Starbucks Evolution Fresh Smoothies Review

Fro-yo girl here. Starbucks introduced handcrafted Evolution Fresh Smoothies in select locations in late March 2015. The smoothies, which feature proprietary Dannon Greek nonfat yogurt and Evolution Fresh cold pressed juice, are available in three flavors: Sweet Greens, Strawberry and Mango.

Dannon’s Greek yogurt has no artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners or preservatives.

The in-store signage had pictures of the smoothies but did not describe what was in the smoothies. The baristas I spoke to weren’t sure what was in the smoothies. I asked one if Sweet Greens contained banana and he said no. Sweet Greens has banana puree. Another one wasn’t sure but looked at the list of ingredients.

The smoothies are available in one size, Grande, for $5.95. They’re made to order. The barista combines ice, yogurt and bottled juice.

* Sweet Greens: I’ve had Evolution Fresh’s green juices. They’re not as good as many other cold pressed juice places (e.g., Pressed Juicery, Juice Shop, Living Greens). I was expecting Sweet Greens (vegetable juice) with yogurt added to it. I was surprised that the smoothie also contained mango and banana. Bad idea. The flavor was muddled…it tasted sour and unpleasant…imagine sour bananas…it wasn’t creamy. It wasn't made well. The ice chunks were too big and there was too much ice. I couldn’t taste the yogurt. I couldn’t drink more than a sip. So gross…how did this pass the pilot test? 

As a regular drinker of green juice, I don't like the idea of adding mango and banana to what is mostly a vegetable juice.

* Mango Carrot: This was smoother and not as icy as Sweet Greens. It was also much sweeter. I couldn’t taste the yogurt and the aftertaste wasn’t clean.

Somehow adding yogurt to Evolution Fresh juices makes the juices taste worse. Starbucks, bring back your froyo smoothies...

2 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Dannon vs. Yoplait: Greek Yogurt Taste Test

Fro-yo girl here. I've noticed that the Greek yogurt (non-frozen) is increasingly popular, and that this trend parallels the fro-yo trend. Both Greek yogurt and tart fro-yo have that tangy flavor that people have grown to love. Check your local supermarket and chances are you'll find many more yogurt choices now compared to a year ago. Recently, Dannon and Yoplait introduced greek yogurt.

* Dannon Greek Yogurt: I tried the vanilla flavor (99 cents, on sale at Lucky, regularly $1.49). The yogurt had a slightly fluffy whipped texture and a smooth creaminess. I liked the sour tang and the subtle vanilla flavor. A pleasant surprise.

* Yoplait Greek Yogurt ($1.09 regular price at Lucky): It claims to have twice the protein of the leading yogurt. I tried the honey vanilla flavor (other flavors include strawberry & blueberry). The texture is creamy and flavor is sour, chalky, and horrible. Another negative: they added lemon juice concentrate. I would never get this again.

The winner: Clearly, Dannon.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.