Whole Foods and Starbucks Partner on Fresh Juice Offerings
Just as PepsiCo’s Naked Juice is falling out of favor as a result of a recent lawsuit settlement over synthetic and genetically modified ingredients in its juices, Starbucks is poised to fill the gap at Whole Foods Market.
Evolution Fresh, the California-based fresh juice company purchased by Starbucks in 2011 for $30 million is expected to be in approximately 8,000 grocery stores and cafes by the end of the year, including Whole Foods. Evolution Fresh juices use a cold-pressing method and high-pressure processing, which preserves more of the nutrients than typical pasteurization methods. It also provides a longer shelf life than regular fresh-pressed juices.
Whole Foods will begin by stocking 14 of the Evolution Fresh juices (including two formulated specifically for Whole Foods) and three of the brand’s snack bars, called Evolution Harvest. The brand is expected to roll out products in other categories including trail mixes and freeze-dried fruits, which will also be available in Starbucks locations nationwide this fall.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Starbucks has been selling PepsiCo’s Naked Juice and Kind LLC’s Kind snack bars in its cafes for some time, but it believes “replacing those with its own brands will likely be more profitable and boost awareness of the Evolution name.”
Executive global grocery coordinator at Whole Foods, Errol Schweizer, told USA Today that it’s a “natural” decision for the chain to carry a Starbucks-owned product, because Starbucks and Whole Foods “have a shared culture in terms of values, transparency and openness to change.”
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Image:Evolution Fresh
