Caribou Coffee is a popular coffee chain, numbering four hundred and fifteen shops in sixteen different states in the US;

there are eighty shops worldwide. It is currently the second-largest non-franchised coffee house chain in the US, after Starbucks. The first Caribou Coffee shop was set up in Edina, Minnesota in 1992; the company’s headquarters are still in Minnesota at present.

The shops sell coffee products and baked goods, and some stores sell clothing and accessories.

The chain’s signature cold drink is the ‘Cooler’, a coffee beverage blended with flavors such as vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or others. Caribou Coffee formed a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance, to promote ‘agriculturally, environmentally, and socially responsible’ coffee. This move has attracted some criticism.

In 2005, Caribou Coffee became a publicly traded company. Real estate company Arcapita has a large stake in Caribou Coffee, and the First Islamic Investment Back of Bahrain has a large stake in Arcapita.

When the news came out that Yusuf al-Qaradawi was involved with the bank, Caribou Coffee was protested by some groups. In 2002, the bank severed all ties with Al-Qaradawi, somewhat ending the dispute.

A law firm was hired to evaluate the charitable donations, and now no charitable contributions from Caribou’s people go to groups banned by US law. Despite this dispute being basically solved, Caribou Coffee has had some issues with criticism and protests, similar to those faced by Starbucks.

Still, Caribou Coffee remains a popular chain the US. While not nearly as popular as the mammoth Starbucks Corporation, Caribou Coffee does do well for itself, while running a distant second.