Peet’s Coffee CEO Eric Lauterbach exits company ahead of Keurig-Dr. Pepper acquisition

Core Insights - Eric Lauterbach has announced his departure from Peet's Coffee after 15 years, with Stuart Heflin succeeding him as CEO [1][3] - The leadership change comes shortly after Keurig-Dr. Pepper's agreement to acquire Peet's Coffee from JDE Peet's for $18 billion, expected to finalize in Q1 2026 [2] Leadership Transition - Lauterbach's tenure included the transition of Peet's from a public company to private ownership under JAB and back to public with the formation of JDEP [3] - Stuart Heflin, the new CEO, previously held senior roles at Simply Good Foods and has experience with brands at Glanbia Performance Nutrition and Procter & Gamble [3] Company Overview - JDE Peet's portfolio includes several brands such as Peet's, L'OR, Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Kenco, Pilao, OldTown, Super, and Moccona [4] - Peet's Coffee operated 254 units in the U.S. as of the end of 2024, according to Technomic data [4]