Four Barrel Coffee Founder Leaves Company Amidst Sexual Harassment Allegations

Responding to allegations from eight former Four Barrel Coffee employees that founder Jeremy Tooker sexually harassed or assaulted them, as detailed in a discrimination lawsuit, the company’s co-owners, Jodi Geren and Tal Mor, have released a statement: Tooker is “no longer an employee of Four Barrel” and “will not be affiliated with the company moving forward,” they write. Tooker’s alleged behavior was first reported yesterday by the Chronicle, who characterized the workplace culture at the popular coffee shop as sexist and toxic.

The statement from company partners Geren and Mor clarifies that Tooker, who founded the company in 2008, “withdrew as CEO in November, before this lawsuit was filed.” Furthermore, he has “agreed to divest his remaining ownership in the company” no matter the outcome of the lawsuit.

While Geren, CFO, and Mor, now CEO, write that “Four Barrel will not tolerate inappropriate behavior in the workplace,” they have done so in the past according to allegations made in the lawsuit. After “employees notified [Geren and Mor] about [Tooker’s] behavior” at a company party, in which he allegedly forced down the pants of an employee in a hotel room, “Geren and Mr. Mor encouraged employees not to ‘create drama,’” the lawsuit claims. Their statement is below.

• Four Barrel Coffee founder Jeremy Tooker accused of sexual assault and harassment [Chronicle]
• Former Four Barrel Coffee Employees Sue Founder, Allege Sexual Harassment and Assault [ESF]