Santa Ana-based Nékter Juice Bar Inc. will open a location in a Whole Foods Market in Porter Ranch, Calif., May 22 and plans more units in the grocery store chain, which has 500 locations in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. and is owned by Amazon.
Nékter, with 140 locations in 14 states and on track for annual sales of about $90 million, plans additional sites in Whole Foods stores.
Co-founder and Chief Executive Steve Schulze told the Business Journal he looks to open five this year, all corporate-owned, and assess the program in the third quarter to plan for next year.
Amazon bought Whole Foods two years ago for nearly $14 billion and has moved to retain its healthful-food focus and attract new shoppers by cutting prices and adding Amazon-focused options such as package pick-up.
It’s also expanded its “store-within-a-store” approach of late; the location at The District shopping center in Tustin has a Mendocino Farms sandwich shop inside.
The Porter Ranch Nékter will also sell coffee, from L.A.-based Coffee Manufactory; Nékter doesn’t currently offer coffee.
