Will they make specialty approachable?
Can, yes. “Will” that is the issue. Brand protection is so critical, a specialty coffee in a pod that fails? Brand damage, opening up to charges of “selling out”. Quite unfair, but still a risk to be managed.
Are they merely a gateway drug, or an end-point for consumers?
Pods for specialty coffee should only be considered as a gateway drug, to drive in-store sales and brand loyalty. End point, would mean the eventual commoditization of what differentiates the specialty coffee experience. Bookstores anyone?
Is it the wrong message to send to consumers?
No. But stay within what Pods can offer given existing technology and lack of ability to brew to an individual’s taste.
There is a tacit assumption that there is a brew profile for coffee that is “it”, there is not. I can brew coffee with varying emphasis on taste profiles dependent on all the variables including which dripper seems to work best. There are almost endless possibilities to brew the same coffee bean, same roast, emphasizing different flavor profiles that the bean can express.
Technically, there is no reason why a pod machine can’t do this. But as stated earlier, the investment to do this, is unfeasible. The large coffee conglomerates that could do this, absolutely, will not. Ever. It undermines their brand and over-roasted flavor profiles which have gained common acceptance.
Nespresso is good enough, particularly in a hurry, a few pods are even worth having when not in a hurry. Very successful company, so yes pod business model can be good and applicable for specialty coffee shops. Just have to be very, very careful. Margin for error is thin.
Just set expectations for pods appropriately with customer base. Or don’t bother, and just hire George Clooney I suppose. Or Bose marketing department, the Starbucks of audio. Same approach.
I reserve the right to be not entirely uncorrect.