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bad ass coffee co.
– Hawaiian-grown, 100 percent Kona
coffee beans.
Standing Out
Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Bad Ass
Coffee sets itself apart not only through its
attention-grabbing name, but also its
unique image and quality product, Hill
says. “We have one of the most gorgeous
logos in the industry,” he says. “Our
Hawaiian heritage is also unique; we used
to be based there.
“We’re [also] one of the largest pur-
veyors of Kona coffee. We brew
world-class, American-grown Kona
coffee fresh every day. And our décor
package is Hawaiian-themed and
extremely different.
“Our product is superior to every other
coffee company out there,” he continues.
“When customers come into our store,
they become customers for a long time.”
Hill says the Bad Ass Coffee menu is
one of the most extensive of any coffee
company, featuring signature lattes and a
wide assortment of cold drinks.
Customers can also choose their own
custom-blended coffee drinks. They can
take home a bag of beans for their own
use at home, and can show off their brand
appreciation with a line of custom-brand-
ed mugs, hats, T-shirts, chocolates and
macadamia nuts. Hill says the company’s
brand extends to the way it treats its cus-
tomers, as well.
“We strive to offer absolute per-
fection,” he says. “We believe in the
Hawaiian heritage and the aloha spirit.
Every customer that enters our store
should get an aloha greeting and a friend-
ly smile.”
Global Footprint
That aloha spirit continues to spread
around the world as Bad Ass Coffee adds
more international locations. After open-
ing nine stores in Japan in 2007, Hill says
the company began signing contracts for
other Asian territories late last year. He
says the potential exists for Bad Ass to
expand across the map in the near future,
considering its contracts in Malaysia,
South Korea, China and Taiwan.
“When you include Japan in there ...
that encompasses over 1,000 [poten-
tial] stores,” Hill says. He says the com-
pany hopes to have stores open in
Malaysia, China and Taiwan before the
end of the year.
What works in Bad Ass Coffee’s favor
is the fact that the concept doesn’t require
much tweaking to fit into different cul-
tures. Coffee, he says, is almost a univer-
sal language. Unlike fast-food concepts
such as McDonald’s – which famous-
ly alters its menu in countries such as
India and Japan for cultural concerns –
Hill says Bad Ass Coffee has been able
to keep its offerings mostly intact.
food and drink • fall 2008 • www.fooddrink-magazine.com 47