On the other hand, you have businesses like Nespresso who promote coffee degustation as an upscale activity. I must say I'm hooked to the Nespresso, and its steep price (about 0,3€ for a cup) is still nothing compared to the daily robbery that is a starbucks addiction.

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From the article: "How many people say they are coffee drinkers but what they drink is a latte, which is 90 percent milk?"

I think this is the real story. Quite a few "Starbucks" customers are not coffee drinkers in the traditional sense. For a lot of people, coffee is a "Caramel Macchiatto" or some combination of cream, sugar sauces, and minute traces of coffee. That's not a slam on the customers, it's just how they were introduced to it. I know a number of speciality coffee drink types which don't drink normal coffee because they don't like the strong, earthy, bitter flavor of real coffee or espresso.

This is the demographic most likely to actually go for a more convenient coffee, and marketers are simply stating the obvious. These people are not really interested in coffee, but some caffeine and sugar combo resembling it.

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The first burst of sugar and caffine will get people out of their car and to the front door of their local Walmart. Then they run out of energy and will need scooters to get around in since they are too lazy and out of shape to walk around on their own.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115291408087707342-d3knU98U3xXi3xesgCRyFSfaECs_20060728.html

super!

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Come on - what's the big deal? If you don't want it then don't buy it. If you want to make it at home then by all means do so. If somebody wants to buy it in a can, by all means do so. What's all the fuss about? People DO have minds of their own, so we don't have to put blame on what's being sold or who's selling it. Every person is quite capable of making up their own mind.

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