The Starbucks VIA™ Taste Challenge
Why not join us in your local Starbucks next weekend, 12th to 15th March 2010, for the Starbucks VIA™ Taste Challenge? We think Starbucks VIA™ tastes as good as our freshly filtered coffee. Don’t take our word for it though; we’ll be comparing Starbucks freshly filtered coffee against Starbucks VIA™ in your local store next weekend. Will you be able to tell the difference?
Get a free coffee voucher when you attend the Taste Challenge. It’s our way of saying thank you. (Even if you can’t tell the difference!).
Terms and conditions: one free coffee voucher per customer taking part in the Starbucks VIA™ Taste Challenge between 12th March and 15th March. Vouchers are available while stocks last. The voucher can be used to enjoy one Tall complimentary espresso based drink on your next visit. Full terms and conditions of the voucher can be found on its reverse.
71 Responses to “The Starbucks VIA™ Taste Challenge”
Hi where do I get the Via Taste Challenge Voucher? Thank you Cat
@Cat You can get the voucher by attending The Taste Challenge, which will be happening in all UK Starbucks, in store and in your local community. Simply ask the staff at your regular store.
Hey,
Is there a decaffeinated VIA?
Thanks in advance
Hiya!
Is VIA suitable for vegans? Thanks.
When you decide to let your staff join a union and you decide to pay your USA staff the holiday enhancement for the Martin Luther King public holiday which you do not recognise then I may frequent your shops until then I wont be.
Hiya, can’t wait to try the new Via! Do we just go into starbucks at any point over the weekend and ask?
Just got sample of new VIA in post – Loved it – Thx
Hiya, I know this is stupid but will the event be happening in the Brent Cross Starbucks?
Toddyboy this is a UK site that means nobody cares about martin luther king day as it’s not a holiday here, cheers anyway!
Keep up the good work Starbucks will see you next weekend.
I love it
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do i just go into my starbucks and ask for a coffee or do i need to have a voucher or something if i need a voucher where do i find it ? x
Is it free to try the VIA in store, or do we have to pay for it?
Howard you are doing well great idea, and fairtrade foundation allaince. This ones makes up for stealth starbucks, keep it up.
Dara Bell
I got the email today about this. Is Via launching in the Irish market next week? I forgot to ask in store yesterday.
I usually buy mine in London or get mates to post it over from America, where the decaf is available. I’ve switched to decaf coffee, so will the decaf Via ever launch here too?
Thanks! Pat
Just got my free sample today – lovely. Will be buying some.
Is your new Via brew Fairtrade? and if not, why not? I was so pleased that you make a strong commitment to support Fairtrade, and it would be very sad if your new coffee did not continue this trend.
Tried the free sample of VIA today. It was OK I guess but it is obvious from the bouquet and flavour that it is an instant. Compared to other instants it is comparable to other higher quality competitors. Unfortunately I poured it away after a few mouthfuls and brewed some proper coffee! To my palette it had an odd aftertaste and the flavour was a bit nasty. Sorry, nice try though!
Have been drinking the VIA instant coffee for 3 months now and as a die hard instant coffee drinker, I have to say compared to other instants of other higher quality competitors it is leagues above.
Thank you for all of your posts. The Starbucks VIA™ Taste Challenge is in all UK stores from Friday 12th March to Monday 15th March. We’ll be comparing our freshly filtered Colombia alongside Starbucks VIA™ Colombia. You can get a free coffee voucher when you attend. See you there!
Tried new sample! Absolutely Gorgeous ThanX
How about producing a Starbucks Via Espresso version, one that is intense and strong just like an espresso and you use the smallest amount of water to make just a shot of coffee?
How do you get a sample through the post ???x
I’ve tried the new VIA, after I got a free sample from the Wilmslow store. I thought it was great, tastes like proper Starbucks coffee. I don’t like the bitter aftertaste there are in other instant coffee’s and trust me I’ve tried a lot of different coffee’s. For me Starbucks just can’t be beaten on taste and the new VIA’s are great for when you’re travelling as it’s not always easy to find a grinder and cafetiere!! Keep up the fantastic work Starbucks!
