 (3 servings) and £3.95 (12 servings), meaning customers can enjoy a cup of Starbucks® coffee for 40 pence or less.

Later this calendar year or early next year, it is intended for Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew to be available in other markets around the globe, online and in grocery.


1 Allegra Strategies is a London-based management consultancy and has accurately predicted trends in the UK branded coffee shop market since 1999. Allegra is recognised as one of the global leaders in coffee sector and foodservice research. 126 industry executives were surveyed by Allegra between 15 April and 1 May 2009. A further 20 company executives were interviewed to gather information on latest store numbers.