Peet's Coffee

Our Story

Peet's Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer located in the San Francisco Bay Area, owned by JAB Holdings. Founded in Berkeley, California, in 1966 by Alfred Peet, Peet's introduced its dark-roasted Arabica to the United States, including French roasts and grades suitable for espresso beverages. Peet's offers freshly roasted coffee beans, freshly brewed coffee and espresso beverages, and bottled cold brew. In 2007, Peet's opened the first LEED Gold-certified bakery in the United States. Peet's coffee is sold in more than 14,000 grocery stores in the United States.

As of November 2021, the company has 200 stores in the United States.

Peet's Coffee

Peet’s Coffee History

Alfred Peet grew up in the Netherlands, where his father owned and operated a coffee wholesale and coffee bean grinding factory. Pete followed his father's training in roasting and grinding coffee. In 1938, at the age of 18, he moved to London and was employed by Twinings Coffee and Tea Company. He also spent time in New Zealand and Indonesia, where he worked for a coffee and tea importer, before moving to San Francisco in 1955.

In 1966, Peet opened the first "Peet's Coffee, Tea & Spices" on Vine Street near UC Berkeley. It originally sold coffee beans, not coffee cups. His coffee beans are hand-roasted in small batches. The company grew to four locations and became known as "Peet's Coffee and Tea". Pete wants to bring better coffee to the American market and is known as the "Godfather of American Gourmet Coffee". The original location of Vine and Walnut remains open. Peet's Coffee's second location is in Menlo Park, California.

In 1979, Peet sold his business to Sal Bonavita, but until 1983 he remained with the company as a coffee buyer and consultant. In 1984, Starbucks founder Jerry Baldwin bought four Peet locations from Sal Bonavita. In 1987, Baldwin and his Starbucks co-investors sold Starbucks to focus on Peet's. Starbucks' new owner, Howard Schultz, has signed a four-year non-compete agreement in the Bay Area.

In 2001, the company registered as Peet's Coffee and Tea Company and conducted an initial public offering. The company, which is listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol PEET, sold 3.3 million shares at $8 each. Shares climbed to $9.38 as the company raised $26.4 million.

Peet's opened a roastery in Alameda in 2007. This new location replaces the previous Emeryville, California operation and is the first roastery in the United States to achieve LEED Gold certification.

In 2012, employees at Peet's Chicago branch formed Peet's Worker's Group to address concerns about pay, irregular schedules, sick leave, and working conditions that led to frequent wrist injuries. Three Pitt representatives who visited their store blamed workers' complaints on the performance of the location's manager and declined to discuss further concerns except in a one-on-one meeting. The group then lost momentum and the lead organizer was fired after being late for the third time in a year. The rest of Peet's Worker's Group attributed her dismissal to the company's selective enforcement of a late arrival policy.

In 2012, Peet's was taken private by Joh. German investment group Benckiser sold for $977.6 million, or $73.50 a share. At the time, the acquisition was one of the highest prices a Berkeley-founded company paid. JAB Holding also owns minority stakes in consumer goods companies Reckitt Benckiser, Coty, Inc. and controls luxury brands Bally, Belstaff, and Jimmy Choo. JAB Holding later acquired part of Caribou Coffee.

In August 2014, Peet's partnered with Next World Group to acquire Mighty Leaf Tea, a specialty tea brand based in the Bay Area. It was announced in October 2015 that Stumptown Coffee Roasters would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Peet's. Later that same month, Peet's announced it would acquire a majority stake in Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea.

In December 2016, Peet's announced that it would build a second roaster in Suffolk, Virginia. The 175,000 square-foot facilities will cost $58 million and are scheduled to open in 2018. At the time, Alameda roasters were producing about 1 million pounds of coffee per week.

Peet's opened its first store in Shanghai, China in October 2017.

Peet's revenue grew to $983 million in fiscal 2019.

On May 29, 2020, JDE Peet, owner of Peet's Coffee and Jacobs Douwe Egberts, listed on Euronext Amsterdam, raised $2.5 billion in a deal that valued the company at $17.3 billion. Ignoring the coronavirus pandemic and economic slowdown, it was the largest IPO in Europe in the first five months of 2020 and the second-largest in the world.

