Dark Roasted Freedom : The Rise of Black Rifle Coffee Company / Allyn Cascio, Matthew Songe, Richard J. Gentry.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cascio, Allyn, author.

Songe, Matthew, author.

Gentry, Richard J., author.

Series:

SAGE Business cases.

SAGE Business cases

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Strategic planning--Case studies.

Strategic planning.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications: SAGE Business Cases Originals, 2025.

Summary:

Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) began as a direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce seller, targeting a niche customer segment who loved premium coffee and America. Patrons could support U.S. veterans through direct donations and purchases of special edition roasts dedicated to military and first responder causes. This patriotic positioning attracted loyal conservative customers, and BRCC was the world's largest online coffee subscription by 2021.Galvanized by e-commerce success, executives pursued ambitious market share growth. BRCC launched ready-to-drink (RTD) products, entered wholesale channels, and added Black Rifle outpost (retail store) locations. In November 2021, a special acquisition (special purpose acquisition company or SPAC) merger transformed the company into a public benefit corporation (B Corp). As a result, revenues increased, but high production costs and volatile margins hindered profitability. Furthermore, prioritizing wholesale and outpost investments distracted leaders from BRCC's steadily declining e-commerce performance.Positioning decisions also limited BRCC's growth prospects. CEO Evan Hafer countered progressive stances during Donald Trump's presidency, solidifying BRCC's "red-state Starbucks" image. Hafer struggled to minimize the perceptions of Black Rifle as endorsing controversial right-wing extremists. Despite these challenges, impressive wholesale revenues thus far suggest that BRCC has growth opportunities. However, high costs and large competitors challenge BRCC's successful performance in e-commerce, wholesale, and retail coffee markets. Consequently, executives face difficult decisions regarding future strategic investments.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781071980927

1071980920

OCLC:

1483993322