Pemi Coffee Roasters is the running case study for this course. It is a fictional, mid-sized specialty coffee company designed to illustrate real-world operational challenges. While it does not exist in reality, it models the complexities of small but growing companies with local personality and operational interdependencies.

Students will use Pemi Coffee Roasters to examine supply chains, workforce management, technology use, and business operations analytics. The scenarios are realistic, continuous, and applicable to both manufacturing and service contexts.

Company Background

• Location: Plymouth, New Hampshire, a town shaped by mountains, lakes, and a college campus. Seasonal tourism and a vibrant arts scene influence local demand.
• Name Inspiration: The Pemigewasset River flows through Plymouth, representing steady flow and seasonal change. The company’s branding and marketing reflect this connection to place.
• Origins: Founded by two college friends who started with a small café, a compact roaster, a few wholesale accounts, and a loyal local customer base.
• Growth: Expanded to two café locations, a wholesale roasting arm, and an online store shipping across New England and beyond. Marketing includes seasonal blends, local imagery, and community-focused messaging.

Operational Overview

Pemi Coffee Roasters’ operations encompass both manufacturing (coffee roasting, packaging, inventory management) and service (cafés, customer experience, online order fulfillment). Key operational considerations include:

• Supply Chain Management: Sourcing coffee beans globally, accounting for harvest cycles, quality grades, and ethical sourcing requirements.
• Production Scheduling: Balancing freshness, efficiency, and cost management.
• Inventory Management: Timing, turnover, and waste prevention.
• Human Resources: Training baristas and wholesale account managers, maintaining brand standards in customer interactions.
• Logistics: Coordination of roasting, packaging, shipping, and café operations.

Challenges reflect realistic business pressures: seasonal demand fluctuations, global commodity price swings, supply chain delays, and competitive pressures from local and national players.

Learning Applications

Using Pemi Coffee Roasters, students will:

1. Apply analytics to operations: Examine production schedules, inventory turnover, and staffing efficiency.

2. Explore both manufacturing and service operations: Analyze cost-effective delivery routes and barista scheduling during peak hours.

3. Develop a course portfolio: Build analyses, process maps, and operational improvement plans throughout the course.

4. Understand real-world challenges: Consider how shifts in demand, supply chain disruptions, and customer preferences create operational opportunities and constraints.

Role in the Course

• Pemi Coffee Roasters will be referenced throughout the textbook via example boxes and applied exercises, allowing students to focus on operations concepts without reintroducing the company’s backstory each time.

• The case study integrates business operations analytics, showing how data-driven decisions support efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.

• By following Pemi Coffee Roasters, you will gain practical experience applicable to real organizations.