COMING IN HOT: PEET’S 2026 SUMMER INTERNS SPILL THE BEANS

CPG Innovation & Insights Intern, University of California, Berkeley (Economics)

My time at Peet’s as a CPG Innovation and Insights Intern has truly been a transformative experience. This summer has given me real experience working hands-on in a business, and such a meaningful one at that. Each day I came into the office surrounded by a team that was constantly striving to be their best and inspiring me to do the same. One of my favorite things about my role was immersing myself in the CPG world. I participated in café intercepts, analyzed beverage trends, and even got a behind-the-scenes look at the Alameda Roasting Plant. Most rewardingly, I worked on a project helping Peet’s explore and evaluate new areas of growth within CPG. I loved being able to bring both my analytical and creative skills to this role while working on something I’m truly passionate about—coffee! I’m incredibly lucky to have formed such amazing connections and developed professional skills that will serve me well in my career. I will always cherish this summer at Peet’s! 

Quality & Food Safety Supplier Systems Intern, University of California, Davis (Food Science, minor in Technology Management, Business) 

As a newbie to the food industry, my internship at Peet's Coffee confirmed that I made the right career choice. As a Quality & Food Safety Supplier Systems Intern, I entered the summer expecting to support routine compliance activities. Instead, I found myself rebuilding a new supplier tracking system during a period of acquisition transition and rapid organizational change. Along the way, I had a lot of freedom to explore process improvement through Power Automate, Power BI, and Copilot to enhance supplier compliance and risk management. The most rewarding aspect was being able to drive changes that will continue to support the Quality team beyond my time at Peet's. Throughout the 8-week program, we also had many great activities, including my favorite tea—cupping sessions. At the end of the day, it was the people around me who made this internship such an extraordinary part of my life. Last but not least, a huge shoutout to the Quality and R&D teams that I had the privilege of working closely with throughout the summer! 

R&D Sensory Intern, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Food Science) 

I'm incredibly grateful to have spent this summer with the R&D Team at Peet's Coffee! From learning how to taste coffee in a methodological way to charting different data formats using industry tools, I gained skills and experience in one of the most fun programs I've been a part of. Peet's has shown me that the attention to detail, consistency, and love are reciprocated at every step in the process. I had the opportunity to help benchmark a new product line, recording sensory, technical, and physical data through tastings that differed from week to week, then plotting and correlating samples to find trends. The best part of my internship was working with a powerhouse R&D, Quality, and Coffee team. Their collaboration across many different projects made every day feel engaging and really encompassed what "cross-functional" is meant to be. I am so grateful for the support I had, the people I worked with, and the chance to make an impact using the skills I learned. 

Creative & Brand Content Intern, University of California, Davis (Design & Business) 

Spending my summer as the Peet’s Creative and Brand Studio Intern has been an unforgettable experience. I got to meet and work with so many talented people on the Marketing and Brand Studio team during my time here. I’ve had the privilege of watching the intricate details behind seasonal photoshoots, designing super cool summer swag, and working alongside amazing individuals on projects that shape Peet’s as a brand. My favorite part of being at Peet’s was designing memorable swag for everyone at the Summer Block Party! During my time here, I’ve truly been able to grow as a designer, and I am extremely grateful to my fellow interns, the HR team, and most importantly the amazing Brand Studio team for making my experience here extremely fun and memorable. 

Finance Analyst Intern, University of California, San Diego (Business Economics, minor in Finance) 

My summer as a Finance Analyst Intern at Peet’s Coffee has been an incredible experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a talented and supportive team. Whether I was working on financial modeling and analytics at the head office or touring plants and distribution centers, I learned something new every day while developing both technical and professional skills. The highlight of my internship was presenting my summer project, a Power BI dashboard that I spent weeks building. It brought together many of the skills I developed throughout the summer, from Excel data mapping to creating complex data models and interactive reports that will continue to support the business after my internship. Most importantly, I am thankful for the smart, passionate colleagues who invested in my growth and made Peet’s such a welcoming place to work. Thank you for making this experience so valuable and rewarding. 

Distribution Data Analyst Intern, San José State University (Data Science & Business) 

Spending my summer at the Tracy Distribution Center gave me a completely different appreciation for what it takes to get a bag of coffee from the warehouse to a customer. I came in expecting to build reports and left having sat with leads on the floor, learned how the work actually happens, and then translated that into something useful such as Power BI dashboards and automated workflows that replaced manual tracking and gave the team visibility into productivity they didn't have before. The projects I worked on, from productivity tracking to automating the Gemba board, pushed me to think about data as an operations problem first and a technical one second. I'm grateful to my manager Karan Uppala and the whole Tracy team for trusting an intern with real problems, and for the patience to answer every question I brought to them. Once a Peetnik, always a Peetnik! 

