Starbucks goes natural, opens first Evolution Fresh juice store

Starbucks Coffee Co.’s foray into juice is bearing fruit (and vegetables), with its first Evolution Fresh store now open and selling “wholesome products” in Bellevue, Wash.

The Seattle coffee giant, hoping for an entryway into the burgeoning healthful lifestyle industry, bought San Bernardino-based Evolution Fresh Inc. in November for $30 million.

The juice company, created by Naked Juice founder Jimmy Rosenberg, uses fresh fruits and vegetables and employs a process called high-pressure processing that produces the juice without heat to retain more nutrients and flavors.

Options at the Evolution Fresh store include Cucumber Pineapple Ginger Juice and the Apple Berry + Fiber Smoothie.

The market for so-called cold-crafted juices could be worth as much as $3.4 billion, according to Starbucks, which called the new Bellevue store a “unique, premium juice and food experience.”

In addition to juices and smoothies, the outpost will also offer personalized fresh hot and cold food items such as wraps, salads and soups as well as vegetarian and vegan offerings. Evolution Fresh juices are also being sold in grocery stores and will be available later this year in Starbucks stores.

Starbucks said in January that it would begin selling beer and wine at select locations, including up to six in Southern California, by the end of the year.

Starbucks shares were down about 0.4%, or 19 cents, to $53.01 in midday trading in New York.

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