Keurig Green Mountain says it will move its coffee bean procurement team from Vermont to Lausanne, Switzerland next year.The move follows decisions by several rivals -- including Starbucks -- who have done the same thing. "There is a small group of team members currently based in Vermont who will be re-positioned in Switzerland," said Sandy Yusen, a Keurig spokeswoman. "Switzerland has become a primary, established hub of coffee trading -- where significant business is taking place."Yusen said the company does not disclose staffing levels of specific business units and could not provide details on the number of Vermont jobs affected by the transfer, but said it would be fewer than 100. Keurig Green Mountain now has 6,600 employees worldwide, roughly one-third of them in Vermont.The company, which makes a line of coffees including single serve K-Cups and the machines that brew them, is now developing a new cold beverage system. Keurig is building a new plant in Williston and already has large facilities in Waterbury and Essex.The company is hiring, and those new jobs are expected to offset the unit being transferred to Europe.On Monday, Gov. Peter Shumlin said he had not heard of the relocation, but said he remains upbeat about Keurig's continuing presence here. "Brian Kelley, their CEO, is committed to Vermont and committed to growing jobs here," Shumlin said. "Obviously they'll also grow jobs in other places -- they're a huge company but they're committed to Vermont."

Keurig Green Mountain says it will move its coffee bean procurement team from Vermont to Lausanne, Switzerland next year.



The move follows decisions by several rivals -- including Starbucks -- who have done the same thing.


"There is a small group of team members currently based in Vermont who will be re-positioned in Switzerland," said Sandy Yusen, a Keurig spokeswoman. "Switzerland has become a primary, established hub of coffee trading -- where significant business is taking place."

Yusen said the company does not disclose staffing levels of specific business units and could not provide details on the number of Vermont jobs affected by the transfer, but said it would be fewer than 100.

Keurig Green Mountain now has 6,600 employees worldwide, roughly one-third of them in Vermont.

The company, which makes a line of coffees including single serve K-Cups and the machines that brew them, is now developing a new cold beverage system.



Keurig is building a new plant in Williston and already has large facilities in Waterbury and Essex.



The company is hiring, and those new jobs are expected to offset the unit being transferred to Europe.

On Monday, Gov. Peter Shumlin said he had not heard of the relocation, but said he remains upbeat about Keurig's continuing presence here.



"Brian Kelley, their CEO, is committed to Vermont and committed to growing jobs here," Shumlin said. "Obviously they'll also grow jobs in other places -- they're a huge company but they're committed to Vermont."



