SEATTLE, WA – Starbucks has announced a plan to double sales of its food business in the U.S. to $4 billion over the next five years. The coffee giant will be pushing salad boxes, snacks, sandwiches and baked goods.

As we previously reported, Starbucks has already ramped up its produce offerings and even looked to hire a Produce Procurement Manager.

This fresh push seems to be working for the company. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Starbucks has grown to 2% of the fast-food lunch market and increased its breakfast sandwich sales by over 30%. Additionally, the Seattle-based chain has also removed the word “coffee” from its logo.

In addition to its fresh cut fruit options and whole bananas available upon checkout, the company is now offering a line of salads, sandwiches, and paninis with a healthy slant. Starbucks offers a Chicken & Greens Caesar Salad Bowl that highlights lettuce, kale, and roasted tomatoes and a Hearty Veggie & Brown Rice Salad Bowl that features roasted butternut squash, beets, kale, red cabbage, steamed broccoli florets and garden peas.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that as part of this new plan, Starbucks will be dramatically expanding its evening food-and-alcoholic beverages program. The company currently has 32 cafes with these offerings and plans to increase that to more than 2,700 over the next five years. Participating stores offer small plates of cheese, vegetables and flatbread pizza, along with desserts, wine and beer after 4 p.m.

Starbucks is also hoping to entice customers with new mobile ordering and payment technology that will let customers place their orders ahead of time. The app launched in Portland, Oregon and is scheduled to be rolled out across the country next year.

Will Starbucks become a major player in the health food craze? Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to track this growing trend.

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