Brewing the Future: Reflections from Peet’s 2025 Summer Interns
At Peet’s, we take pride in creating meaningful opportunities for the next generation of Peetniks. Our internship program offers a chance to dive into the world of coffee and beyond.
Here’s what our interns had to say about their experience:
Valentina Badano
Social Media Intern, UC Berkeley (Media Studies & Political Economy)
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at Peet’s this summer! I learned so much from everyone across the marketing functions, each with unique audiences and strategies, yet all working together to build a unified brand. I had the chance to be part of brand photoshoots, write creative briefs, support new partnerships and events, and help create content that went live in real time utilizing trend reports. I also gained experience with industry tools, and the Coffee EDU program broadened my understanding of the category and Peet’s commitments to sustainability and equity. Beyond the hands-on experience, I’m especially thankful for the mentorship and guidance I received throughout the internship. Learning directly from such passionate, knowledgeable individuals made a huge impact on my growth and perspective. Thank you so much for making this such a valuable and rewarding experience!
Filippo Maninetti
Customer Planning Intern, UC San Diego (Business Economics & Finance)
My summer as a Sales Planning Intern at Peet’s Coffee has been an incredible experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about the CPG business while developing both technical and soft skills. The highlight of my time here has been working with such knowledgeable, kind colleagues who fostered a welcoming environment that encouraged my growth. My projects ranged from forecasting to promotional analysis, allowing me to apply myself in new ways and see the tangible impact of my work. I strengthened my skills in tools like Excel, PowerPoint, and TradePro, with my manager providing valuable guidance on using them at a higher level. I look forward to carrying forward the knowledge and collaborative spirit I gained at Peet’s into every future endeavor.
Jaden Turner
Retail Data Analyst Intern, Sacramento State University (Economics)
In my time at Peet’s home office I’ve gained great appreciation for the work I do in the coffee shop. I’m grateful for the opportunity to go from the coffee shop to the home office and understand what goes into the decision making that supports my day to day. Peet’s has shown me that there is real love and appreciation in everything they do when it comes to crafting coffee and caring for their customers. I gained a great amount of knowledge in the programs that are used such as Power Bi & Aloha to create reports that reflect the efforts of every barista. I am excited to move in my professional career, but I’ll always save room for a cup of coffee from Peet’s!
Kiara Engstrom
Social Media Intern, Carnegie Mellon University (Marketing & Decision Science)
I’m incredibly grateful to have spent my summer with the Brand Marketing team at Peet’s Coffee, learning from such passionate and supportive people. I had the opportunity to gain valuable experience in an omnichannel environment, contributing to content creation, writing creative briefs, supporting seasonal campaign planning, and most memorably, posting directly on Peet’s official Pinterest account after conducting trend research. I loved that no two days were the same, from being on set at photoshoots to tasting the Fall menu before launch and joining cross-functional meetings that brought new ideas to life. The space the team created, and their trust in me to bring a fresh creative perspective, pushed me to grow in both skill and confidence and gave me experiences that will shape how I approach marketing in the future.
Nidhi George
Corporate FP&A Intern, UC Berkeley (Economics & Data Science)
My summer internship at Peet’s has been nothing short of enjoyable and an overall intellectually stimulating experience. From streamlining financial reporting/budgeting to developing insights that guide decision-making, each project challenged me to think critically and adapt quickly. With the constant guidance and mentorship of my incredible manager, I learned how to approach complex questions with both precision and creativity. The collaborative spirit of the finance department made every day engaging, and I felt my contributions were truly valued. I am so grateful for the support, the opportunities to contribute, and a summer fueled by professional growth, teamwork, and of course, great coffee!
Lia Weiss-Ishai
Digital Marketing Analytics Intern, UC Berkeley (Cognitive Science)
As part of the Digital Marketing Team, I had the incredible opportunity to work on a range of impactful projects, from industry loyalty program analyses and offer performance deep-dives to data reconciliation and in-store digital experience enhancements. I gained hands-on experience with industry tools, cross-functional teamwork, and data storytelling, all while feeling supported and encouraged to bring fresh ideas to the table. This experience not only sharpened my analytical and creative skills but also gave me a deeper appreciation for how Peet’s navigates an evolving coffee landscape while preserving its rich brand heritage. I am grateful for the mentorship, the welcoming culture, and a summer filled with meaningful work (and of course, great coffee)!
