Evolution Fresh Founder’s Advice on Picking a Green Juice You’ll Love
Jimmy Rosenberg, founder of Evolution Fresh, started squeezing and selling fresh juice on the beaches in Santa Monica, California about 30 years ago. His approach to finding and serving the highest quality, closest to nature juice has changed over the years as has the industry – from selling juice on the beach to starting one of the first companies to produce cold-pressed juice using high pressure processing (HPP).
Today, people expect maximum nutrition and a delicious taste from the juice they buy and the collective conversation has turned toward green juice. Contrary to the rest of the super-premium juice category, according to IRI data, green juice is greatly out-pacing the growth of the $1.6 billion super-premium juice category as a whole.*
Jimmy is often asked for tips from those who are beginning a wellness journey. He suggests starting with small, simple changes that feel good, are easily repeatable and lead to further wellness exploration.
“Most people have heard they should incorporate more vegetables in their diet, and a delicious green juice is an easy way to achieve this. We have seen more and more people embrace vegetable juices, particularly green juice. But some can find green juice intimidating, or hard to adjust to at first,” he said. “The vibrant green flavors in the juice may be too much for the beginner taste palate – and that’s OK.”
Mixing a green juice with a cold-pressed fruit juice to help soften the flavor, or look for a “starter” green juice like Coconut Water and Greens or Smooth Greens, which has a hint of mint to round out the flavor. “Mixing in a green juice with a smoothie is another great way to get the added goodness of a juice, but blended with some sweeter tasting fruits and berries,” he said.
Whether new to green juice or someone who drinks it regularly, look for a juice that is vegetable-forward, especially green vegetables which tend to naturally contain less sugar content than fruit as well as offering essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
Four of Evolution Fresh’s green juices are made from more than a pound of green vegetables in each 15.2 ounce bottle including: Sweet Greens with Lemon (available at Starbucks retail locations), Essential Greens with Lime, Organic Sweet Greens and Ginger, and Smooth Greens. These juices also have 10 grams or less of naturally occurring sugar per 8-fluid ounce serving, no added flavors and green vegetable juices are three of the first four ingredients.
“I love to point people towards incorporating green juice into their daily lives, and tell them to pay close attention to how it makes them feel,” Jimmy said. “Whether it’s by grabbing a green juice to get more vegetables in your diet or taking a quiet moment in the day to take a few deep breaths and love yourself – be aware of what makes you feel the best.”
*Super-premium green juice is greatly outpacing the growth of the $1.6 billion super-premium juice category as a whole: 339% increase in sales vegetable juice excluding carrot as an ingredient, versus YA 52 weeks ending 3.9.14. 47% increase in sales increase in sales of vegetable juice including carrot as an ingredient, versus YA 52 Source: IRI Dollar Sales, FDM, 52 weeks ending 3.9.14. Super premium cold-pressed and flash-pasteurized juice sales equivalent to $735 million, up 15% from YA Source: IRI Dollar Sales, FDM, 52 weeks ending 3.9.14 . Based on definition of Super Premium as follows: Refrigerated fruit and vegetable juice with no added sugar or preservatives and minimal processing.
About Evolution Fresh, Inc.
Evolution Fresh offers juices and natural foods that provide high-quality, wholesome, delicious and accessible nutrition to consumers. Acquired by Starbucks in 2011, Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juice companies in the U.S. using high pressure processing (HPP) for safety and to help protect nutrients and flavor. Evolution Fresh offers an extensive portfolio of bottled juices, available in grocery retailers and select Starbucks® stores and at Evolution Fresh retail stores. Together, Starbucks and Evolution Fresh seek to make incredible nutrition widely accessible. To learn more about Evolution Fresh, please visit evolutionfresh.com.