A long line of customers besieged the new Dutch Bros’ drive-thru lane on opening day Wednesday and a few hours later Chamber and city officials were on hand to celebrate.

Located just east of the new O’Reilly’s Auto Parts on Whitmore Avenue, the new coffee kiosk business further expands the growing commercial offerings at the west edge of Ceres where it meets the city of Modesto.

“May your lines always be long,” Ceres Chamber of Commerce Brandy Meyer told Dutch Bros managers in a ribbon-cutting event attended by Chamber directors, Ceres police brass, firefighters, three members of the Ceres City Council and City Manager Doug Dunford.

Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez spoke to Ceres’ desire to see the west side of the freeway fill a void in commercial businesses, noting Economic Development Director Julian Aguirre’s ongoing efforts to bring more businesses to the city.

Dutch Bros operator Justin Cotten said the new business has fired 30 part-time employees who will staff the business from the time it opens at 5 a.m. until closing at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Cotten also sees the Dutch Bros north of Hatch Road.

Dutch Bros opened its first Ceres location in 2023 on the former Kmart store property. In September 2023 the Ceres Planning Commission approved a parcel split of a 4.8 acre parcel into four parcels and construct the 950-square-foot Dutch Bros building on a 0.82-acre parcel. 

The business features a walk-up window as well as drive-up lanes.

Besides coffees, Dutch Bros sells iced lattes and chai lattes, smoothies, shakes, and muffin tops.

The company began in 1992 as a pushcart in Grants Pass, Oregon when Dane and Travis Boersma left the dairy business to serve up espresso. The first franchise opened in 2000 and Dutch Bros quickly spread across the northwest United States.