Had my free sample today and it was as good as my usual instant coffee.. If not marginally better. Could do with being a bit stronger though!
Bring on the taste challenge..
does the taste challange cost ?
I’m getting the free sample in a few days, but where can I get the voucher from, and how do I get it?
Thanks so much, (By the way, excellent service in all your stores… I love your cakes and almost all your coffee. Amazing!!)
I just got my sachet sample in the post – Colombian – great stuff for sure and just as well as Largs hasn’t got itself a Starbucks yet!
It tastes fine (not as good as instore filter coffee though), but as you only add 177ml of water (about 6oz), it’s only enough for a drink half the size of a tall! I’d have to use two sachets each time to get a proper mugful – which makes it a way too expensive for instant coffee…
I agree about the the half a cup thing… even with the starbucks small mug which i bought today with a few of the via samples it only fills it half way!
Taste isnt too bad for instant but ive had much better instant for less money. i do like that its micro ground however compared to the other types however ill probably not buy it again because of the cost and having to use 2 saches for 1 cup.
Still unsure, do you just go in and get the sample or do you need a voucher?
I just took the Taste Challenge in my local store in Milton Keynes. I think that the Via is the best tasting instant coffee I have had. I was the first to take the taste challenge and the Baristas were really helpful and informative. The Italian version is the best. Thanks for the free drink Starbucks.
I just did the taste challenge in vauxhall- it’s slightly misleading as it implies it’s free but you have to buy a cup of Via coffee for £1.20 to get the voucher…
So basically the Starbucks freshly filtered Colombia tastes like intant coffee!!!!!
Yeah, I took the challenge this morning at the Starbucks near Goodge St Station.
Though I could tell the slight difference between instant coffee and the original filtered one, which the filtered coffe has richer body, I need to say the VIA instant coffee is very high standard!
Also, it was indeed the best experience i have ever had with Starbucks. Thanks!
Carol xx
very badly announced, you have to spend 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get a voucher and participate in the challenge
Going over to the store in a hour, hoping they are running this in Manchester and it’s not a let down!
Got my sample this morning, cannot wait to try it out this afternoon.
yay!
Went into my local Starbucks and did the VIA taste test – turns out I prefer the filter coffee. I was then told I could only have the free coffee voucher IF I purchased a 12 pack of VIA, which I did not want – this rule is not mentioned in your t&c above?
I was also told that I could only have the free voucher if I purchased VIA. I asked the staff why they would put “Free Voucher If Attend Taste Test” on the website as it is rather misleading advertising. She then stared at me in a funny way and not so friendly manner and said “you know what, just take the voucher”. Had I known, I wouldn not have bothered…
Went into Starbucks this afternoon and asked to try VIA for the Taste Challenge. Got a blank look. Was asked what size pack I wanted to buy. I explained that I did not want to buy any until I had tried it. Got a sarcastic “Well we don’t give out free samples.” Left the store.
I just lover the cappacino
I like the via instant (extra bold version), which shocked me to be honest because I always need an extra shot (or two) in starbucks espresso based drinks because it’s far too weak for me. I like strong coffee with a really deep flavour. I’m really inpressed with the instant though, and unlike some of the other people on this thread I didn’t need two sachets, was convinced I would because when you get those horrible sachets in a hotel, I need at least two sometimes more before it’s even vaguely coffee like. Well done!
@ Polly – and all others with bad service – name and shame the actual branch! I had appalling service yesterday in the Leeds Park Row branch
I much prefer Starbucks to Costa
The VIA is an instant coffee using the exact same beans and process as the baristas use in the shops. VIA is not freeze dried, it’s micro-ground, making home-use coffee like this removes the need to use machines, keeping cleaning down, and making it 99% easier. I tried a sample they sent to me, and for an instant coffee it was pretty fantastic, but it did differ, although only silightly, from the in shop prepared coffees. I got £1 of my 12 pack of VIA satchets. very please, although for ‘20 years’ of work, you could have cured cancer or something, right?
its a scam. muswell hill wanted me to buy a sample before they could give me the voucher.
