More than 50 Caribou Coffee locations will soon return to Michigan

Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read
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Over 50 new Caribou Coffee locations are returning to Michigan after a decade.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota-based premium coffeehouse announced that several multi-unit development agreements have been signed to franchise more than 300 new locations in the United States.

Paul Saber and Patrick Rogers with Manna Development Group "will bring the beloved coffeehouse brand back to Michigan" as they plan to develop over 50 Caribou Coffee locations across the state, according to the announcement. The company has not specified where in Michigan the new locations will open.

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Caribou Coffee merged with Panera Bread and Einstein Bros. Bagels to form Panera Brands in 2021. Manna Development Group owns and operates 25 Panera Bread locations in Michigan.

“With a shared vision and commitment to Caribou’s core values, we’re thrilled to be further expanding our footprint nationwide alongside such experienced and passionate operators, and we look forward to supporting their success,” John Butcher, president and CEO of Caribou Coffee, said in the company announcement.

Caribou Coffee largely left the state in 2013 after German private equity firm Joh. A. Benckiser purchased the company the previous year. The company stated that downscaling will benefit long-term growth.

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Out of 22 Caribou Coffee locations that used to be in Michigan, only one currently remains in Stevensville — a village in Berrien County, along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

"Since its inception in 1992, Caribou Coffee has emerged as a leader in the coffeehouse segment, known for innovative handcrafted products and award-winning customer experience," according to Caribou Coffee. "From using premium ingredients like real chocolate chips and real caramel sauce for their handcrafted beverages, to sourcing 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified green coffee, Caribou Coffee has differentiated itself with its commitment to brand purpose, quality, and innovation."

Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: More than 50 Caribou Coffee locations will soon return to Michigan