Super-premium green juice is outpacing the growth of the $1.6 billion super-premium juice category, according to Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co., citing data from Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI). Additionally, Greek yogurt, which five years ago represented less than 10 percent of yogurt sales, today represents nearly 50 percent, according to the market research firm’s data.* In parallel with these trends, Evolution Fresh, a brand of Starbucks Coffee Co., has added three new cold-pressed, high-pressure processing (HPP) green juices for grocery consumers and is testing a handcrafted Evolution Fresh Cold-Pressed Juice Smoothie inspired by White Plains, N.Y.-based Danone’s Dannon yogurt brand in select Starbucks retail locations.

“Our goal is to provide delicious choices for customers looking for high-quality beverages and food at Starbucks or their local grocery store,” said Chris Bruzzo, general manager of Evolution Fresh, in a statement. “These new juices and smoothies taste amazing, are nutritious, and are a testament to our cold-pressed difference. We hope our customers are as excited as we are about our new Evolution Fresh cold-pressed green juices and handcrafted smoothies created in partnership with Dannon, which also includes a new green juice-based option.”

With the introduction of three new cold-pressed green juices, the company’s green juice product portfolio grows from two to five varieties and offers a spectrum of flavor options for consumers who drink green juice every day or those who are interested in starting. Earlier this month, the full line of Evolution Fresh cold-pressed green juices began being distributed to grocery retailers across the United States. The following are the new juice varieties:

  •  Coconut Water and Greens: a blend of coconut water with cucumber, leafy greens and a splash of pineapple to serve as an introduction to green juice.
  • Smooth Greens: a green vegetable and fruit juice blending cucumber and leafy greens with pineapple, apple and mint that is designed as an everyday green juice and offers variety for green juice drinkers.

Organic Sweet Greens and Ginger: a 100 percent organic blend of green vegetables and apple, finished with a squeeze of lemon and a spicy ginger kick.The lineup also includes Sweet Greens and Lemon, a medley of green vegetables with a squeeze of lemon and a touch of sweetness from apple, as well as Essential Greens with Lime, a green juice with notes of spinach, romaine lettuce and kale accented by cucumber, celery and a hint of lime.

The suggested retail prices range from $5.49 to $6.99 for a 15.2--ounce bottle.

In an effort to develop innovative, high-quality juices and snacks, Evolution Fresh also is working with yogurt industry leader Dannon to test a handcrafted smoothie, made with Evolution Fresh cold-pressed juice and Dannon’s Greek yogurt. The test includes a new green-juice-based smoothie and will appear in nearly 200 Starbucks retail locations in San Jose, Calif., and St. Louis.  The smoothies will be available at those locations through September, and a full line of Dannon-inspired Evolution Fresh products are expected to launch in all Starbucks markets next year.

  • The test of Evolution Fresh cold-pressed juice smoothies made with Dannon Greek yogurt will feature three varieties:Sweet Greens: a fruit-and-vegetable-based cold-pressed juice smoothie with a hint of mango and banana
  • Strawberry: a fruit-forward cold-pressed juice smoothie with a hint of apple and banana
  • Mango Carrot: a fruit-and-vegetable-based cold-pressed juice smoothie with a hint of pineapple

Each of the varieties can be further customized by adding fresh kale or extra Greek yogurt for added protein.

*Sales of vegetable juice excluding carrot as an ingredient, increased 339 percent versus year- ago 52 weeks ending March 9, 2014. Sales records also denote , and a 47 percent increase in sales of vegetable juice including carrot as an ingredient, versus the year- ago 52 weeks. Source: IRI Dollar Sales for food, drug and mass merchandisers (FDM) in the, 52 weeks ending March 9, 2014. Super premium, cold-pressed and flash-pasteurized juice sales are equivalent to $735 million, up 15 percent from one year ago. Source: IRI Dollar Sales in FDM for the 52 weeks ending March 9, 2014. This is Bbased on definition of super-premium as a refrigerated fruit and vegetable juice with no added sugar or preservatives and minimal processing.

*Total Greek yogurt sales in dollars as a percentage of total yogurt sales from 2009, less than10 percent to 47 percent in 2014.  Source: IRI dollar sales in multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ending June 1, 2014.