USA: Nestle sells majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee

Nestle, the Swiss food and beverage giant, has agreed to sell its majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee to the private equity firm Centurium Capital.

Based in California, Blue Bottle Coffee is a high-end specialty coffee roaster and retailer that Nestle first acquired in 2017. According to Inside Retail Asia, the purchaser, Centurium Capital, is also the controlling shareholder of the Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee. The deal is expected to support Centurium’s expansion into the premium coffee segment across international markets.

At the time the company acquired Blue Bottle Coffee, Nestle CEO March Schneider said the deal “underline[d] Nestlé’s focus on investing in high-growth categories and acting on consumer trends”.

In its Q1 2026 sales report, Nestle noted it remains focused on “optimising its portfolio”, to prioritise its core coffee brands, such as Nespresso and Nescafe.

Source: Nestle / FoodDive / FoodNavigator / Inside Retail Asia