Alfred Peet, who founded Peet’s Coffee & Tea in 1966 in Berkeley, died last Wednesday at his home in Ashland, Oregon. Peet was responsible for the move towards high quality coffee in the United States. He was also instrumental in the success of Starbucks, having trained the founders in coffee brewing and supplied them with beans when they opened their first cafe in Seattle in 1971. Peet opted for a slower rate of expansion vs. Starbucks, which has grown rapidly over the years.
photo credit: Peet’s Coffee & Tea
