Black Rifle Coffee Company facts for kids
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| Public | |
| Traded as | NYSE: BRCC |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
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Key people
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Evan Hafer, Mat Best, Tom Davin, Richard Ryan, Jarred Taylor, Andy Stumpf, Dennis Adams |
| Products | Coffee, clothing, mugs |
Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) is a coffee company from Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was started in 2014 by Evan Hafer, a former U.S. Army Green Beret. The company became well-known in 2017. This happened after they promised to hire 10,000 military veterans. This promise was made after Starbucks said they would hire 10,000 refugees.
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Company History
Black Rifle Coffee Company was founded in December 2014. Evan Hafer, a former Green Beret, started by selling a small amount of his "Freedom Roast" coffee. He sold it through a friend's clothing website. The coffee sold very well, so Hafer decided to create his own brand.
How BRCC Grew
He launched his own website to sell coffee and branded items. The company is known for its online coffee subscription service. This service sends coffee directly to customers. By 2020, over 100,000 people had signed up for this service.
Besides online sales, Black Rifle Coffee Company also has physical coffee shops. You can find these shops in Utah, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia, Montana, and Tennessee. Their coffee is also sold at some firing ranges, 5.11 Tactical stores, and Bass Pro Shops.
In 2017, BRCC expanded into Canada. They opened a division there, based in Alberta. Darren Weeks became the CEO of this Canadian branch.
Major Milestones
In 2018, BRCC opened a new coffee roasting facility. This was in Manchester, Tennessee. It was part of a $6 million investment in that state. They also launched Coffee or Die Magazine. This is an online magazine that shares news and lifestyle stories. It covers topics about the military, veterans, law enforcement, and coffee.
In 2018, the company earned $30 million. By 2019, BRCC employed more than 200 people. About 40 percent of these employees were veterans of the U.S. military. Their products were available in 1,700 stores across the country. On September 29, 2019, BRCC opened its first stand-alone coffee shop. This shop is located in Boerne, Texas. Around 2021, the company employed about 550 people. Half of them were veterans, military spouses, or reservists.
The company grew more in 2020. They released ready-to-drink canned iced coffee. In March 2020, BRCC started a coffee-donation campaign. This campaign supported medical and emergency workers. It also helped military personnel and their families who were in quarantine. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July 2021, Evan Hafer shared his plans for growth. He wanted to open more physical franchised stores. He saw retired military non-commissioned officers (NCOs) running these stores. He imagined Navy petty officers and Army staff sergeants joining the company. They could run their own franchise instead of joining local police forces.
Becoming a Public Company
In November 2021, Black Rifle Coffee Company joined with SilverBox Engaged Merger Corporation. This was done through a special-purpose acquisition company. The goal was to raise money for expansion and to become a public company. The company was valued at about $1.7 billion. The merger was completed in February 2022.
Company Values
Black Rifle Coffee Company's image is built on its conservative values. They also strongly support veterans. In 2018, more than half of their staff were former military members.
The company has a pro-military, pro-gun, and pro-police image. They have shown support for the politics of former US President Donald Trump. For example, they once published a blog post supporting his idea of an immigration ban.
Marketing and Sponsorships
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The company's brand is closely linked to its pro-gun and socially conservative image. They also have strong ties with the American military and law enforcement.
In 2017, BRCC launched an advertising campaign. It focused on their plan to hire 10,000 veterans. This campaign was launched after Starbucks announced its plan to hire 10,000 refugees. BRCC shared a social media post comparing the two companies' hiring plans. They also called Starbucks "Hipsterbucks."
BRCC received some criticism for their ad campaign. People pointed out the big size difference between BRCC and Starbucks. They also noted that Starbucks already had a program to hire veterans. By 2017, Starbucks had hired 8,000 veterans through their program. In February 2017, BRCC had 52 employees in total. Evan Hafer explained that BRCC and Starbucks are very different. He said BRCC's plan was very ambitious for a company its size. He also said he supports all hiring efforts that have a positive message.
In July 2019, BRCC ran another campaign. They donated a bag of coffee to a police officer for every bag purchased. This was in response to a story about police officers being asked to leave a Starbucks.
The company sponsors several NASCAR drivers. These include Ty Dillon, Noah Gragson, Chase Briscoe, and Matt Crafton. In the American Rally Association, BRCC sponsors drivers like Travis Pastrana and Dave Carapetyan. They compete under the Black Rifle Coffee Motor Sports Team name. Travis Pastrana also has a personal endorsement deal with BRCC. This started in 2022. Other athletes supported by BRCC include off-road racer BJ Baldwin and skateboarder Bucky Lasek.
In July 2022, the Dallas Cowboys announced a new partnership with BRCC. This announcement came a day after a shooting incident on Independence Day. Black Rifle Coffee later stated that the news was planned to happen around the holiday. They said the partnership had been discussed long before that date.
Evan Hafer, the founder and current Executive Chairman of BRCC, appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on November 15, 2024.
See also
- List of coffee companies
