initially offered in three flavors: Baridi Black, Coffee au Lait, and Dark Chocolate. Almond Milk was added to the line of bottled cold brew in May 2017. In December 2016, Peet's added a Slow Bar to its newest D.C. coffeebar, featuring French press, pour-over and siphon brewing methods. Influence When the three founders of Starbucks were looking to start their company, they contacted Peet, who "became like a father mentor" to them. He allowed the three young men to copy the layout of his store and shared his suppliers. Peet's has a devoted following, sometimes known as "Peetniks", a portmanteau of Peets and beatniks. Peet's was one of the first coffee bean and brewed coffee retailers to offer specialty grade coffee, and to roast the beans longer, producing a liquor that is darker, more bitter, with less of the sour taste of the coffees offered in the US at the time. Peet's is commonly regarded as one of the founding businesses in the gourmet coffee trade. Two British men who worked at Peet's in the early 1990s later established Union Coffee Roasters in the United Kingdom. See also List of coffeehouse chains References External links Coffee brands Coffee companies of the United States Coffeehouses and cafés in the United States Tea companies of the United States Tea brands in the United States Cuisine of the Western United States Drink companies based in California Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area Regional restaurant chains in the United States Companies based in Berkeley, California Companies based in Emeryville, California Economy of the Western United States 1966 establishments in California American companies established in 1966 Food and drink companies established in 1966 Retail companies established in 1966 Restaurants established in 1966 2001 initial public offerings 2012 mergers and acquisitions American subsidiaries of foreign companies