Would someone from “admin” like to come out and say in forthright terms whether attending to get a free voucher means “attending” or buying a cup of Instant VIA coffee to get the voucher. And if a purchase is required would he like to amend the Terms and Conditions at the top of this page.
I went into the St Andrews branch and was told i had to buy some VIA to take home, so i did, there was no mention of a taste test or a free voucher so i had to buy a latte as well. I thought that maybe i had misread it on facebook but checking when i got home it is pretty clear, why are some stores not doing what is advertised?
I went into 2 Manchester branches, one told me they would be coming round with some minature free samples soon, but not sure if they had finished doing them for the day, what they had this new range to buy and take home… the next store I tried (also in the city centre) actually had a little stall set up in a corner, but I was told the guy was on a break who was doing it… The info YOU sent me lead me to believe I would get to try it for free and then get a free ‘tall’ coffee of my choice for taking the taste challenge as a thank you… ***YOU HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTING TODAY AND ONE COULD ARGUE TRADE DESCRIPTIONS*** A personal reply would be a starting point…
Dear ALL who have commented and are agrieved… Did you know Costa Coffee have started their own card and reward scheme, saw this advertised as I was going from one lying Starbucks store to another… my money is carefully spent and will be accepted at any coffee store!
Yours Shaun – A dissapointed (previously happy) Starbucks customer, who cant believe such a global brand can advertise such an offer and then not carry it off.
Agree with above posters. All a bit of a con. I’ve been into three branches in London trying to do the test and get the voucher but and have been told various reasons why the tastings are not going aheead from ‘come back in a couple of hours’ to ‘the promotion team will be arriving later this afternoon’. Very poorly organised Starbucks. You’ve shot yourself in the foot with false promises.
I went to 3 Starbucks today and all of them said that I could only get a free coffee if I purchased the via coffee which I blind tested 3 times and found to be inferior! Why would I want to buy poor tasting coffee to get a free coffee? I ended up buying a venti white choc mocha anyway to get rid of the foul taste. One taste tester staff person also lied about which coffee was which but I saw the flasks afterwards of which one he poured out the coffee from. He had earlier told me that he would give me a discount if I thought the via coffee was worse. What a con! I’ll be posting soon on my blog!
[...] The link to the Starbucks VIA taste challenge page with comments is here [...]
I am really disappionted with this testing thing.
I also have been to 2 different starbucks 1 on friday at 12.30 and 1 on Saturday at 4pm, I was told that they were not ready yet for the tasting and would have to come back later.
They email that Starbucks sent out was wrong to do so if they were not going to make sure there stores could honour it.
I think Starbucks have let down there Loyal Customers.
And they need to answer the Negative responses.
Shouldnt lie to your customers! I’m a loyal customer, (check how much i update my loyalty card) really unhappy about this experience, does our money even go to charity? what else are you lieing about?
On facebook Starbucks UK page they have written to all the complainers on the wall with the following message:
Starbucks UK “Hi Kwai – I’m really sorry that you had this experience yesterday. Please could you email us the details of your visit along with your contact info to ukinfo@starbucks.com?”
I did the taste challenge at the Putney branch yesterday afternoon (approx 4.30pm) after receiving a card in the post about the challenge. However, when I asked for the voucher for a free coffee afterwards the woman told me I couldn’t get a voucher unless I bought a 12 pack of the VIA coffee! That’s not what I was led to believe.
Disappointed and I won’t bother going along again for these promotions if you’re just going to lie to get us through the door!
ps. even if I bought the 12 pack of VIA (which I didn’t want) the voucher she said I could get only gave £1 off a tall coffee. So even then it wouldn’t be free like all your promotional material said it would be! Pretty hacked off as I made a special trip there just to try the new coffee as well
Wow!
So much negativity on here, have to say that I went to three seperate tastings and the best that I went to was in Camden by the canal – vey nice welcome – really a lot of detail from the tasters – Think it was store manager and migle – tried colombia and the Italian VIA – GOT MY VOUCHER AND MY MUM TOO!
