- More politically outspoken coffee brands have recently risen in popularity
- Black Rifle Coffee is now valued at more than $1.7 billion USD
- As the global political landscape becomes more tense, politicised consumption will continue to grow
SPECIALTY coffee has long been associated with progressivism and left-leaning ideologies, helping to drive its identity in opposition to commodity products and large-scale industry.
Recently, the fast-growing popularity of conservative companies has brought about a new type of coffee brand – showing that their political messaging is not only helping them appeal to certain market segments, but is driving their success.
Specialty coffee has historically taken a liberal leaning, working against mass consumption and seeking a more inclusive and culturally progressive industry. In particular, the third wave moment has a strong focus on inclusion, fairer pay and equitable prices within the industry, beyond its focus on consumer education. The International Trade Centre describes this as “as much of a reply to bad coffee as it is a movement towards good coffee.”
However, more conservative-aligning coffee brands have recently risen in popularity. Many of these brands notably focus less on coffee and more on political and cultural relatability, presenting very different messaging from the status quo of the specialty coffee sector.
Black Rifle Coffee Company is one such example. Founded in 2014 by a former U.S. Army Green Beret, the brand has quickly grown to a valuation of more than $1.7 billion USD, bolstered by its patriotic messaging and support of conservative politics and values.
The rise of such coffee brands has occurred both in opposition to specialty coffee’s liberalism and elitism, and to capitalise on the popularity of the coffee industry that specialty businesses have garnered.
“Specialty coffee, like all the thriving ‘neo-craft’ industries, has always been naturally associated with so-called progressive values,” says Alessandro Gerosa, Researcher in Cultural Sociology at the University of Milan. “But the ‘taste for the authentic’ is today a widespread paradigm, attracting people from all sides of the political spectrum. It was only a matter of time before someone would fill this potential niche market.’
Through political messaging, such conservative brands are reaching consumer segments who are willing to pay a premium for the political brand and image, with less emphasis on the actual product. For the growing audience of politically aligned coffee brands, it’s not really about the coffee. It’s about loyalty, and aligning with brands’ messaging and values.
It’s not really about the coffee (was it ever?)
The emergence of conservative coffee brands has not occurred in a vacuum. Specialty coffee brands led the way in political consumption, in a way, by aligning with liberal and left-leaning politics that challenged unfair supply chains and commodification.
Now, the tables are turning as conservative brands – like that of staunch Republican Rudy Giuliani, for example – swoop in using the same playbook, but promoting different values that might resonate better with consumers in a fragile political climate.
“Right-wing consumers can feel hostile towards third wave establishments and multinational coffee shop chains that take progressive stances – so the right-wing political messaging becomes a fundamental sales factor,” says Alessandro.
“At the same time, some of these brands’ commercial propositions still appeal to the fundamental tenets of specialty coffee: Small, distinctive batches, fresh and daily roasting, distinct flavours, and coffee beans from illustrious territories.”
Despite this, consumers aren’t necessarily showing up for the coffee. Cliff Gephart, the owner of the Conservative Grounds coffee shop in Tampa Bay, doesn’t even drink coffee. In fact, he refers to his establishment not as a coffee shop, but as a camaraderie shop – one whose storefront reads “coffee, donuts, pastries, patriotism.”
The US has been one of the largest areas of growth for politically-charged coffee brands. This may be partly due to a decline in civic centres because of austerity. Today, much of the political discourse and rallying are happening in consumption centres, including those that serve and promote coffee.
So if it’s more about the political message and less about the coffee, what does this mean for the coffee sector? Conservative brands are building on the same values-driven model of specialty coffee, but replacing liberal values with conservative ones instead.
“They are reimagining specialty coffee according to their own values, foregoing diversity, sustainability, and inclusivity in favour of ruggedness and ‘gastronationalism’.”
These types of coffee brands are popping up like mushrooms across North America, and picking up speed the more political tensions rise. Resistance Coffee Co. in Canada, for example, openly promotes this division, claiming to “monetize two of life’s greatest pleasures: great coffee and liberal tears.
Beyond the US, countries are becoming increasingly politically divided. Recent elections in the UK and France are some examples of this. Could the right-wing political coffee movement become global?
Will coffee consumption become more politicised?
The rise of “conservative coffee” has occurred when global politics are veering right, driven by conflict, uncertainty and growing economic pressures.
As such, large gains in support for conservative and right-wing politics in traditionally large coffee-consuming regions, such as the USA and the European Union, may also indicate a change in how consumers select and align with different coffee brands.
“As culture wars gained centre stage, it was inevitable that it would eventually be reflected in marketing and consumer cultures as well,” says Alessandro. “Ultimately, this can be understood as the populist right-wing answer to ‘woke capitalism’, as defined by Carl Rhodes.”
Over time, the growth and elitism of specialty coffee have alienated a large consumer segment, particularly older and more conservative customers. Alessandro contrasts these consumers to younger generations in search of authenticity in a ‘post-industrial’ society.
“Older generations miss the ‘good life’ offered by the Fordist social contract between labour and capital, calling for a ‘conservative nostalgia’ that has fuelled the ongoing right-wing populist waves,” he says in his Open Access book, The Hipster Economy.
Consumers across all segments of the coffee sector are growing increasingly confident in taking political sides.
Meanwhile, many traditional specialty businesses struggle to foster brand loyalty. As a result, many coffee brands are turning to more community-driven business and marketing models, relying on the furore over their messaging and political leanings to engage crowds and loyalty.
Consumers now play a more active role in marketing and promotion across the entire industry, especially through social media. As conservative consumers increasingly use social media to share their views, this has helped to promote their preferred coffee brands via ‘reactionary fandom’, further fuelling division and politicised brand allegiance.
In a cost of living crisis and an age of increasing political despair, a growing segment of the coffee market wants to put their money into brands whose political messages resonate with them. For many, this means right-wing brands that promote conservative values and promise a return to better times.
Exploiting divisive political leanings can be profitable, and some brands are tapping into that – drawing a greater number of people into coffee consumption along the way.
Building brands around key political messaging has proven to be successful so far, and there’s little reason to think it will stop in the coffee industry soon.
Coffee Intelligence
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