1930s
Alfred Peet learns the coffee trade while caring for roasting and grinding machinery at B. Koorn & Company, his father’s coffee and tea business in Alkmaar, Holland.

He forgoes college. Moves to London to pursue the importing of coffee and tea. Continues to make things with his hands and fiddle with machines.

1950s
Works in the tea business in Indonesia. This pivotal experience eventually inspires him to bring darkly roasted Indonesian beans to an unaware coffee-drinking public.

Temporarily resides in New Zealand. Declares it boring. Sails to the U.S.

Arrives in California. Goes to work in the coffee import business. Soon discovers that the richest country in the world drinks the lousiest coffee.

1966
Leaves the coffee import business to start his own shop in Berkeley at Vine and Walnut, a working-class neighborhood near the University of California campus.

Vows to only use high-quality beans and a roasting system manually calibrated to achieve an even darker, sweeter roast.

Proudly sends a batch to his mother, who politely suggests it’s “too dark.” Thankfully, he ignores her.

1967
Promotes the belief that there should be the shortest distance possible between the roaster and the customer. Single-handedly helps the American consumer appreciate freshly roasted, dark roast blends.

Learn more by visiting their site: https://www.peets.com/