Luckin Coffee squeezes into China juice space with Louis Dreyfus

Starbucks rival announces joint venture weeks after unveiling tea chain

Luckin, the Chinese coffee chain aiming to surpass Starbucks in size this year, is co-launching a juice brand with Louis Dreyfus. (Photo courtesy of Luckin)

ALEX FANG, Nikkei staff writer

September 27, 2019 02:30 JST

NEW YORK -- Starbucks' China competitor Luckin Coffee is reaching for bottled juice as it thirsts for new areas of growth.

The Nasdaq-listed beverage chain will launch a juice brand via a joint venture with European agricultural conglomerate Louis Dreyfus, which will produce not-from-concentrate fruit juices for sale in Luckin Coffee stores and elsewhere.