ABOUT US

Great coffee has always been about more than simply brewing a cup. It is about craftsmanship, curiosity, carefully selected beans, and the determination to make every roast worth remembering. Our story began with a simple belief: coffee should be fresh, flavorful, thoughtfully roasted, and made with genuine care. That philosophy continues to shape everything we do today.

The roots of our coffee tradition can be traced back to Alfred Peet and his early experiences in the coffee and tea trade. Growing up in Alkmaar, Holland, Alfred was introduced to roasting and grinding equipment through his family’s business. Rather than following a conventional academic path, he chose to learn through practical experience, developing a fascination with coffee, tea, machinery, and the craft behind every finished product.

During his years in the international tea and coffee industry, Alfred gained valuable knowledge from working in different parts of the world. His time in Indonesia was especially influential, exposing him to distinctive coffees and deeper, more developed roasting styles. After traveling to New Zealand and eventually arriving in the United States, Alfred entered the coffee importing business and quickly became dissatisfied with the quality of coffee commonly available to American consumers.

In 1966, Alfred Peet decided to take a different approach. He opened his own coffee shop in Berkeley, California, near the University of California campus. From the beginning, he established demanding standards for the beans he purchased and the way they were roasted. He believed that exceptional coffee required exceptional ingredients and careful attention to the roasting process. His approach emphasized rich flavor, depth, sweetness, and a distinctive darker roast that challenged the conventional coffee styles of the time.

The early shop became a place where people could experience coffee differently. Alfred believed the distance between roasting and drinking should be as short as possible, helping customers understand the importance of freshness. His dedication gradually influenced a new generation of coffee drinkers and helped establish a stronger appreciation for specialty coffee and carefully roasted beans.

As the years passed, the company continued developing its craft while preserving the principles established at the beginning. In the late 1960s, one customer, retired Army sergeant Key Dickason, worked with Alfred Peet to develop a rich and complex coffee blend. After exploring numerous combinations, they created what became Major Dickason’s Blend, one of the most recognizable and enduring coffees in the collection.

The company’s influence also extended to other coffee professionals. In the early 1970s, several young entrepreneurs visited Alfred Peet to learn about roasting, blending, and the fundamentals of the coffee business. The knowledge shared during this period became part of the broader development of specialty coffee culture in America.

Roasting expertise remained an important part of the company’s identity. Jim Reynolds trained directly under Alfred Peet and later became the second Roastmaster, continuing the tradition of careful roasting and helping establish standards that would influence future generations. His contribution became part of a long-running commitment to technical knowledge and consistency.

As demand for quality coffee increased, Peet’s expanded beyond its original neighborhood. In 2000, its coffees became available through grocery stores, allowing customers across the country to enjoy its beans at home. This expansion made carefully roasted coffee accessible to a much broader audience while maintaining the focus on quality that defined the company from the beginning.

The company continued to strengthen its coffee expertise through new leadership and evolving roasting techniques. Doug Welsh became Roastmaster in 2006, representing another chapter in the development of the company’s roasting tradition. The role of Roastmaster remained closely connected to the quality, character, and consistency of every coffee produced.

Tea also became an important part of the company’s offerings. In 2014, Peet’s added Mighty Leaf Tea to its portfolio, expanding its selection beyond coffee while maintaining a focus on premium ingredients and carefully developed flavors.

In 2015, the company welcomed Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Intelligentsia Coffee into its portfolio. Both organizations shared strong connections to specialty coffee and a commitment to craftsmanship, adding new perspectives and expertise to an already established coffee tradition.

The company’s 50th anniversary in 2016 provided an opportunity to celebrate its history while looking toward the future. Big Bang was introduced as a distinctive medium roast designed to offer vibrant flavor, balance, and character. It represented the idea that coffee could continue evolving without losing the craftsmanship that had always defined the brand.

Coffee styles continued to develop as consumer tastes changed. In 2023, a new collection introduced brighter and more expressive roasting profiles, bringing fruit-forward flavors and lively characteristics into the broader range. This represented another step toward giving coffee drinkers more ways to explore different flavor experiences.

In 2024, Ultra Coffee Concentrate offered another convenient approach to enjoying quality coffee. Designed for people at home, traveling, or simply looking for a faster way to prepare a drink, the concentrate makes it possible to create a coffeehouse-style beverage with a small amount of product and minimal preparation.

Today, our approach continues to combine tradition with innovation. We remain focused on sourcing quality coffees, developing distinctive roast profiles, and making coffee enjoyable in more places and more ways. From the original Berkeley shop to modern kitchens and coffee routines around the country, the goal remains consistent: to respect the bean, refine the roast, and create coffee that people genuinely look forward to drinking.

For questions about our products, services, orders, or customer experience, please contact us at peets@gmail.com. Our mailing address is 6295 SAGE AVE FIRESTONE, CO 80504, and our customer service telephone number is +1 605 236 9867.