The Grants Pass-founded coffee chain had previously relocated operations to Arizona and Texas.
A stimulating home-grown Oregon corporation is packing for the greener pastures of Phoenix.
The national brand Dutch Bros — the state’s second-highest valued company after Nike — will move its corporate headquarters to Arizona, the Portland Business Journal was first to report.
The company was founded as a coffee cart in Grants Pass in 1992 and has grown to include locations in 15 states, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. It opened its 1,000 location in March and hopes to one day reach 7,000. The company’s market capitalization is around $12 billion, a figure second only to Nike among Oregon-grown businesses.
The move to the Southwest is less than surprising, the Oregonian reported. CEO Christine Barone has worked from Arizona since 2023, when she was hired, and the Phoenix corporate campus is rapidly expanding.
Growth has been especially strong for Dutch Bros since the company went public in 2021. Last year, the company announced the relocation of 40% of its operations and support staff to Arizona. The company said at the time it needed to position corporate staff near its fastest-growing markets.
Revenue for the brand grew 29%, or $355 million, in the first quarter of this year.
Dutch Bros, with its distinct blue and white windmill, sells sweet, caffeinated and blended beverages as well as a line of energy drinks.
“Our brand continues to resonate with our customers, giving us confidence that our foundational transaction drivers are working and propelling us forward,” Barone writes in a statement. “We have a clear roadmap ahead of us and are well-positioned to continue generating sustainable long-term growth.”
The company will retain a small roasting facility and support office in Grants Pass, and co-founder and chairman Travis Boersma still lives there.
“Grants Pass is where our journey began, and it remains a vital part of our story,” reads a statement. “Our original roasting facility and supporting functions will remain rooted in Grants Pass.”
It’s the latest bad news item for Oregon’s economy, which has struggled to return to form since the pandemic. A recent University of Oregon study found other states target Oregon-based businesses with offers of greater financial incentives and looser workplace and environmental regulations. Portland-based Keen Footwear recently closed its Portland factory to open a facility in Kentucky. And one-time darlings Vacasa and Radius Recycling were recently acquired by out-of-state interests, leaving their future in Oregon in doubt.
Dutch Bros stock was down 7.1% on Friday.
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