14 Things To Know Before Buying Starbucks Via Instant Coffee

Is there anything more convenient than instant coffee? Office workers, commuters, and even backpackers can probably all agree that the ease of carrying and making instant coffee on the go is well worth the price. Today, we're looking to the best of the best for instant coffee: Starbucks.

If you're looking for a conveniently delicious instant coffee, there's no trustier brand than the fast food chain that's a staple of so many coffee lovers. Though their in-store service is fast, there's an even quicker way to enjoy the Starbucks coffee you love; with Starbucks' instant coffee brand, Via. 

With a variety of different flavors to choose from, Via is often touted as the best instant coffee around. That's because Starbucks adds micro-ground coffee to every Via packet, ensuring a fresh-tasting and flavorful cup of coffee. All you need is a cup of water and a single VIa packet and you're good to go. Before you get to loading up on all the Via flavors Starbucks has to offer, there are a few things you should keep in mind. We've rounded up absolutely everything you need to know about Via before you add a box (or two) to your coffee order.

When buying Via, you need to familiarize yourself with the three main stars of the instant coffee show. If you've bought a freshly brewed cup of coffee from Starbucks before, you might have noticed that Starbucks follows a pattern with its available roasts. There will always be a light roast, medium roast, and dark roast available. Starbucks' signature roast, Pike Place, is on the menu year-round.

You'll find that Via instant coffee packets follow a similar flavor layout. First, is Starbucks' classic Via signature roast, Pike Place. It's a medium roast with notes of cocoa and nuts, inspired by the birthplace of the very first Starbucks coffee shop. The Via Pike Place instant coffee packets are designed to mimic the taste of the Pike Place brew offered in every Starbucks store.

For a delicious blonde roast, you'll find Starbucks' Veranda Blend offered as a Via instant coffee. This is another classic light roast brew often available at Starbucks stores. It's light, bright, and just slightly fruity. The third key Via player you need to know about is Via's Italian Roast. This is Via's dark roast option. It's by far the boldest and most rich flavor on the Via instant coffee menu, and it features caramel-y notes.

If you love instant coffee but don't want as much caffeine as Via offers, why not opt for the decaf version? The standard Italian Roast flavor is also available in a decaffeinated packet. It features the same high-quality Arabica beans and delicious dark roast flavor as the standard Italian Roast Via packets. 

According to Starbucks, the decaffeinated Italian Roast contains around 3 milligrams of caffeine per packet. In comparison, most Starbucks Via packets will have around 130 milligrams of caffeine. 

Wondering where you can get your hands on Via instant coffee? Start by checking your local Starbucks store. Every U.S. Starbucks store carries Via instant coffee. Not every store will have access to all Via flavors at once (especially since some are limited-edition), but almost every store will consistently have the three standard Via flavors in stock.

You can mobile order a Via coffee purchase for pickup in Starbucks stores — and you can even get it delivered to you with DoorDash or Uber Eats. At Starbucks, you'll typically find boxes containing eight Via packets each for purchase. If you're going to your local store in person and want to make sure they have the flavor you're looking for in stock, you can visit Starbucks' website and select your closest Starbucks to see which flavors they have available.

Besides Starbucks, you'll find various of retailers who have Via products in stock. Target is a licensed carrier of Starbucks products (and you're likely to find an entire aisle of Starbucks at-home products), which means you'll find Via instant coffee available in Target stores, for curbside pickup, and for ordering online. Being a licensed retailer means Target gets fast access to limited-edition flavors, so you'll find holiday Via flavors available in Target stores right after they release.

Amazon also has a variety of Via flavors available for purchase. This is useful if you purchase several packs of Via products at once or if you want them shipped straight to you for free. Just make sure you sort through your listings carefully, as you could find third-party sellers offering Via products on Amazon, too.

You'll also find a selection of Via products at Walmart, both in stores and online. The retailer offers delivery, curbside pickup, and in-store shopping on a variety of Starbucks products, which includes standard and limited-edition Via flavors.

Starbucks exclusively uses Arabica beans across all of its coffees. Whether it's an in-house brew or a bag of coffee beans, you won't find Robusta beans available for purchase at Starbucks. Generally, Robusta is more caffeinated and less acidic than Arabica beans, so keep that in mind when you're shopping for coffee at Starbucks.

