The story behind our partnership with Caribou Coffee
Mike Tattersfield, President and CEO of Caribou Coffee Company, shares in his own words the history behind Caribou Coffee and its partnership with Lunds and Byerly’s stores:
In 1990, our founders, John and Kim Puckett, went on an adventure through the Alaskan wilderness. As part of their journey, they hiked to the top of Sable Mountain. After a strenuous climb, they reached the summit and were rewarded with a sensational view: the boundless mountains, a clear blue sky, and a herd of caribou thundering through the valley.
The breathtaking panoramic view inspired John and Kim to do something different with their lives, to pursue their passions and embrace their authentic spirit. This spirit inspired “Life is short. Stay awake for it,” which remains a core part of our brand today and serves as our guide as we strive to create an extraordinary experience for our Lunds and Byerly’s Caribou Coffee guests.
In 1992, John and Kim opened our first store at 44th & France in Minneapolis. This store shared the space with a Bruegger’s Bagels location. The shared space concept led to our relationship with Lunds and Byerly’s – sharing space allowed us to partner with retailers who were also committed to providing customers with high-quality products and exceptional service. On November 11, 1994, Caribou Coffee opened our first location in the Byerly’s Ridgedale store. We are looking forward to celebrating the 20th anniversary of this location in November.
The Lunds and Byerly’s relationship was our first integrated-retail partnership. This relationship began with a Caribou Coffee kiosk in the store and grew to our coffee being sold on Lunds and Byerly’s grocery shelves. I want to personally thank the Lunds and Byerly’s team and our shared guests for helping pioneer our growth in the Twin Cities.
Our relationship today continues to celebrate our shared values. We are proud to be an important part of the Twin Cities community. Our uncompromising standards apply not just to our products, but to everything we do. We’re always looking for new ways to delight people with the unexpected, including opening our first-ever onsite roasting and production location at the new Lunds & Byerlys Kitchen location in Wayzata, Minn.
We’re proud to have built and maintained such a successful partnership over the years with Lunds and Byerly’s!
