MORE THAN COFFEE

Starbucks Enters Yogurt Biz

“Yogurt is no longer a hippie food.”

Starbucks, the king of coffee, announced a plan to couple with Danone, the French yogurt maker responsible for Oikos and Activia, in order to create its own line of yogurt products. The yogurts would be labeled with Starbucks’s brand Evolution Fresh and will be sold in Starbucks stores by 2014, and grocery stores by 2015. Starbucks also recently purchased tea company Teavana and is trying its hand at pastries with La Boulange. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, according to USA Today, has always had a dream to have Starbucks products purchased just as much in grocery stores as in a Starbucks store. Yogurt is a $6 billion business—and fast growing. Starbucks and Danone’s first treat will be a Greek yogurt parfait, which sounds strikingly similar to what is already sold in stores. The only difference? Starbucks wants to own it.