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Peet’s Coffee Locations

By 2018, Peet's operated more than 200 retail locations in 11 states: California, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland, and Has expanded into China, opened an office in Shanghai.

Peet's previously operated in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, but Peet's closed those stores in 2014 to focus on its areas of growth.

As of December 2016, Peet's coffee was sold in 14,000 grocery stores, universities, and wholesalers in the United States. At the time, they had more than a dozen cafes in Chicago and Boston, and 23 in Washington, D.C.

Peet's Coffee

Peet’s Coffee Products

In September 2015, Peet's announced that it would add an all-day breakfast option to its menu. The change will be implemented in the Chicago market and eventually added in all locations.

Peet's Coffee began brewing this blend in 2014 and first added it to its coffee bar menu in the summer of 2015. In July 2016, Peet's released a complementary line of bottled cold brew coffee to 400 locations in the San Francisco area, including Peet's coffee bars and grocery stores. Peet's Coldbrew initially offered three flavors: Baridi Black, Coffee au Lait, and Dark Chocolate. Almond milk was added to the bottled cold brew range in May 2017.

In December 2016, Peet's added a slow bar to its newest D.C. coffee bar with a French press, pour and siphon brewing method.

Peet's Coffee Ethopia

Peet's Coffee Peru

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Frequently Asked Questions About Peet’s Coffee

Who owns Peet's coffee?

Peet’s coffee is owned by JAB Holding Company. JAB Holding is a German conglomerate headquartered in Luxembourg that invests in companies in the consumer goods, forestry, coffee, luxury fashion, animal health, and fast food sectors.

Is Peet's coffee good?

Peet's hand-roasted coffee has been around for over 50 years. With the rise of Silicon Valley, Peet's has gained popularity in the Bay Area and is large enough to buy sought-after coffee roasters, Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee, and Portland-based Stumptown Coffee.

In recent years, Peet's has expanded in the United States, offering local specialty coffee products with Starbucks-level efficiency and precision. Peet's is known for serving extremely fresh, high-quality coffee, and those new to the chain will experience exceptional quality on the first sip.

Not surprisingly, one of their best-selling products is single-origin coffee from Guatemala. Guatemala is a favorite for Arabica coffee, a sweet and savory variety often touted by roasters.

Arabica tends to be sweet and rich, and Guatemalan Arabica tends to share qualities with cocoa/chocolate, the country's other big export.

Where is Peet's coffee from?

We source the top 1% of coffee beans from the world’s best growing regions in a way that honors farmers, respects the environment, and recognizes the role of communities. Its darker roasted Arabica coffee in blends including French roast and grades appropriate for espresso drinks.

Is Peet's coffee organic?

Yes! Peet’s organic coffees must not only pass USDA certification, but they must also meet their own exacting standards for quality and exceptional flavor.

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Is Peet's coffee mold free?

Peet’s coffee only uses organic coffee that passed the USDA verification tests. The coffee also has to meet the company’s expectations in terms of taste and quality. The company is committed to ensuring that they only sell the finest organic coffee someone can brew.

Where did Peet's coffee start?

Peet’s coffee was founded in Berkeley, California in 1966 by Alfred Peet. The first shop, “Peet’s Coffee, Tea & Spices”, originally sold coffee beans instead of coffee cups. After that, the company quickly expanded, reaching four locations and changing the name to “Peet’s Coffee and Tea”.

Is Peet's coffee fair trade?

Not all of Peet’s coffee is fair trade, but the company has been working with producers and other coffee suppliers for decades now to ensure that the sourcing of the coffee is at its highest quality.

The Fair Trade Certified coffee that Peet offers is Nicaragua Adelante K-Cup Packs. Additionally, Peet’s offers a wide range of coffee portfolios with a high variety of certifications such as Rainforest Alliance, Organic, and Smithsonian Bird Friendly. All these certifications are listed on the product pages on the official website. 

