Daniel of Arabica
brew, drink, repeat
Posts Tagged ‘Peet’s’
Fighting over the money
And in this corner …
Fighting over the money while the rest of the industry moves forward.
I know many people have great respect for Peet’s. I do, myself — no, really, I’m no longer much into their style but they were highly influential in bringing quality arabica coffee to the buying public — but this sort of high-stakes, big-money style stand-off over sub-par coffee packaging, and the money that can be made with it, just doesn’t fit my image of the quality driven coffee company I once knew.
Sometimes I wish that the Peet’s board of directors’ grand vision would make an abrupt u-turn and that they would forcefully push aside all of the Starbucks-chasing products they carry to re-focus on doing what they do best: sourcing great coffee, roasting it their way and serving it with a focus on quality that, until recently, Starbucks could only dream of (hint: it’s not because Starbucks has gotten any better). The other dream is that what’s left of those core strengths – the roasting end of the business – would spin off and rid itself of this misbegotten money chase. Maybe they need their own Steve Jobs.
Apple didn’t get to where they are today by following the leader – they haven’t been directly competing with Microsoft for years – but became the fabulously profitable and influential company they are today due to an unfailing focus on doing what they do best and damn the rest.
Brewed elsewhere – November 3rd from 12:33 to 12:33
- Peet’s Coffee buying Diedrich Coffee for $213M – Peet's, in their latest attempt at out-starbucking Starbucks, buys Diedrich and, so, is now in business of making little, tiny, foil-wrapped pouches filled with stale coffee grounds. In other news, Alfred Peet rolls over in grave … twice.
Alfred H. Peet: 1920-2007
Say what you will about their current state of expansion and their froofy blended drinks: Alfred Peet is the reason we have Blue Bottle, Ritual, Intelligentsia, Ecco Café and all of the other players in the thriving independent coffee scene. He was the seminal figure in the revolution that has given the discerning palette a way out of the Folgers fog.
Express your condolences, share your memories at the blog Peet’s has set up in Alfred’s honor.
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