Laura Szeliga has stepped down from her role as President of Stumptown Coffee Roasters, a prominent US specialty coffee brand. Her departure comes just two months after Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) completed its acquisition of JDE Peet's, the Portland-based roaster's parent company.
Szeliga had led Stumptown as its president since December 2020. The brand, a key player in the third-wave coffee movement since its founding in 1999, was first acquired by Peet's Coffee in 2015. It subsequently became part of the JDE Peet's portfolio before the recent multi-billion dollar transaction that brought it under the KDP corporate umbrella.
In a public statement announcing her move, Szeliga referenced the company's Direct Trade sourcing model and its extensive wholesale network of over 1,000 partners. The leadership change so soon after the acquisition is being watched closely by industry observers for potential shifts in strategy and culture at the influential roaster as it integrates into a larger beverage conglomerate.