Starbucks launched VIA Ready Brew instant coffee in 2009.
The product was designed to give customers a quick Starbucks-style coffee without brewing equipment. Starbucks introduced VIA in the United States in September 2009, presenting it as a convenient alternative to traditional brewed coffee and positioning it alongside its existing whole-bean and ground products.
VIA was notable because Starbucks had historically emphasized freshly brewed coffee rather than instant coffee. The launch marked a major expansion into a category often associated with speed, portability, and home preparation. Starbucks later sold VIA in additional markets and flavors.
VIA is sometimes confused with Starbucks bottled or canned ready-to-drink coffees. Those beverages are prepared and packaged for immediate consumption, while VIA is a soluble coffee product that consumers mix with hot or cold water. It is also distinct from Starbucks’ ready-to-brew ground coffee products, which require brewing equipment.