How many Peet's coffee locations are there?

By 2018, Peet’s Coffee expanded to over 200 locations divided into 11 states: California, Washington DC, Virginia, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Maryland. The company also has a location in Shanghai, China.

The locations from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan were shuttered down in 2014 to focus on the growing areas.

How is Peet's coffee decaffeinated?

All of Peet’s decaf ground, whole bean, and K-cup coffee are decaffeinated by utilizing the water process method.

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What is Peet's coffee?

Peet’s Coffee is a company that offers freshly roasted beans, espresso beverages, brewed coffee as well as bottled cold brews. The company’s coffee is sold in more than 14,000 grocery stores across the United States.

Where is Peet's coffee roasted?

All of Peet’s coffee is produced in small batches and it’s roasted in the LEED Gold-certified roasting plant located in Almeda, California.

Why is Peet's coffee so expensive?

Peet’s coffee is not that expensive. In terms of price, Peet’s coffee is cheaper than most of the other coffee brands. Clients also get more for their money.

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Who makes Peet's coffee?

The 236 existing Peet’s coffee locations that are scattered through the United States and the 10 Stumptown Coffee Roasters spots are owned by the German conglomerate Joh. A. Benckiser.

Who sells Peet's coffee?

Nowadays, Peet’s coffee is sold in more than 14,000 grocery stores across the United States of America.

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Which Peet's coffee is the best?

The most popular Peet’s coffee is Major Dickason’s Blend. This coffee is considered in the Peet’s Brand as the gold standard. The key features of Major Dickason’s are the interesting blend that gives the coffee pack a pleasant flavor alongside many interesting layers.

Is Peet's coffee ethically sourced?

Peet’s coffee is the first LEED Gold Certified roasting facility in the United States. The majority of coffee chain emissions come from Peet’s Coffee’s factories and stores and they are all designed to be eco-friendly. All of Peet’s coffee is 100% hand-roasted.

How to make Peet's coffee?

The easiest way to make Peet’s coffee is by the “Pour-over brewing method”. The total amount of time needed for this procedure is less than 5 minutes.

The first step of making the perfect coffee is to heat the fresh water at 200° F. After that, you need to measure approximately 25 grams (approx. 5 tablespoons) of coffee beans that are freshly roasted.

The next step is to fold down the seam of the paper filter. Place it into the pour-over cone so that it stays flat. Rinse the filter with hot water. The rinsing of the filter is done to eliminate any flavors that might come out of the paper. After the filter is rinsed, the coffee is ready to be grinded until it reaches the coarseness of the sand.

The final step is to discard the hot water and place the pour-over brewer. This is the time when we need to add the ground coffee and zero out the scale. Pour over the water (but not too much) in a spiral motion and wait at least 30 seconds. After the 30 second mark, continue with pouring the water until your timer reaches 2 minutes and your scale 400 grams. Keep up with the spiral pattern, always maintaining the coffee saturated from start to finish. 

Enjoy your delicious coffee!

Where does Peet's coffee come from?

Peet’s coffee is considered itself as the original craft coffee. The vets of the beans are made by the company’s sourcing team. Peet’s coffee came from various small batches and is roasted in Almeda, California. The high-quality, 100% percent Arabica coffee comes from over 25 countries around the globe.

Where does Peet's coffee get their beans?

Peet's Coffee prides itself on being the original craft coffee. The company has a sourcing team to review the beans. All of their coffee is produced in small batches and roasted in their own LEED Gold certified roasting facility in Almeida, California.

Which Peet's coffee is the strongest?

Major Dickason’s Blend

One of the most popular blends in Peet's line is Major Dickason's Blend. It's actually considered the gold standard for Peet's brand, as this blend creates a coffee full of flavor and lots of interesting layers. Major Dickason's Blend is a very dark roast, so when you first open the bag, get ready to feel the rich aroma of the coffee beans. The coffee is very strong. If you are used to drinking very intense coffee, this blend will be right up your alley.

Which Peet's coffee has the most caffeine?