Kholoud Bashayan
Process Engineering Intern, UC Davis (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
From sipping Peet’s hot cocoa during late-night study sessions to leading projects that launched 20 new products—this summer came full circle. As a Process Engineer Intern on the Tracy Distribution team, I had the opportunity to lead multiple process improvements, leverage my mechanical design background to enhance safety measures, and utilize a data-based approach to develop an efficient, warehouse-wide space layout guided by sales and supply demand data. I ensured equipment readiness and created real-time operational dashboards, empowering our floor teams to track progress, hit targets, and allocate resources efficiently. Most importantly, I was entrusted with project management for a cross-functional team of over 25 people to ensure site readiness for two sites serving our Direct-to-Customer (DTC) channel during the transition of 21 new products from our parent company, JDE Peet’s—an experience that strengthened my ability to coordinate with team directors and lead large-scale operational initiatives, integrate new products seamlessly into existing processes and supply chains, and implement hands-on training for our associates on new and existing processes that improved efficiency and consistency across the workforce on the warehouse’s floor. This internship not only reinforced my passion for optimizing processes and delivering scalable solutions but also deepened my drive to lead impactful operational change!
Nathalie Ndigaya
Process Engineering Intern, UC Davis (Chemical Engineering)
As a coffee lover, I was excited to join Peet’s this summer as a Process Engineer Intern for the Supply Network Operations (SNO) team. I was directly assigned to projects requiring deep problem-solving and process optimization skills. I have authored and executed test plans to improve operational performance. I’ve conducted in-depth analysis of waste and time loss within processes, recommending changes to improve efficiency. Using advanced data visualization and analysis tools, I’ve learned to create interactive dashboards that track key operational metrics and provide actionable insights. I’ve also collaborated closely with operators to understand workflow preferences and operational needs, and with the gathered data, change requests were issued to explore potential solutions. Leveraging the warehouse management system, I’ve gathered operational data and helped ensure alignment with inventory and workflow requirements. Along the way, I have learned how to design and implement structured digital tracking processes that improve visibility and accountability across operations. I am grateful for the experience and the great team I've had the privilege to work with and learn from. My internship is still ongoing, and I am confident that by the end, the skills and perspectives I’ve gained will continue to shape my growth in process engineering and prepare me for future challenges. Verso l'Alto!
Charlotte Morris
Human Resources Intern, Stuart Hall High School
Throughout my Peet’s experience, I have discovered new information about business and HR, but also about myself. I had never worked in an office setting before, so I was able to discover how I function and contribute to a working environment. I was also able to discover different parts of business that I like working in. I also discovered new things about coffee and the coffee industry which are super interesting. This whole experience has been extremely impactful in so many ways. This internship was my first glance at an office job, so this entire experience and opportunity has been eye-opening and formative for me. Now, every other office internship or job experience will be compared to my very first one at Peet’s. This internship has also been impactful because it has helped me learn more about HR and has allowed me to develop new skills to take with me into the future.
Christian Rodriguez
Human Resources Intern, Stuart Hall High School
This was my first internship and my first time in a corporate setting. Something that surprised me about HR was how many specific branches there are. Being able to see all the roles and work it takes for an HR team to be successful was also very enjoyable. Before this I never realized how many levels there were too it, but being able to talk to everybody made me appreciate the people and experience that much more. I am very grateful to everybody for taking their time out of their busy day to talk to us about what they do and what their day-to-day looks like.
As our Summer 2025 internship wraps up, we want to give a big thank you to our amazing interns for their dedication and contributions this season!
We’re grateful for the energy, curiosity, and fresh perspectives our interns brought to Peet’s this summer. Wishing them all the best as they continue their journey—once a Peetnik, always a Peetnik!