Jonathan Ory, owner of Workshop’s Bad Wolf Coffee, has discontinued the use of Four Barrel Coffee beans following sexual misconduct allegations against the roaster’s founder.
On Jan. 5, a San Francisco Chronicle investigation revealed that eight former Four Barrel employees had filed a lawsuit against the company and its founder Jeremy Tooker alleging harassment and sexual assault.
According to the damning report, Tooker’s incredibly popular coffee brand was built on a toxic workplace culture. The Chronicle reports that a sexualized workplace environment was no secret, in fact, “The ethos was evident to the public in the brand’s merchandise — mugs adorned with ‘F— it’ and ‘Suck it,’ and secret menu items like the ‘Dickens Cider,’ meant to sound as if the customer said ‘dick inside her.’ [content-6] The Chronicle adds that the lawsuit, which spans many years, focuses on two parties where Tooker “made lewd comments during speeches to staff members … as well as simulated sexual acts with employees and forced attendees to play a game called ‘kiss or slap,’ wherein Tooker would approach employees and force them to either kiss him or slap him.”
Following the allegations, Tooker has divested his ownership and Four Barrel announced yesterday the changing of its name to Tide. Ory’s use of the brand began after a long search to find the perfect coffee accompaniment to his pastries at his original Bad Wolf shop in Chicago. But, in light of the allegations, Ory has discontinued the use of Four Barrel.
“Bad Wolf Coffee’s change from Four Barrel coffee to Ipsento is a direct result of the allegations of sexual misconduct against founder Jeremy Tooker. Jonathan and Sarah Ory stand firm against abuse,” says Ory’s publicist Skelly Stevens.
Ipsento, Ory’s new coffee brand, comes from Chicago and focuses on “single origin micro-lot coffees that change seasonally.”
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