Peet's Brewed Coffee

Peet's is known for its dark roasting process to create strong-tasting coffees. But despite the flavor, its medium roast actually has more caffeine. This medium-bodied blend is a bestseller at this national chain of coffee shops.

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Are Peet's coffee cups recyclable?

Most Peet's coffee shops allow customers to bring their own coffee mugs again and give them a 25-cent discount. Peet's disposable cups and lids are now compostable. This helps a lot with waste sorting, as everything can go into the compost bin.

Where is Peet's coffee headquarters?

The company’s headquarters is at 5959 Shellmound Street Suite 85. The name of the place is Emeryville, and it is located in California, USA. 

When did Peet's coffee start?

When Alfred Peet first opened his first coffee shop in Berkeley, California, he quietly ignited a revolution that revolutionized the expectations of coffee drinkers in America.

On April 1, 1966, Mr. Peet opened his coffee shop in Berkeley on the corner of Vine and Walnut Streets, not far from the University of California campus. For Mr. Peet, keeping the distance between roasters and customers as short as possible was crucial, underscoring the importance of freshness to flavor. He is committed to using only high-quality coffee beans and calibrated sensory roasting techniques to achieve dark, sweet, even roasts. In doing so, he single-handedly helps American consumers understand and appreciate freshly roasted, satisfying craft coffee.

Are Peet's coffee bags recyclable?

Peet's coffee bags are made from a blend of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a strong, lightweight plastic commonly used to package food, and aluminum. These bags are recyclable in some areas, but not all. Check with your municipality to find out if our coffee bags can be recycled in your area.

Are Peet's coffee pods recyclable?

Yes, Peet's K-Cup® pods are recyclable, however, you should check locally as they are not recyclable in all communities. Just lift the lid, compost, or dispose of the ground and recycle #5 plastic containers (if available) at your local community recycling program.

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How good is Peet's coffee?

Peet's Coffee is known for serving extremely fresh, high-quality coffee, and those new to the chain will experience exceptional quality on the first sip. Arabica tends to be sweet and rich, and Guatemalan Arabica tends to have the same quality as cocoa/chocolate, the country's other big export.

How to make Peet's coffee at home?

A press or French press can directly brew strong coffee. It's the ideal companion for dark roasts, delivering rich, complex flavors. This is one of the easiest ways to prepare coffee at home.

1. Heat

Heat fresh water to 200°F.

2. Measurement

Weigh out 55 grams of freshly roasted coffee beans. Preheat the French press with hot water and let it rest.

3. Grinding the coffee

Grind coffee to the consistency of coarse sea salt.

4. Bloom

Discard the hot water and place the French press on your scale. Add coffee grounds and then zero or "tare" the scale. Set the timer for four minutes, then pour in enough water to soak the coffee grounds. (110 grams, or twice the weight of the coffee). Quickly press the french press vortex, then wait 30 seconds. 

5. Pour

Continue pouring hot water on the ground until the scale reaches 880 grams (or the water reaches the middle of the metal strip, about 1 inch below the edge).

6. Press

Place the plunger on the ground and slowly push it down halfway, then pull up back below the ground

7. Enjoy

 After four minutes, depress the plunger all the way. Your coffee is ready to be poured and tasted.

Is Peet's coffee kosher?

Peet’s coffee is kosher certified by the Kosher Supervision of America (KSA). The K-Cup pods are kosher certified by the Orthodox Union. Additionally, all canned Iced Espresso products are Kosher certified.

Does Peet's coffee have delivery?

Due to our order processing period, Peets.com orders typically ship within two business days of placing the order. For example, if you place an order on Monday, it will ship on Wednesday. Or, if you place an order on Friday, it will ship the following Tuesday.

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REVIEWS

The best taste ever!

Lovely coffee brand ! :)

Best coffee ever!

A great variety of coffee where you can choose from! A taste that you will never forget! I just love Peets coffee.

Awesome flavour!!!

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Contact information

Peet's Coffee
peets.com
1400 Park Avenue Emeryville
US
CA
Emeryville
94608-3520
+1 800-999-2132
Partner

Shipping address

United States