To listen to its Mayor, it sounds like Orange Beach, Alabama, is pretty backward. Rather than welcoming commerce that has named itself in a manner honoring the coffee-growing history of Hawaii, a member State of the Union, the mayor and, through his claims, the entire city council is united against Bad Ass Coffee.
The senior vice-president of marketing for the Royal Ahoa Franchise Company LLC, Chris Ruszkowski, assured AL.com that their coffee was named in honor of the hard-working donkeys used to haul the coffee and that the word "Ass" is found in the bible.
He added, "Like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, we want to market our brand. It's what makes us special. You cannot call yourself conservative values, traditional values, and family values and be with OK with anything that goes against that."
Kennon continued, "The council is pretty much united in our disgust. I don't think we're prudes by any means. But why would I drive to a place with a name such as that with an 8-year-old in the car when I wouldn't let (that name) come out of (the child's) mouth? We've become sort of crude in accepting of that kind of garbage in this country."
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"The supply and production of the coffee product were largely dependent on these unique domesticated, incredibly strong, and sure-footed animals," said Ruszkowski in an email to AL.com. "The brand was appropriately named after these impressive animals that plays a crucial role in the harvesting of the coffee beans which are the source of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii's premium coffees."
He said Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii honors the legends of the donkey in a new logo that was redesigned in 2020. He said the idea was to use the word the "Ass" (with the word, 'Ass" referring to a biblical reference for donkey) "front and center" in the brand's marketing.
Ruszkowski said the company goes out of its way to make sure the public isn't confused over the name by printing the legend of the donkey on the back of every cup of coffee and beverage sold.
