Business
Peet’s Coffee Partners with SoundHound AI to Power In-Store Employee Support Across Its Nationwide U.S. Retail Footprint
SoundHound’s Employee Assist agent uses advanced voice AI technology to coach in-store employees through tasks and provide fast answers to critical questions
About this update from Soundhound Ai, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"SoundHound’s Employee Assist agent uses advanced voice AI technology to coach in-store employees through tasks and provide fast answers to critical questions\n SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice and conversational AI, and Peet’s Coffee, one of the country’s leading specialty coffee brands, today announced they are partnering to deploy SoundHound’s Employee Assist, a voice AI-powered agent that empowers in-store teams with hands-free, real-time access to critical information, enhancing both employee support and the customer experience. Now live across Peet’s core U.S. retail footprint – and expanding to all Peet's coffee bars across the United States – employees are being supercharged with voice support internally branded as “BaristAI,” that enables them to unlock instant, accurate answers to their on-the-job questions without having to consult a manual or interrupt another busy colleague. Accessed via a headset microphone or digital tablet, this intelligent, always-on agent uses natural speech to provide support for a range of inquiries, including: Beverage recipes questions: Quickly getting up to speed with multiple seasonal programs and new drinks each year. Step by step coaching on how to prepare complex drinks or customize them. Looking up recipe cards as images which are especially suited for visual learners.Nutrition Information: Is the Peet's Cold Brew safe for someone with a dairy allergy? How many calories are in a Large Iced Vanilla Latte?Operational help: How do I close the store at the end of the day? How do I place a request for more supplies?Troubleshooting: Coffee Urn has a blinking red light. The espresso machine is not heating up water. The coffee grinder is stuck. “At Peet’s, we’re dedicated to delivering a top-tier customer experience, and that starts with empowering our employees with the knowledge and confidence they need to do a great job,” said Gordon Bitter, Senior Vice President, Retail, at Peet’s Coffee. “With SoundHound’s Employee Assist agent, we’re giving our first-class teams access to all the information they need to deliver the best food and customer support – it’s like having a digital expert in every barista’s ears.” Built to withstand a fast-paced retail environment, this technology helps reduce training time for ...