Starbucks is to opening three more Evolution Fresh juice stores in the US this Friday, July 27, in addition to the one it opened earlier this year. The move is the coffee chain's latest push to move beyond its cafes at a time when the company is facing increased competition from fast food chains that serve specialty coffees.
The Seattle-based company is also expanding distribution of ready-to-drink bottles of Evolution juice in supermarkets and other stores to capitalize on the rapidly growing market for premium juices. According to Beverage Digest, the U.S. premium juice sector has grown 25 percent this year, unlike the 'ordinary' fruit juice segment.
Starbucks purchased the Evolution Fresh brand, a California-based company, late last year for $30 million. Evolution uses fresh fruits and a process called high-pressure pasteurization to make the juice without heating it, which Starbucks believes gives them an advantage over competitors, as more of the nutrients are retained.
The first Evolution store opened in March in Bellevue and also sells food such as wraps, salads and vegetarian and vegan offerings. Another store will open this week in downtown Seattle. A second Seattle location and a San Francisco location will open this fall.