Cupping Room Intern, University of California, Davis (Food Science) 

During my time here at Peet's, I began to think about coffee holistically, from dissecting sample roasts that hit the profile for our signature blends and mapping out flavor profiles for our Limited Time Offers to thinking about the economic, social, and environmental constraints within origins. I came in with an idea of the coffee supply chain complexity, but I got to see firsthand how the Coffee Department navigates those complexities to their advantage. I have loved learning from such passionate teammates who are each eager to share their coffee knowledge with me during our daily cuppings. It was invaluable to think beyond the cup of coffee in my hand and appreciate the care, craftsmanship, and strategy that powers this industry. It was a privilege to spend the summer here. I look forward to sharing and implementing my new knowledge and skills in my future projects and career! 

Retail Operations Data Analyst Intern, University of California, Davis (Computational Cognitive Science) 

My time at Peet’s has been both rewarding and hands-on. I had the privilege of working on the retail operations team, where I rebuilt a company-wide performance dashboard in Power BI and developed a new labor reporting tool to replace a manual process. Along the way, I gained real-world experience in data analysis, DAX, and translating stakeholder needs into tools field leaders actually use. What made the experience special was the people. Everyone was so kind, and whenever I showed interest in something a cross-functional team was working on, they looped me right in. I even got to help plan the summer party and meet tons of new faces across the company, which was as fun as it was rewarding. I’m walking away grateful for my team, the mentorship, and the strong foundation Peet’s has given me! 

Quality & Regulatory Intern, University of California, Davis (Food Science & Technology, minor in CS) 

My internship at Peet’s felt surreal. Three months flew by like a two-day adventure into the world of coffee, and I wasn’t ready for it to end. What stayed with me most was the passion everyone brought to their work. There was so much joy, curiosity, and excitement in the way people approached each day that, somewhere along the way, they sparked that same passion in me. And that led me to learn about much more than coffee. On the Quality and Regulatory team, I worked on projects that didn’t always have clear answers, but I learned that I didn’t have to find those answers alone. My neighbors in R&D and Finance helped me think through how to map and organize data. Fellow interns working with suppliers and design offered fresh perspectives on how to structure and present my project. Each conversation helped me see something I might have missed on my own. That became my favorite part of Peet’s: how much of my learning happened because someone was willing to share what they knew. If someone asked me what I did at Peet’s, I could tell them about my projects. But to explain what those three months meant to me, I’d have to tell them about the people. 

Distribution Process Engineering Intern, University of California, Davis (Chemical Engineering) 

Growing up in the Bay Area as a coffee lover, nearly every morning starts with pouring Peet's grounds into my coffee machine for the perfect cup. That's why interning at Peet's this summer felt so surreal, getting to come to work every day and see green coffee beans from around the world get roasted and packed into my favorite blends. As a Distribution Process Engineering Intern at the Alameda Roasting Plant, I had the opportunity to collaborate with internal and external teams while leading several projects. One of my favorites was leading a capital project, working with vendors to evaluate equipment, researching technical specifications, and creating updated CAD layouts. I also applied Lean manufacturing tools to redesign our warehouse picking process and improve process flow. Another major focus this summer was ergonomics and worker safety. I coordinated trainings, worked with contractors to design and fabricate equipment improvements, and introduced new equipment to reduce strain from repetitive motion. From visiting other warehouses to learning directly from associates on the floor, this internship gave me a much deeper appreciation for how thoughtful engineering can make everyday work safer, easier, and more efficient. I’m incredibly grateful to the Peet’s team for trusting me with meaningful projects and further growing my passion for process engineering and continuous improvement! 

Human Resources Intern, Convent High School 

My internship at Peet’s was an amazing opportunity to gain real-world experience and learn more about Human Resources. We focused on updating onboarding templates and employee record management. I loved getting to work alongside such a welcoming and supportive team while learning about different areas of the company. One of my favorite moments from the internship was going to the Alameda Roasting Plant and learning how Peet's makes their coffee. I really appreciate the thought that went into making this such an interesting experience! Peet's helped me build confidence, develop new skills, and grow professionally. 

Human Resources Intern, Convent High School 

Working as a Human Resources intern at Peet's was an incredible first internship opportunity. I enjoyed learning about Peet's emphasis on people and culture in and out of the office, as well as being able to speak and connect with people in other departments. I had very little knowledge of Peet's beyond what I'd experienced going to get an iced Havana Cappuccino and even less about what it was like to work in an office environment, but I can definitely say that I learned a ton about these things and more (like how to pull espresso), all while having a great time.