Beaner’s Coffee to change nameBeaner’s Coffee to change name

EAST LANSING Mich. Beaner’s Coffee, a 77-unit coffeehouse chain with plans to have 300 shops in five years, is changing its name to Biggby Coffee to avoid any appearance that its name is a disparaging term for Hispanics. The company has been named Beaner’s since its founding by Bob Fish and Mary Roszel in 1995.

The decision to make the change was a response to an increasing number of comments from people who were aware of the word’s use as a slur against Hispanics.

“We decided to make a change because it was the right thing to do and the right time to do it,” said Tara Powers, spokesperson.

The existing logo, which features a large black “B” on an orange background, will remain the same, she said. The change is slated to go into effect Jan. 31.

Systemwide sales for the East Lansing-based coffeehouse chain totaled $22 million last year, and the company projects sales of $30 million this year. Its growth rate has doubled every two years, and stores are now operating in nine states.