After the deal is done, Caribou Coffee will still be controlled by its primary investor -- Arcapita Bank, formerly known as First Islamic Investment Bank. Those who run Arcapita (and its subsidiaries) do so according to Islamic principles collectively known as shari'ah (or shariah or sharia). Shari'ah encompasses a wide range of rules and customs, including some that directly impact the running of a business.

Specifically, shari'ah influences how the company borrows or lends money, how it may engage in derivative transactions, and what sorts of products it may sell.