Search Mandate
Peet’s Coffee sought to strengthen its executive team with leaders who could accelerate growth, sharpen execution, and bring operational maturity—while preserving brand authenticity across both its retail and CPG businesses.
“Some of the big search firms are just trying to get the job done and move on to the next I’ve never felt that way with Noto Group. It’s personal, not transactional.”
-Eric Lauterbach, President and CEO, Peet’s Coffee
At stake was the ability to transition from a structure built around specific individuals to a scalable, strategy-led organization. Peet’s needed to hire several leaders who were both strategic visionaries and decisive executors capable of making impact quickly in a dynamic, competitive industry.
Among the goals for these critical hires included:
- Stumptown President: Refocus on CPG growth while maintaining retail authenticity.
- Sr. Director Brand Marketing: Position Peet’s to compete against large brands like Starbucks and agile emerging players.
- SVP Retail: Elevate retail operations through new product innovation, improved systems, and stronger leadership engagement.
- SVP Supply Chain: Redesign and innovate the supply chain to support growth.
- VP Sales: Reassess market strategy and restructure sales to better align with customer needs.
The company turned to Noto Group for its industry relevance, high-touch partnership model, and ability to deliver a customized search experience. “Some of the big search firms are just trying to get the job done and move on to the next,” said Eric Lauterbach, President and CEO of Peet’s Coffee. “I’ve never felt that way with Noto Group. It’s personal, not transactional.”
Our Approach
Led by Noto Group Managing Director Sara Spirko who served as the principal consultant on the searches, Noto Group began with in-depth intake discussions to define the most essential criteria for each role in terms of functional expertise, industry knowledge, and leadership capability.
As Noto Group searched for candidates to fill these roles, it prioritized adaptable, culturally-attuned leaders who could advance Peet’s dual retail and CPG business model, who could thrive in entrepreneurial and corporate contexts, and who were willing to relocate to Peet’s headquarters in the San Francisco area despite the high cost of living.
“We’re a big brand, but still a small company, and the big firms just didn’t deliver for us the same way. With Noto Group, we’re not lost in the shuffle.”
-Eric Lauterbach, President and CEO, Peet’s Coffee
Lauterbach praised Noto Group’s strategic approach and the high-quality candidates that resulted: “Noto Group is a great partner—action-oriented, insightful, and fast,” said Lauterbach. “They get us and the Peet’s brand, and the first cut of candidates is just better.”
Results
Noto Group leveraged its deep candidate network and tailored outreach, filling all five positions faster than industry average. The Peet’s team provided clear feedback and moved decisively, which kept candidates engaged.
Where trade-offs surfaced—such as balancing location preferences against ideal candidate profiles—Noto Group facilitated strategic conversations to prioritize business-critical needs.
Ultimately, local candidates were secured for all roles, and today, four of the five executives placed by Noto Group remain with the company, demonstrating strong retention and cultural fit. These leaders have helped Peet’s and Stumptown significantly strengthen their operations.
For example, the Stumptown President has transformed operations into a more profitable, structured, and systematized business. The SVP Supply Chain at Peet’s has driven innovation and long-term improvements. And the VP Sales has elevated Peet’s market position, while boosting organizational effectiveness.
Lauterbach credits Noto Group’s partner-oriented approach for this success. And after six years of partnership and over a dozen successful placements across Peet’s and Stumptown, the relationship continues to deepen.
“We’re a big brand, but still a small company, and the big firms just didn’t deliver for us the same way,” Lauterbach said. “With Noto Group, we’re not lost in the shuffle.”
