Caribou Coffee began its journey in December 1992 when founder John Puckett opened the first location in Edina, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over the years, it has grown into a well-known premium coffeehouse brand.
Now headquartered in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Caribou Coffee launched its franchising initiative in 2006, which paved the way for the brand’s expansion across the U.S. and into global markets.
Its menu spans more than just coffee, featuring a wide range of beverages including teas, as well as fresh food items like sandwiches, bagels, and pastries—all made with attention to quality.
What sets Caribou Coffee apart is its commitment to sustainability and ingredient integrity. The brand exclusively uses 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans and real, recognizable ingredients such as chocolate chips and caramel, highlighting its dedication to offering products customers can feel good about.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
Caribou Coffee offers 3 types of franchises:
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Caribou Coffee “Chalet” Coffeehouse.
For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Caribou Coffee provides comprehensive training programs to franchisees, emphasizing operational excellence and consistency across locations. Here are the main training types offered by the Franchisor:
Caribou Coffee may offer territory protection to its franchisees, but it is not guaranteed. Under the Franchise Agreement, a franchisee has the right to operate a Coffeehouse at a specific, accepted location. Whether or not a Protected Territory is granted depends on various factors, including nearby business characteristics, demographics, and local trade area conditions.
If a Protected Territory is granted, Caribou Coffee agrees not to open or allow others to open another Coffeehouse within that territory during the term of the agreement, as long as the franchisee complies with all obligations.
However, Caribou retains extensive rights, including the ability to operate in non-traditional facilities like airports and schools within the territory, and to sell through alternative channels such as e-commerce. This means franchisees do not receive exclusive territory rights and may still face competition from the franchisor or its affiliates.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
All you need to know about this franchise
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Below are some of
Caribou Coffee
key competitors in the
Coffee & Tea
sector.
152
$30,000
$279,000
$1,429,000
n.a.
$732,000
$xxx,xxx
72.9%
n.a.
9.7%
n.a.
Tastea is a beverage-and-snack café franchise offering customizable teas, smoothies, and bowls, serving health- and flavor-focused consumers, and known for bold visual branding, fresh mixes, and social-media-friendly store experience.
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Tom n Toms Coffee is a café franchise offering espresso drinks, pretzels, breads, and light bites, serving students and urban professionals, and known for spacious cafés, extended hours, and a Korean coffeehouse heritage.
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Feng Cha is a tea café franchise offering handcrafted milk teas, fruit teas, and desserts, serving tea lovers and social café guests, and known for creative toppings, seasonal menus, and modern, photogenic store designs.
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illy is a premium café franchise offering espresso beverages, coffee, pastries, and packaged products, serving coffee connoisseurs and travelers, and known for Italian espresso heritage, design-driven cafés, and consistently high-quality blends.
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Ding Tea is a bubble tea franchise offering milk teas, fruit teas, and specialty drinks, serving boba enthusiasts and casual café guests, and known for customizable sweetness, premium teas, and an international brand footprint.
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Qahwah House is a specialty coffee shop franchise offering authentic Yemeni coffee, baked goods, and café experiences, serving coffee enthusiasts and communities, and known for premium sourcing, cultural heritage, and welcoming hospitality.
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