Kicking Horse Coffee is calling on cafés across the country to abandon ‘Americano’ and call it a ‘Canadiano’ instead
A B.C. coffee company is adding its jolt to the groundswell of Canadian pride brought on by trade tensions with the U.S. by calling on cafés across the country to abandon “Americano” and call it a “Canadiano” instead.
That’s how the drink has been labelled on the menu at Kicking Horse’s café in Invermere since it was established in 2008 alongside their commercial roastery.
“Now, more than ever we need to stick together and wear our Canadian pride on our (coffee) sleeves,” Chief Marketing Officer Lori Hatcher-Hillier stated in a press release.
For the uninitiated, the traditional Americano is essentially an espresso shot further diluted by very hot water and it’s the go-to coffee beverage for many because of its high-caffeine potential and typically rich and smooth flavour.
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“PROUDLY SERVING CANADIANOS: Sorry Americano. It’s Canadiano now,” the logo reads above a red-on-black maple leaf flag.
According to Kicking Horse, Toronto’s Café Belem and Le Petit Pain are already joining their “quiet rebellion.”
“It’s a simple switch, but it puts a little extra Canadian pride in every cup,” stated Ryan Silverstein, owner of Le Petit Pain. “We know our customers will love it, and honestly, it just feels right given everything that’s going on.”
Cafés are asked to share their participation by tagging Kicking Horse Coffee and using the hashtag #ItsCanadianoNow.
On its own social media channels, Kicking Horse has a “Born Red” campaign that states it is “Canadian as F$#%.”
“The Canadian Rockies aren’t just where Kicking Horse Coffee was born — their spirit is brewed into every cup,” Hatcher-Hillier was quoted.
Elana Rosenfeld and her then-husband Leo Johnson founded the company 29 years ago when they began roasting coffee beans in the garage of her Invermere home. It has since grown to become one of Canada’s leading coffee roasters — considered among the best in sourcing organic and fair trade beans — with its products available at cafés and grocery stores throughout North America.
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