Caribou Coffee® Receives Customer Service Honor by J.D. Power and Associates

Caribou Coffee, the nation’s second-largest coffeehouse chain, was recognized as a J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Customer Service Champion—one of only 40 companies, and the only specialty coffee company, to be awarded this distinction this year.

To qualify for inclusion on this elite list, brands had to excel within their own industries, in addition to standing out among more than 800 brands in more than 20 industries selected by J.D. Power. Performance in five key areas was considered, including: people, presentation, process, product and price.

"We want to be more than a coffeehouse to guests. At Caribou Coffee, we strive to be the community place that people love, with a service experience that feeds the soul,” said Darren Miles, senior director of operations for Caribou Coffee. "The guest is what’s most important to us, and making them feel they had a rewarding experience is how we provide exceptional guest service.”

The J.D. Power special report identifying the Customer Service Champions, "Achieving Excellence in Customer Service,” is based on customer feedback gathered from U.S. J.D. Power studies conducted between 2000 and 2010. The Customer Service Champion designation is based on data from studies conducted in 2010.

Caribou Coffee continuously administers its own comprehensive guest surveys, to ensure high service standards are being met and help improve guests’ everyday experiences. As part of this evaluation, the company also assesses team member connection and satisfaction, believing that superior guest service begins with team members who enjoy their work.

"Our team members are with our guests daily, listening to what they want and providing an outstanding experience for them. They provide that connection that makes a trip to Caribou Coffee about more than the product they’re purchasing,” Miles explained. "We want our team members to feel empowered as part of that experience and want to recognize and reward them for helping us bring our mission to life across the counter each day.”

Going forward, Caribou has every intention to maintain, and exceed, their excellence in guest service.

"Exceptional guest service has always been a part of our culture at Caribou. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to refresh our focus and stand out even further,” concluded Miles.

About Caribou Coffee
Caribou Coffee Company, Inc., founded in 1992 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the second-largest company-owned premium coffeehouse operator in the United States, based on the number of coffeehouses. As of January 14, 2011, Caribou Coffee had 408 company-owned coffeehouses and 132 franchised and licensed locations. Caribou Coffee offers its customers premium coffee and handcrafted espresso-based beverages, as well as specialty teas, baked goods, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches, whole bean coffee, branded merchandise and other coffee lifestyle items. In addition, Caribou Coffee sells products to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, foodservice providers, hotels, entertainment venues and e-commerce channels. Caribou Coffee is working toward 100 percent Rainforest Alliance Certification for all of its coffees by the end of 2011, ensuring coffee is sourced using social, economic and environmentally sustainable practices. For more information, visit the Caribou Coffee website at cariboucoffee.com.