The Starbucks was VERY busy – my friend went there later on and they were still doing the tasting!
I will deffinately be going back as they were great! Even took our photos!
Way to Go Starbucks!
Dear all – thank you for your posts. I’m really sorry that you’ve not had the right experience in store this weekend. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further and would ask you to drop us an email with your contact information and feedback to ukinfo@starbucks.com
i love star bucks its the only place i ever get any type of hot drink from just visit and you will see for yourself
Why are the “full terms and conditions” not printed on this site – can’t be a major exercise if they fit on the back of the voucher!
Is this an ethically honest promotion?
Ola!
Just been back to the starbucks in Camden by the Stables! They are still giving tasting of Via in that shop!
They recognised me from yesterday, said asked how I liked my Via from yesterday and gave me another taste challenge!
Such a good vibe for spring – the roof terrace view is ace! Love this store!
I went into the Bayswater Starbucks this morning and was also told that I could only have the free drink voucher if I bought a large pack of VIA for £4.45. This isn’t what the adverts say and I can’t find anything about this condition on the website, although a friend did get a voucher at Finchley Road O2 wihtout having to buy anything. Still, at least it didn’t cost me anything…
I went to the Winchester branch on Saturday to try the ‘Taste Challenge’. After taking the challenge I was swiftly asked if I would like to purchase some of the VIA. I declined as I visit the branch regularly and was subsequently given a voucher to obtain a discount on my next purchase. I then noticed that the free coffee voucher has already been torn off. After pointing this out to the member of staff he stated that unless I bought some of the VIA there and then I would not be entitled to this voucher.
This promotion is an absolute scam and in future I will take my business to Cafe Nero. After being a loyal customer for some 7 years this has left a bitter taste in my mouth quite literally.
will you make the decaff as well?
I heard some people are starting a Facebook campaign to make the public (especially in the UK) become more aware of Starbuck’s misleading advertising tactics in executing the VIA Challenge, and they’re hoping that people won’t get cheated by such scams in the future.
I’m one of the many individuals who took the effort to walk into a Starbucks and take the VIA Challenge. I relied on what was advertised by Starbucks (including the terms and conditions). I did not know I was supposed to BUY something to get the free cup of coffee that was supposed to be “Starbuck’s sign of appreciation” for my effort to take part in the challenge. I did buy 12-packets of VIA (and I still have my receipt for it). I bought the VIA simply because I felt obliged by the staff (the staff had to prepare the challenge tray for me to take the challenge). However I do feel extremely cheated by Starbuck’s advertisements.
I think I’ll join the campaign against Starbuck’s misleading advertisements. I wonder if I can return the 12 packets of VIA to Starbucks because after realizing how I’ve been taken in for a ride, I now I want my money back!
I’m glad i missed the so called “Free” offer, i’ll be getting my Lavazza coffee as usual for 99p from my local J D Wetherspoons, with each 6th cup genuinely free
today I came to London to see my mum as I could not yesterday I was waitting at Paddington Station for her pick me up and I decide to go to Starbucks to wait for her. By the door was a lady ofering the test challenge she told me lots of intresting thinks about coffee and new Via was so good then on the end I was not sure when I ended buying the 12 pack of Via (she was good selling it….) but you know what ? was wort it as I pay just £3.45 and I got 12 pack of Via, mocha with cream,sampling of other Via and really smilly good service from everybady… that lady even told me how eazy make mocha and cappucino from Via at home………
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I am writting about it as when I made mocha for my mum at her house she made me to tell her how I know that…. hehehe
well dane Starbucks and Paddington station
I copy my comment as I see everybady writting here
hm………
now I enjoying my Via columbia latte made by myself hihihhiihih
extra shot?????? how to do it????
help…….
Sorry Starbucks love the in house coffee but Via is what it says and no more..an instant coffee! Time will tell but more people may take to this instant coffee when the price becomes more realistic to the taste rather then the hype.
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