How did Dutch Bros start?

Dutch Bros was founded in 1992 by brothers Travis and Dane Boersma in Grants Pass, Oregon. They initially started by selling espresso drinks from a push cart outside a shopping center. The business idea was inspired when Travis introduced Dane to espresso, and they saw the potential of a coffee business after visiting a local drive-thru espresso stand.

The name "Dutch Bros" stemmed from their Dutch heritage and their brotherhood, opting for a less traditional and more casual branding. Despite early challenges, such as conflicts with the grocery store owner where they first set up their cart, the brothers persevered by finding locations with high foot traffic and promoting their coffee to passersby.

Their persistence paid off, leading to the expansion of their business, which grew from that single push cart to over 700 locations across the United States, culminating in a successful IPO in 2021 1 2 3 4.