Coffee has been the American soldier’s most valued ration for more than 150 years. By 1832, President Andrew Jackson, a former soldier himself, ordered that it replace rum, whiskey and brandy in each soldier’s ration. During the American Civil War, soldiers on both sides of the conflict cherished its stimulating effects, the warmth it provided when they were wet and cold, and the bond it created between comrades.
A Brand Is Born
Black Rifle Coffee Company’s CEO and Founder Evan Hafer knows all about the importance of coffee to the American soldier. “Every deployment I was on, I was taking a small batch of roasted coffee with me,” the retired Green Beret and veteran of the invasion of Iraq stated. “People would wake up in the morning to the sound of my grinder. My team leader and I, every morning, would ‘cheers’ to our coffee. It was a special bond over something as insignificant as brown water. But great coffee was one of those things where if you started your day with it, it just made your day that much better.”
Hafer’s passion for coffee dates back to before his military service. His father and grandfather — both loggers — left for work each day with their thermoses filled to the brim with it. This recollection has stuck with him ever since. Coffee was (and still is) liquid gold to the working man.
After being exposed to Seattle’s booming coffee culture during the 1990s, Hafer began roasting coffee to sell to his friends. To his surprise, people started to buy his product in large quantities. Selling coffee soon became his full-time gig. In 2014, he teamed up with fellow veterans Matt Best and Jarred Taylor to found Black Rifle Coffee Company.
Its high-quality beans are imported from Columbia and Brazil and roasted five days a week at its facilities in Tennessee and Utah. You won’t find superior coffee for a lower price. But what Hafer started is far more than your average coffee company.
Looking After Our Veterans
Making great coffee is part of Black Rifle Coffee Company’s mission, but the other half is supporting the veteran community. “I think they are underappreciated, and I think they are undervalued,” Hafer declared. “They get forgotten … it is my responsibility as a veteran to find people [to employ]. They don’t need a handout, they need an opportunity.” More than half of the company’s staff are veterans. Hafer’s goal is to hire 10,000 veterans.
With each purchase, the company gives back to our veterans. It has a donate-at-checkout option that allows customers to contribute directly to its partner service organizations. In 2020 alone, Black Rifle Coffee Company donated $770,000 and nearly 30,000 pounds of coffee to active-duty service members, veterans and first responders. It has partnered with organizations like Operation Supply Drop and Soldiers’ Angels to deliver coffee to troops deployed overseas through its Buy a Bag, Give a Bag program. It also supports organizations like the Boot Campaign and HunterSeven Foundation to support veteran wellness and individualized care. Black Rifle Coffee Company has even launched its own initiatives, such as the adaptive archery event for amputee veterans in partnership with the Total Archery Challenge. It’s the only coffee company owned by veterans doing this much for veterans.
A New Partnership
The U.S. Concealed Carry Association appreciates the importance of looking after our veterans, and Black Rifle Coffee Company believes that responsible gun ownership is a cornerstone of the American way of life. Naturally, these two like-minded companies were destined to join forces. Stay tuned for future updates on how these two organizations will be working together.
Supporting a Worthy Cause
You can start by supporting Black Rifle Coffee Company and its cause by purchasing a bag of the coffee. For every bag of coffee sold, the company gives back and empowers its customers to do the same. According to E-Imports, 50 percent of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee every day. That equates to 150 million Americans. Coffee is obviously important to us. Why not partner your love for coffee with helping our veterans? Black Rifle Coffee Company offers the opportunity to show your gratitude to our vets while enjoying an awesome cup of coffee.
Customers can join the Black Rifle Coffee Club, which allows them to receive special discount pricing on roasts and access to exclusive products, member-only content, partner discounts and more. The content on its YouTube channel, online magazine Coffee or Die and podcast Free Range America has millions of viewers/listeners. Check them out to see why they’re so popular. You won’t be disappointed.
