New Change at Caribou Coffee Now Has Minnesotans Cheering

It's been a staple here in Minnesota for nearly 35 years, and now Caribou Coffee just announced a change to its prices that has coffee lovers across the North Star State cheering.

Minnesota is home to a lot of well-known companies, whether they're big corporate conglomerates (looking at you, Cargill, and General Mills) or more well-known brands (that would be you, Target, and Best Buy).

Caribou Coffee’s Minnesota Roots Go Back to 1992

Caribou Coffee is another one of those beloved brands that also got its start right here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The official Caribou Coffee website notes that the popular coffee chain was founded by John and Kim Puckett in Minnesota back in 1992.

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And since its founding 34 years ago, Caribou Coffee has grown quite a bit. While the chain now has over 800 locations in 11 different countries, it's still true to its Minnesota roots:

Our company headquarters and roastery are still located  in Minnesota today and we serve guests in more than 700 coffeehouses worldwide. Caribou Coffee products are also available in all 50 states across grocery stores, mass retailers, club stores, foodservice providers, hotel, entertainment venues and online.

How Caribou Coffee Grew Into a Global Brand

The Puckets ended up taking Caribou public back in 2005. Then, in 2012, the firm was taken private again when it was sold to German private equity company JAB Holdings for $340 million, according to Nation's Restaurant News.

Caribou Coffee Eliminates Vegan Milk Fee in Minnesota

And to kick off the new year, Caribou just announced that it was eliminating a fee that many coffee junkies will be ecstatic about. According to a release from PETA, Caribou has now stopped charging extra for vegan milk.

This new move comes after Caribou’s decision back in 2023 to drop the vegan milk charge for rewards members who pre-ordered on the app. Now, though, after some pleading from PETA, anyone can order oat, almond, or coconut milk at no additional charge, the release said.

PETA noted that Caribou Coffee is the seventh major coffee chain to drop the vegan milk upcharge. Starbucks, Dunkin’, Tim Horton’s, Dutch Bros, Scooter’s Coffee, and Peet’s Coffee have all already eliminated a similar charge from their prices. 

So the next time you grab a cup of Caribou coffee, raise a glass to its original location here in the Gopher State! And while Caribou is still around and going strong 35 years after it started, that's not been the case for every once-popular brand. Keep scrolling to check out 50 beloved retail chains that no longer exist!