The main reason Starbucks opts for Arabica-only is because these beans are often said to have a higher quality taste than Robusta. Arabica is typically considered a premium coffee bean — it's harder to grow yet comes with many unique flavors. Many people love the fact that Arabica is more acidic than Robusta, which Starbucks argues gives their coffees a deeper flavor profile. 

Regardless of what side of the Arabica versus Robusta debate you're on, you should know that Via instant coffee uses exclusively Arabica beans. This means that the Via instant coffee packets taste relatively similar to the coffee you'll find in Starbucks stores.

There are lots of different package sizes when it comes to purchasing Via. The smallest size contains eight packets of Via (so eight cups of coffee) and usually retails for around eight dollars. These smaller sizes are great for trying out a new Via flavor for the first time — but once you've found a flavor you know you love, it's time to start bulk buying.

Bulk buying VIA is typically easiest on Amazon. That's because bulk buying Via means that you purchase multiple of Via's smallest sizes, bundled into one big package with a discount. The largest bulk size the retailer offers is 96 packets in total. If you purchase this size through Amazon, you'll get nearly $20 in savings — decreasing the price of a single packet from one dollar to just 79 cents. You'll also find packs of 50 available on Amazon's website if you're looking to save a little storage space. 

Even Costco offers its own bulk option for purchasing Via packets. You can get 26 packets for around $18 from this retailer — as long as you have a membership. Not every flavor will always be available to bulk buy. Typically, standard Via flavors are more common in buying bulk. You're not likely to see many limited-edition or holiday flavors available in bulk. 

Starbucks' holiday menu is the highlight of the year for coffee lovers. Not only does every Starbucks store get a holiday makeover, their food and drink menus do too, with special holiday-inspired exclusive beverages and desserts. Even instant coffee fans can enjoy an extra cup of holiday cheer — Starbucks never skips over their Via offerings when it comes to the winter holidays. 

You'll always find a Christmas-inspired Via blend available on Starbucks shelves as soon as their holiday menu first launches in November. These limited-edition packets return each winter and are only available for around two months each year. The Christmas Blend dark roast features notes of chocolate, spices, and winter spruce.

In the past, Starbucks has also offered other fun holiday options for their Via lineup — like a Via variation on their beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte. These limited-edition flavors don't always return every year, but if you want to keep an eye out for them, you should look at your local Starbucks' Via selections as soon as Starbucks' fall and winter menus launch (usually around September and November).

If you're so obsessed with iced coffee you can't help but drink it even in the winter, well, we've been there. Fortunately, Starbucks offers a Via packet that is specifically designed to be brewed over ice. That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy your other Via flavors cold — but this packet is truly made to taste just like a classic Starbucks iced coffee.

Up until earlier this year, Starbucks' iced coffee came with a little bit of sweetener by default (and that's still the way many customers enjoy it). That classic sweetened flavor is exactly what you'll get with the Via sweetened ice coffee packets. Just pour the packets into a cup of cold water, mix it in, and add ice once the instant coffee has completely dissolved. If you want to make your own version of a Starbucks latte with Via, don't forget to leave some room for cold milk, too.

Starbucks' Via iced coffee is sweetened with cane sugar for a more organic taste. Reviewers say that the taste of Via iced coffee is refreshingly similar to Starbucks' typical in-store brew, so don't hesitate to try it for yourself if you prefer iced coffee over hot.

If you've got a hankering for an iced coffee but don't want to give up your favorite Via flavor, never fear. You can brew any Via packet in cold water instead of hot. Because the beans in Via are microground, they're small enough to dissolve even in cold water. 

There are a couple of different ways you can prepare an iced coffee for yourself with Via. One option is to start with cold water, mix the packet in until it dissolves, and then drink it right away. You can also brew your Via packet hot, wait until the grounds have completely dissolved, and then add ice until your cup reaches the temperature you want. 

Brewing Via in cold water also makes it easy to consume on the go. Just keep a packet or two on you and you can add Via to any cup or bottle of water you choose throughout the day — no microwave required.

Let's say you're a Via coffee lover who enjoys an exceptionally strong brew. If that's the case, you might add two packets to your morning coffee instead of just one. But what if there was an easier way to adjust (and store) your Via instant coffee? This is where Starbucks' Premium instant coffee comes in.

