Starbucks is debuting four new juice varieties under the coffee giant’s Evolution Fresh brand this spring, placing a bigger bet on the fast-growing super-premium juice category.
The company said the four new Evolution Fresh juices will be available nationally at some Whole Foods Markets (WFM), as well as other high-end natural grocers. Two of the juices fall within Starbucks’ (SBUX) “Protein Power line,” which is a green vegetable juice and an option that is made of berries. There is also new juices featuring organic kale and sweet greens and ginger.
“We looked at the latest trends in juicing and nutrition to understand that consumers are seeking more sources of protein,” said Mark Ninomiya, product manager of Evolution Fresh.
Starbucks has increasingly bet on new beverage categories to further expand the company’s business, especially for retail outlets beyond the company-branded stores it operates. Many times, this new brands built off an acquisition – Starbucks paid $30 million for Evolution Fresh in 2011. Starbucks made a further investment in the business when it opened a production facility in California.
The super-premium juice category is a roughly $2 billion business nationwide today, growing quickly as consumers continue to favor beverages and foods they believe are fresh and healthy.