Behind the Brew: What I Learned During My Week at Peet’s Coffee Headquarters

Shaa’ista Sabir (center, in green) with InterAmerican's Kayd Whalen and several “Peetniks" at the Peet’s Coffee HQ in Emoryville, Calif. 

By Shaa’ista Sabir

I’ve always said that one of my favorite things about the coffee industry is its ability to teach you something new. With so many facets to both sides of the industry (green and retail), it’s rare to find a company that encompasses everything, seed to cup. Founded in Berkeley, Calif., in 1966, Peet’s Coffee is the embodiment of that example. Though until recently, as a Southern American, my familiarity with Peet’s was limited to seeing its bags of beans for sale at the grocery store.  

I didn’t know that to this day, Peet’s continues to roast all coffees by hand. Or that as of 2021, Peet’s was 100 percent responsibly sourced. Or that so many Peetniks have been with the company for the majority of their careers. Or that Phil Maloney, Sr. Director of Coffee Purchasing, personally reached out to Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian of JNP Coffee to support her efforts to share Burundi specialty coffee with the world. This led to the creation of Peet’s annual Jubilant Blend for Black History Month in collaboration with Phyllis Johnson. I was made aware of all this and so much more during my recent visit to Peet’s.  

In the Peet’s Coffee QC lab with Alysse Wishart and Sean Coutts.

The Perks of Being a Partner 

On Monday, July 31, I traveled to Emeryville with Kayd Whalen, the head of InterAmerican Coffee’s San Diego office, for a visit with her client Peet’s Coffee and to spend the week learning about its operations. This opportunity was another wonderful collaborative effort initiated by Phil in support of the NKG PACE program. 

During that visit, I met Jim Reynolds, the first Peet’s roaster after Mr. Peet himself, who had just celebrated 50 years with the company! I also met with Peet’s senior management, including the CEO, COO, CTO and Heads of HR and Finance.

I was introduced to and spent time with nearly every coffee-involved department: Quality Control, Human Resources, Public Relations, Design, Social Responsibility, Tea, Retail, Training and Education, Roasting, Employee Engagement, and Marketing. I also visited the Annex, where not only does InterAmerican store many of its clients’ coffees but Peet’s makes up almost 80 percent of the Fairway holdings.  

Peet’s Highlights 

Some of the best connections I made during my visit weren’t in facilitated spaces but in all of the seemingly inconsequential moments in between. These included: 

Dinner with Jim Reynolds and his wife, learning about his journey through coffee and how to build longevity in this industry we all love. 

A definite highlight: Lunch with the Black employees of Peet’s, hosted by Tanganyika (Tangi) Orlando and Shannon P. Johnson

Cupping and roasting in the lab with Alysse Wishart. It was extremely rewarding to see a cupping table of 20-plus coffees and everything that needed to be done to prepare it. Having six Probat roaster barrels going at the same time is no easy task! 

Getting to meet Jamie L. Smith (who has an ongoing .gif battle with Jayy Terrell) in person and picking their brain about what it’s been like making the retail-to-green shift under the same company. Jamie began her career as a barista with Peet’s, moved up to Quality, and now holds a position with its R&D team: a perfect full-circle trajectory.  

Visiting the original Peet's Museum with Shelly Groves and Lisa Taylor. 

Visiting the retail stores, and sitting down with Lisa Taylor and Shelly Groves to talk about the nuances of managing stores over the evolution of Peet’s as a brand.  

Getting a first look with Christina Stork and the design team (even before many Peetniks in the office!) at its new brand kit and feeling so happy for the teams and the direction they’re taking.  

A late-afternoon tea cupping in the tiki lounge with Anni Pattee and Eliot Jordan. A much-needed moment of calm and tranquility, testing my pallet in new and different ways.   

Snacking on Ferrero Rocher with Molly Matles and discussing the work they’re doing to make Peet’s an inclusive and welcoming space for all employees based on the needs of individuals, not margins. 

All the little moments with Phil where I was able to get a true sense of how and why he does all the things he does. Little chats when he picked me up for the day, or between meetings, or at a meal.  

A Great End to an Amazing Week 

The pièce de résistance of my visit, though, was meeting Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian and having a beautiful lunch with the Black employees of Peet’s, hosted by Tanganyika (Tangi) Orlando and Shannon P. Johnson.  

I can’t describe the feeling of walking into a space and seeing yourself where you hadn’t before... or of being one of the first Black people someone else has ever met in green coffee. I’m grateful that NKG PACE Graduate Jayy Terrell was able to experience this trip before me and help create a space where people who had only previously occupied non-coffee-related roles in a coffee company were now curious and engaged with the possibilities of coffee-prominent roles.  

I cupped, I tasted, I watched, I learned, and I met some of the most passionate and caring people I’ve ever met in coffee. Peet’s broadened my perspective on what specialty coffee is capable of with consistent and intentional care and dedication to quality. I loved every moment of my time there. And while the days were full, so was the amount of insight I was able to gain that I can’t say I’d be able to cultivate anywhere else. •