Executives at Dutch Bros, including chief executive officer Christine Barone, are required to complete a two-week training programme to learn how to prepare drinks and manage the company’s coffee shops.
The programme gives senior leaders practical experience as broistas, the name used for employees who serve customers and prepare beverages across the coffee chain’s locations.
During her training, Barone said employees were comfortable correcting her whenever she made mistakes, despite knowing she was the company’s CEO.
Speaking to Fortune, she described the experience as an example of the company’s workplace culture, particularly the willingness of employees to maintain service standards regardless of someone’s position.
Barone said she valued the fact that workers were prepared to point out when she was doing something incorrectly because they cared deeply about the customer experience.
Executives Complete Six Shifts of Practical Store Experience
The training programme forms part of Dutch Bros’ long-standing commitment to developing employees and promoting leadership from within the organisation.
Store owners, senior managers and other members of the company’s leadership team have participated in the programme to understand the responsibilities of the approximately 25,000 broistas preparing drinks across its operations.
Participants complete six practical shifts in coffee shops, where they develop hospitality skills, learn drink preparation and experience the demands of serving customers.
The programme focuses on three key standards: speed, quality and service.
Executives also learn how to prepare some of the chain’s popular beverages, including its Golden Eagle coffee, while understanding the importance of maintaining consistent drink quality across different locations and days of the week.
Leaders Must Pass a Test Before Completing the Programme
At the end of the training, participants are required to pass an assessment known as the ‘Flow’ test.
The examination covers several areas of the business, including beverage recipes, company history, store operations and workplace culture.
Dutch Bros maintains strict requirements for the assessment, meaning executives who fail must retake the test.
According to Barone, the programme reflects the original vision of company founders Travis Boersma and his late brother, Dane Boersma.
The brothers named the business in honour of their grandparents, who immigrated from the Netherlands.
Barone said the training is designed not only to develop technical and customer service skills but also to create career opportunities for employees seeking to advance within the organisation.
Dutch Bros Extends Training to Its Headquarters Employees
The company has also expanded the programme to include employees working at its headquarters, particularly those involved in developing products and marketing campaigns.
Barone explained that marketing teams and employees responsible for designing new beverages need to understand what happens inside the stores where their decisions are implemented.
She said the company wanted employees creating programmes, marketing strategies and new drinks to experience the shop environment firsthand.
According to the CEO, understanding how decisions affect interactions between broistas and customers helps headquarters employees make better-informed decisions.
From a Roadside Coffee Cart to a $7.5 Billion Business
Dutch Bros began in 1992 when brothers Travis and Dane Boersma started selling espresso from a pushcart near railway tracks in Grants Pass, Oregon.
The business emerged after difficulties in their family dairy operation forced them to sell their cows and consider a different venture.
Starting with 100 pounds of coffee beans, the brothers gradually built a customer base with support from friends, relatives and loyal customers.
In 1994, they moved from the pushcart to a drive-through coffee stand.
By 1996, the business had expanded to six locations, before opening its first franchise in 2000.
The company continued expanding, becoming known for its energetic customer service and sweet beverage offerings.
By 2018, Dutch Bros had reached 300 locations and employed approximately 9,000 people.
That year, private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners acquired a minority stake in the business to support its expansion.
Coffee Chain Records $1.64 Billion in Revenue in 2025
Dutch Bros subsequently achieved several major milestones, including becoming a publicly traded company, exceeding $1 billion in annual revenue and significantly increasing its number of stores.
The company reported record revenue of $1.64 billion in 2025, representing a 27.9% increase compared with the previous year.
It now operates 1,273 locations across 27 US states and has approximately 37,000 employees across its system.
Dutch Bros has also outlined plans to increase its store count to 2,029 by 2029.
The company ranks as the third-largest coffee chain in the United States by sales and number of locations, behind Starbucks and Dunkin’.
CEO Explains How Frontline Experience Shapes Leadership
Barone said Dutch Bros requires employees who eventually become store and market operators to begin their careers working on the coffee line.
As they progress into management positions, they take responsibility for individual stores, regions and increasingly larger groups of locations.
She explained that this approach ensures leaders understand the daily responsibilities of frontline employees and the importance of building relationships with customers.
Barone said having personally experienced the work makes it easier for managers to understand the challenges their teams face and the type of customer service expected across the business.
She also revealed that a significant number of employees at the company’s headquarters began their careers as broistas.
According to her, this experience allows senior employees to approach business decisions with a better understanding of store operations and customer interactions.
Barone Highlights Empathy as a Key Part of Dutch Bros’ Culture
The CEO said the practical training also helps employees develop empathy, which she considers an important quality in delivering good hospitality.
Barone explained that hospitality involves considering how another person will experience a service or interaction rather than focusing only on one’s own perspective.
She said developing that ability benefits employees throughout their careers, whether they continue progressing within Dutch Bros or eventually pursue opportunities elsewhere.
The company continues to use its frontline training programme as part of its approach to leadership development while expanding its operations across the United States.
