Caribou Coffee 2168913 225808261 2008-07-15T14:31:56Z Babbage 29688 /* Products */ mentioning the Consumer Reports thign is advertising enough; how the other brands placed is blatant {{Infobox_Company | | company_name = Caribou Coffee | company_logo = [[Image:CaribouCoffee.jpg|Caribou Coffee Logo]] | company_type = [[Public company|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 = Rosalyn T. Mallet, [[CEO]] | location = [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] | location_country = | industry = [[Restaurant]]s <br />Retail [[Coffee]] and [[Tea]] <br />[[Retail|Retail Beverages]] | num_employees = 6,000+ employees.<ref>[http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/company-info.jsp Company Information<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> | revenue = {{profit}} $236.22 million [[United States dollar|USD]] (2006) <ref>[http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/company-info.jsp Company Information<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> | net_income = {{loss}} $9.05 million [[United States dollar|USD]] (2006) <ref>[http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/company-info.jsp Company Information<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> | homepage = [http://www.cariboucoffee.com cariboucoffee.com] }} '''Caribou Coffee''' is a specialty [[coffee]] retailer, the second largest in the U.S.<ref>www.cariboucoffee.com</ref> Caribou sells gourmet coffees, [[tea]]s, and bakery goods in over 464 coffeehouses in 18 [[U.S. state|all in [[St. Cloud, MN]], USA]] == 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, Minnesota| 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.<ref>[http://www.cariboucoffee.com/aboutus/ownership.asp Caribou Coffee Ownership]</ref> 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], making it the second-largest operator of non-franchised coffeehouses in the United States, after [[Starbucks| 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. ([http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=CBOU NASDAQ: CBOU]). 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|Yusuf al-Qaradawi's]] involvement<ref>[http://www.cariboucoffee.com/aboutus/ownership.asp Annual Report 2000]</ref> 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.<ref>[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</ref> == Products == [[Image:Caribou.jpeg|right|thumb|A Cup of Caribou Coffee]] Caribou serves gourmet coffees, premium loose-leaf teas, blended coffee/[[espresso]] drinks, and bakery goods. It also markets the Caribou brand with clothing and accessories available at most stores and licenses third parties to use the Caribou Coffee brand on food and merchandise. Caribou serves various specialty espresso drinks such as [[latte]]s, [[cappuccino]]s, and [[mocha]]s. It also offers regular and white [[hot chocolate]]. Caribou offers a variety of cold drink called a "Cooler," which consists of blended coffee with flavors such as coffee, [[vanilla]], [[caramel]], [[chocolate]], and espresso. A "lighter" version of the "Cooler" is referred to as a Northern Lite Coolers (customers can choose from [[caramel]], [[chocolate]], [[coffee]], [[espresso]] and [[vanilla]]). They also offer several non-coffee [[smoothie]]s ([[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 and cream|cookies & cream]] flavors. In mid 2005, Caribou started marketing “Bou Gourmet,” which consisted of bakery items including [[bagels]], [[muffins]], [[scones]], [[cookies]], and [[cinnamon roll]] [[popover]]s along with several [[sandwich]] and [[salad]] choices in select locations. It also offers a selection of 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 coffee|Colombian]] and [[Kona coffee]]s in tests performed for the December 2004 edition of [[Consumer Reports| Consumer Reports]]. == 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<ref>Manchester Evening News (2007). McDonald's brew a forest-friendly coffee. URL accessed on January 20, 2007.</ref> and was described in January 2005 by [[Oxford University]] professor [[Alex Nicholls (academic)|Alex Nicholls]] as "an easy option for companies looking for a “flash in the pan at a cheap price”.<ref> 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.</ref> Caribou Coffee is also the first coffee company to volunteer itself as a sponsor of the [[Specialty Coffee Association of America| 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. ==See also== *[[List of coffeehouse chains]] ==References== <div class="references-small"><references/></div><!--<nowiki>Please do not type footnotes here. Instead insert the footnote in its proper spot in the body of this article using the <ref name=> </ref> tags. See [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags.</nowiki>--> ==External links== <!-- ATTENTION! Please do not add links without discussion and consensus on the talk page. Undiscussed links will be removed. --> * [http://www.cariboucoffee.com Corporate Website] * [http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/caribou.asp An Islamic bank is the 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| Loehmann's]], [[Cirrus Design| 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] [[Category:Coffee houses]] [[Category:Companies based in Minneapolis, Minnesota]]