SEATTLE, Wash.
Starbucks opens the doors to its second Evolution Fresh fresh-juice and food shop on Friday in downtown Seattle with another in San Francisco to follow this fall.
Coffee-centric Starbucks broadened its retail reach in March with the opening of an Evolution Fresh concept store. Apparently the concept works. The juice bar offers custom blended take-away drinks, salad and snacks. The firm also announced expanded distribution of its juices in ready-to-drink bottles at grocery.
The Evolution brand will soon replace all RTD juices offered at Starbucks locations, displacing competitors Naked Juice and Odwalla.
The entire segment of premium juices and juice blends is growing according to Beverage Marketing Corp. Volume is up 25 percent in the second quarter of this year, according to a report in the Huffington Post that cited Beverage Digest as its source.
"It's clearly part of the American lifestyle at this point," said Arthur Rubinfeld, president of global development for Starbucks and Evolution Fresh retail.
The downtown Seattle Evolution Fresh™ store, located at 517 Pine Street, is a made-to-order grab-and-go destination for busy urban customers in and around the city’s retail and business core, according to the company. “Juice experts craft fresh juice blends and serve up globally-inspired recipes using fresh ingredients in a unique retail setting with convenient free local delivery. The Evolution Fresh™ store also offers a selection of organic, vegetarian and vegan options, as well as grab-and-go packaged sandwiches, collard wraps, snacks, and bottled Evolution Fresh™ juices,” according to a company press release.
Innovations introduced since March include the One-Day Evolution™ Rituals juice packs to make it easy for customers to include fruits and vegetables into their everyday routine.
"We have received a very positive response from the first Evolution Fresh retail store opening just a few months ago, and we are excited to open our second store in the Seattle area," said Rubinfeld.
“Customers are looking for convenient, high-quality, and nutritious beverages and foods, and we see an opportunity to harness the intense consumer interest in Evolution Fresh products coming to market, both in Starbucks retail stores and down the grocery aisle,” said Jeff Hansberry, president, Channel Development.
Starbucks purchased the Evolution Fresh brand late last year for $30 million. The California-based company uses fresh fruits and a process called high-pressure pasteurization to make the juice without heating it. Starbucks says that gives Evolution juices an advantage over competitors, since more of the nutrients are preserved.
For a complete list of grocery retailers, visit EvolutionFresh.com.
Source: Starbucks, Huffington Post