Caribou Coffee

Infobox_Company
company_name = Caribou Coffee
company_
company_type = Public (NASDAQ: [http://quotes.nasdaq.com/asp/SummaryQuote.asp?symbol=CBOU&selected=CBOU CBOU] )
company_slogan = "Life is short. Stay awake for it."
foundation = 1992
key_people = Mike Tattersfield, CEO
location = Minneapolis, Minnesota
location_country =
industry = Restaurants
Retail Coffee and Tea
Retail Beverages
num_employees = 6,000+ employees. [http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/company-info.jsp Company Information ] ]
revenue = profit $236.22 million USD (2006)
net_income = loss $9.05 million USD (2006)
homepage = [http://www.cariboucoffee.com cariboucoffee.com]

Caribou Coffee (Nasdaq|CBOU) is a specialty coffee retailer, the second largest in the United States [ [http://www.cariboucoffee.com Caribou Coffee ] ] after Starbucks. Caribou sells gourmet coffees, teas, and bakery goods in over 464 coffeehouses in 18 states.

History

In 1990, on a trip to Denali National Park in Alaska, Caribou Coffee was imagined by newlyweds John and Kim Puckett. The couple raised money to start the first Caribou Coffee shop in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, in 1992. Following several years of mixed performance, the Pucketts sold their controlling interest in the company in 1998 for $120 million to Atlanta-based Crescent Capital, which has since changed its name to Arcapita. The company continues to hold a majority of the common stock of Caribou. [ [http://www.cariboucoffee.com/aboutus/ownership.asp Caribou Coffee Ownership] ]

Since opening, the chain has expanded to 464 locations in 18 states and the District of Columbia, [ [http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=192910&p=irol-irhome Caribou Coffee | Investors | Company Overview ] ] making it the second-largest operator of non-franchised coffeehouses in the United States, after Starbucks Corporation. This includes 24 licensed locations in the U.S. and two overseas markets. Caribou maintains its headquarters and coffee-roasting facility in the Minneapolis metropolitan area. In 2005, Caribou Coffee's majority stakeholder Arcapita completed an IPO of Caribou. On September 28, 2005, Caribou Coffee became a publicly traded company.

The First Islamic Investment Bank of Bahrain has a large financial stake in Arcapita, Caribou Coffee's majority shareholder, and in 2002 Yusuf al-Qaradawi's involvement [ [http://www.cariboucoffee.com/aboutus/ownership.asp Annual Report 2000] ] with the bank led to a protest of Caribou Coffee. That same year al-Qaradawi stepped down as chairman of the bank's Sharia board. [ [http://www.adl.org/main_Arab_World/al_Qaradawi_report_20041110.htm?Multi_page_sections=sHeading_4 Sheik Yusuf al-Qaradawi: Theologian of Terror - Affiliations] , Anti-Defamation League, August 1, 2005]

Products

Caribou Coffee stores serve coffee, espresso drinks, tea, and baked goods. Branded clothing and accessories are available at most stores, and third parties are licensed to use the Caribou Coffee brand on food and merchandise.

Caribou serves many espresso drinks, including lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas. It also offers regular and white hot chocolate. Caribou's signature cold drinks are called "Coolers" (blended coffee with flavors such as coffee, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and espresso). The lighter version of these "Coolers" are called Northern Lite Coolers (customers can choose from caramel, chocolate, coffee, espresso and vanilla).

Caribou also sells several fruit smoothies (strawberry-banana, wild berry, pom-a-mango and passion fruit green tea). Another popular non-coffee drink that Caribou Coffee serves is the Snowdrift, which comes in mint and cookies & cream flavors.

In 2005, Caribou began selling various baked goods, including bagels, muffins, scones, cookies, and cinnamon roll popovers along with several sandwich and salad choices in select locations. It also offers a selection of signature Caribou coffee-based beverages called "Wild Drinks". These are a fancier version of the flavored latte, with whipped cream and toppings that vary according to the type of drink. Varieties of Wild Drinks include the Caramel High Rise, Turtle Mocha, Mint Condition, Hot Apple Blast, Campfire Mocha, and Lite White Berry.

Caribou has topped 41 other regular and decaffeinated Colombian and Kona coffees in tests performed for the December 2004 edition of Consumer Reports. Inexpensive Eight O’Clock and Dunkin' Donuts placed second and third respectively, beating brews from Starbucks and Seattle’s Best.

Partnerships

Caribou recently chose to develop a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance in order to promote agriculturally, environmentally, and socially responsible coffee. By the end of 2008, half of all the green coffee Caribou buys will be Rainforest Alliance Certified. The move has received mixed reviews: Rainforest Alliance certification, dubbed "Fairtrade lite" by various observers and news sources, is questioned in the industry [Manchester Evening News (2007). McDonald's brew a forest-friendly coffee. URL accessed on January 20, 2007.] and was described in January 2005 by Oxford University professor Alex Nicholls as "an easy option for companies looking for a “flash in the pan at a cheap price”. [ Ethical Corporation (January 2005). [http://www.fairtrade.com.au/files/20052145553_Bean_Wars.pdf?PHPSESSID=f7b0bef7d57120cb20ef42aae99fb637#search=%22rainforest%20alliance%20certification%22 Bean Wars] . URL accessed on September 3, 2006.]

Caribou Coffee is also the first coffee company to volunteer itself as a sponsor of the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Producer Support Fund. Caribou donated at the highest level to the fund established by SCAA to assist coffee growers who are association members and farmers who do not have the funds to attend SCAA functions.

ee also

*List of coffeehouse chains

Competitors

* Dunkin Donuts
* Dunn Bros
* Starbucks

References

External links

* [http://www.cariboucoffee.com Corporate Website]
* [http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/caribou.asp Islamic bank is majority owner of the Caribou Coffee chain.] Snopes reports on startup problems and funding sources.
* [http://www.arcapita.com/corporate/current/current-all.html Caribou Coffee's majority stakeholder Arcapita's website] displaying all US investments including Tensar, Cypress Communications, Southland Log Homes, Church's Chicken, Loehmann's, Cirrus Design, and many others.
* [http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/news/2005/caribou.html Rainforest Alliance] Caribou Coffee Company Takes a Leadership Role in Backing Sustainable Coffee Growing Practices
* [http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cu-press-room/pressroom/eng0412cof.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=caribou%20coffee Caribou Coffee Tops Consumer Reports' Latest Ratings]