Ruszkowski will help raise consumer awareness of the Bad Ass Coffee brand | Photo credit: Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii has promoted Chris Ruszkowski from Senior Vice President of Marketing to Chief Marketing Officer.  
 

The coffee chain’s CEO Scott Snyder said Ruszkowski, who joined Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii in 2020, will work to accelerate outlet growth and raise consumer awareness of the Bad Ass Coffee brand. 

The 30-strong coffee chain is seeking to reach 180 outlets across the US over the next five years, with at least 20 new stores slated to open before the end of 2023. 

“In my opinion, this position is a marketer's dream — I get to grow awareness of a premium coffee product that is backed by a brand with a disruptive name, nostalgic brand heritage, and very loyal customer following. Through the use of smart insights, memorable promotions and outstanding customer experiences, I look forward to growing this memorable brand into a household name,” Ruszkowski said. 

“Chris’s promotion to Chief Marketing Officer is more of a recognition of what he has already demonstrated — especially his ability to transform a shared vision to a tangible reality for what has become one of the hottest emerging franchise brands in the coffee category. I look forward to continuing to work with Chris as we write the next chapter in this great brand's evolution,” Snyder added. 

Founded in Hawaii in 1989, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii achieved a number of milestones in 2022, including debuting new ‘double’ drive-thru stores, its first loyalty programme and mobile ordering system, alongside an online training platform for franchisees.  

The importance of translating consumer behaviours and product trends into increased customer engagement has gained traction as the US branded coffee shop market becomes more competitive. 

Within the last six months, several of the largest coffee chains in the US, including Dunkin’, Biggby Coffee and Scooter’s Coffee, have boosted their marketing teams to drive customer interaction via enhanced social media activity, improved personalised marketing and increased app usage.