Longtime Tandem staffer leaves to tend to coffee cart business

June 2, 2026 - 23:41

Kenny Peterson, a familiar face at Tandem Coffee Roasters for over a decade, has left the company to dedicate himself entirely to his own mobile coffee venture, Side by Side Coffee. Peterson, who served as Tandem's director of wholesale, announced his departure this week, marking the end of a 12-year run with the Portland-based roaster.

Peterson's Side by Side Coffee is not a traditional cafe. It operates from a custom-built cart, which he has been running on a part-time basis for the past few years. The cart has become a small fixture at local farmers markets and pop-up events, known for its stripped-down approach: espresso, drip coffee, and a handful of pastries. Peterson said the decision to go full time with the cart came after a steady increase in demand and a desire to build something entirely his own.

"I learned everything I know about coffee at Tandem," Peterson said in a statement. "But the cart has been calling to me. It is a different pace, a different kind of connection with customers. It felt like the right time to take the leap."

Tandem co-owner Will Taft praised Peterson's contributions, noting that he helped shape the company's wholesale program from its earliest days. "Kenny has been the backbone of our wholesale operation," Taft said. "We are sad to see him go, but we are also excited to see what he builds with Side by Side."

Peterson plans to expand the cart's schedule and is exploring the possibility of a permanent location in the future, though he emphasized that the mobile format will remain the core of the business for now.