Sugarcane juice has been associated with a short shelf life due to the rapid enzymatic spoilage and microbial fermentation. The evolution of quality attributes of the high pressure processed (HPP)juice (523 MPa/50°C/11 min) was compared with that of conventionally pasteurizedjuice (90°C/5 min), packed in two different packaging materials, viz., ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and multi-layered (ML-PET) polyethylene terephthalate and stored under refrigerated conditions. The total color difference of the juice samples changed in line with the zero-order kinetics while the changes in the ascorbic acid, total phenols, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme inactivation were well predicted by the first-order kinetics. The sensory acceptability of the HPP juice was superior to pasteurized samples. Under refrigeration, the HPP samples in ML-PET exhibited a shelf life of upto 100 days as against the pasteurized juice, which reported shelf life of 45 days. Practical applications Commercialization of sugarcane juice is limited by its short shelf life in virtue of rapid microbial fermentation and enzymatic browning. The pasteurization of the sugarcane juice has been found to be effective in preserving the juice and this is often accompanied by loss of heat sensitive nutrients and discoloration due non enzymatic reactions. On this front, the high pressure processing is an alternate technique for preservation of the juice for an extended duration. The technology ensures substantial reduction in the microbial load as well as the spoilage enzymes, ensuring minimal effect on the nutrient profile and sensory attributes.