BEAR CREEK COFFEE: Another Cuppy’s Nightmare?

A post on Blue Mau Mau by an unhappy licensee of Bear Creek Coffee sounded eerily familiar.  Could it be that the Java Jo’z & Cuppy’s Coffee fiascos were just the tip of the iceburg?  What is it with these coffee companies?

Here’s an excerpt from the comment by carlisme on Sun, 2008/09/14… enough to send shivers down the spines of those who have followed the Cuppy’s story unfold.

I am a licensee with Bear Creek Coffee….

I contracted with Bear Creek a year ago and was assured by the Sales Director, Pete Lambros, that  the average time to open was between 3-6 months. A year later, I just now received my modular building.

All was well until Bear Creek received my final payment. After that, things really went south. My building was to be produced by a manufacturing firm in Oklahoma. I kept tabs on the process by calling the CEO of Bear Creek, Jeremie Johnson. It seemed as if there was one problem after another (parts for the building on back order, ect). After a while when I started getting a bit upset, Jeremie told me that a tornado had hit the manufacturing plant and that had put production behind schedule. A couple of months later after almost daily calls from me to Jeremie, he told me that the manufacturing plant had been deceiving him about the building and that the plant had “money troubles”. He told me that Bear Creek had broken off business relations with them and was moving my building to another firm and another two months would be required for completion.

Well, I spoke with the vice president of that manufacturing plant in OK yesterday, and the “money troubles” are on the side of Bear Creek. In other words, the money I paid Bear Creek was not forwarded to the manufacturer. Where did it go?

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The bottom line: in my opinion, this company uses unethical business practices, has no regard for honoring contracts and I question their solvency.

Here I am, a full year after contracting with Bear Creek Coffee and all I have is a building that isn’t even the same size as the one I paid for and a bunch of empty promises and worthless contracts. I have never been a business owner before and did the best due diligence I was able. If I had it to do over, I would have NEVER contracted with them. Future licensees, enter at your own risk!

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