Starbucks offers tins of instant coffee that can be bought alone or in bulk. Rather than coming with individual single-use packets, the instant coffee powder is stored loosely inside a tin. This allows you to scoop out exactly how much you want each day — whether you plan on enjoying an extra-strong brew or a slightly weaker one.

The tins also make your instant coffee even easier to store at home. If you're a daily Via drinker who isn't always on the go when you're prepping your instant coffee, you might appreciate the tins are a little more stylish And they are slightly more reminiscent of a typical ground coffee setup. Starbucks' Premium instant coffee uses the same quality beans as Via instant coffee. The tins also feature similar flavors (light, medium, and dark roasts) available for purchase. Each tin will make up to 35 cups of coffee, according to Starbucks.

If you're a Starbucks employee, you're familiar with the long list of benefits the chain provides. Not only are you privy to a special discount whenever you order from Starbucks, but you'll also get free food and drinks while you're working. If that wasn't a sweet enough deal, you can even pick up a free package of Via instant coffee once per week.

Starbucks partners are given a small menu of coffee merchandise they can receive for free once a week. This is called the Starbucks 'Partner Markout,' where partners can literally 'mark out' an item they want, free of charge. There are lots of Via options to choose from when it comes to the weekly markout.

According to Starbucks, you can choose a full box of any Via options — including flavored Via, iced coffee Via, and standard flavors. Each option comes with a different number of Via packets, but you'll receive at least five packets total for free. It's a great way to get enough instant coffee to kickstart your week without spending money.

Because instant coffees often need a long shelf life, many instant coffee brands will use preservatives. Though there are some benefits when it comes to using preservatives in terms of instant coffee's longevity, preservatives have also been linked to negative side effects in digestion, allergies, and increased cancer risk. That's why many people look for instant coffee brands that use no preservatives in their blends.

Fortunately, Starbucks is one of those brands. Coffee is the only ingredient in Via packets (unless you're choosing a flavored option), and every packet is preservative-free. This extends to flavored Via and limited-edition Via packets. Even without preservatives, every Via packet is guaranteed to last for at least one year — though many Via fans say they keep theirs long past the expiry date without any problems.

If you've been a long-time fan of Via, you might remember classic flavors that have gone out of style since they were first launched. Via instant coffee used to offer flavored versions of its classic brews that were available year-round, such as Caramel Latte and Vanilla Latte Via packets. Unfortunately, these flavors were discontinued a few years ago, and no one is sure if they'll ever be making a reappearance anytime soon.

However, you can still find discontinued flavors being sold online. You'll often see them made available on Amazon, where third-party sellers bulk-purchased Via packets before they were discontinued. We can't say that we would recommend taking a chance on these alternatives, especially considering you'll have no guarantee of their quality or expiry date. Instead, you should verify that the flavor you're buying online is still a flavor currently being produced by Starbucks, not one that's been discontinued.

Discontinued Via flavors are always sold by third-party sellers, not by Starbucks itself. If you want to guarantee the freshness and legitimacy of your Via brew, don't fall for an out-of-date listing online. Starbucks' website will always list the current flavors of Via available to purchase.

Many instant coffee enjoyers agree that Via instant coffee is the best of the best when it comes to instant coffee. But when it comes to instant coffee in general, you're still likely to notice that a cup of instant coffee just tastes different than a fresh-brewed cup of joe. That's because the beans in your instant coffee have been dehydrated, causing them to lose a little bit of flavor (and possibly making them taste more bitter than usual, too). 

Via instant coffee follows this same dehydration process, which leaves the beans with less flavor than you might find in Starbucks' whole-bean coffee blends. However, Starbucks also adds micro-ground coffee to the Via packet. This adds back in a lot of the flavors that Starbucks customers know and love — essentially creating an instant coffee upgrade that you won't find with other brands.

All of that is to say, Starbucks is truly the top dog of instant coffee. Their instant coffee is likely to taste fresher and more flavorful than other brands. But just keep in mind that — even with the special addition of micro-ground coffee — the coffee you're tasting in a Via packet has still been dehydrated. It might not be the exact same as the cup of coffee you're used to getting at your local Starbucks store. But we will admit that it's pretty close.