Starbucks Coffee Co. recently released VIA instant Caramel latte.

Rabobank Group, a global financial services leader based in New York, has published a new report on the global beverage industry, predicting growth that is lower than historical standards but can be mitigated by strategic initiatives focusing on direct selling, co-manufacturing and distribution efficiency, it says.

Inspired by popular handcrafted Starbucks lattes, Starbucks Coffee Co. launched Vanilla Latte and Caffé Mocha varieties in its Starbucks Via instant coffee format.

Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. added lattes to its Via portfolio so that consumers can brew their favorite Starbucks lattes at home. The Starbucks Via line now includes Vanilla Latte and Caffè Mocha varieties, which were inspired by the popular handcrafted Starbucks beverages served on-premise.

 Approximately 79 percent of adults in the United States drank coffee in the last two years, according to Chicago-based Mintel’s October 2011 Coffee report.  

Demands for premium tastes as well as for competitively priced products helped contribute to growth in the coffee category. The category experienced a 9.1 percent increase in sales for more than $4 billion, according to SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending May 15 in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart.