PRODUCT REVIEW: Starbucks VIA

Did you know 40 per cent of the world’s coffee sales is in instant coffee? It’s huge in Europe and Asia, which accounts for much of the $21-billion instant sector.

I’ve been in high-end hotels in China where they plunk down a jar of Sanka when you ask for coffee. There are full aisles of instant coffee mixes (with sugar and powdered milk) in Asian grocery stores. But instant remains stereotyped as lower-quality convenience product in North America.

Starbucks is trying to change that mindset, as well crack into the lucrative instant market, with the introduction of VIA on Tuesday across North America.

I was invited to a small launch in Calgary at the Raw Bar in Hotel Arts, where John Tietz, Starbucks regional manager of operations and a “coffee master,” gave us the lowdown.

After 20 years (!) of tinkering, Starbucks perfected a proprietary (read: secret) process that micro-grinds 100% arabica beans without losing their oils and flavours. No preservatives are added.

VIA is sold in single-serve packets, bundled in three ($3.49) or 12 ($11.49) in either a medium Colombian or a dark Italian Roast. One packet dissolves in 8 oz. of hot or cold water.

So how does it taste? Surprisingly not bad. There’s no foreign texture, strange aftertaste or watery blandness of other instant coffees I’ve had. In fact, I’d put it VIA on the same level as an average drip coffee.

VIA will likely not replace your espresso or French press or even morning drip-coffee, but I can see it being handy: emergency pick-me-up at the office, on flights, out camping or travelling. The single pouch makes it easy to stash in a drawer or purse — or in the new Starbucks travel mug that holds VIA packets on the side.

Starbucks is offering a free taste test at their stores this week Friday to Monday (Oct. 2-5), challenging you to examine the difference between VIA and their regular drip Pike Place roast.

As part of the Calgary Starbucks event, Raw Bar executive chef Duncan Ly created a special brunch to pair with coffee.

The first trio plate had some lovely crispy pork belly with pineapple chutney, a mini eggs benedict with soft poached quail’s egg on a cheddar scone and some cinnamon-smoked duck breast with fig purée.

The second plate featured a small round of sockeye smoked salmon with wasabi cream cheese on potato, a juicy slice of sous-vide chicken breast with a wild mushroom sauce and lemon gnocchi, and a very nice braised short rib pot pie with truffle mashed potatoes.

Ly rounded out the mid-morning meal with a huge plate of chocolate desserts, including an espresso mousse cake, hazelnut chocolate balls and gold-covered espresso beans.

Raw Bar has kind of been under my radar, but this was enough to get my attention. I’m putting it on my list of restaurants to try. Don’t think I’ll bring my own instant coffee though.