(Newser)
–
Instead of venti cappuccinos, veggie juices: Starbucks has opened its first juice bar, called Evolution Fresh, in Bellevue, Washington. Customers can purchase smoothies or bottled fruit and vegetable juices (sample: the Spiced Carrot, made with carrots, blueberries, and cinnamon); calorie-conscious food options include vegan options. It's not clear yet how many locations Starbucks plans: Health food is a $50 billion industry, Reuters notes, but juice bars may not boast the profit margins of Starbucks' coffee shops, analysts say.
Starbucks bought Evolution Fresh, based in San Bernardino, Calif., late last year for $30 million. The company was launched by the founder of Naked Juice. Fresh juices have seen a boom in the US in recent years, but expectations for Evolution Fresh appear to be mixed. While Starbucks boss Howard Schultz said a successful independent juice bar could score sales of more than $1 million yearly, that figure beats the average for juice chain Jamba Juice.
