Black Rifle Coffee Faces Lawsuit Over Misleading “Made in America” Branding

Case Overview: The lawsuit accuses Black Rifle Coffee of falsely marketing its products as “Made in America” despite foreign sourcing and processing.

Consumers Affected: Shoppers who purchased Black Rifle Coffee labeled or advertised as U.S.-made.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

Black Rifle Coffee Company misleads shoppers with patriotic marketing that suggests its coffee is made in the United States, a new lawsuit claims.

According to the complaint, the company’s bags prominently display the phrase “America’s Coffee” and feature an American flag, branding the plaintiffs say signals to consumers that the beans are grown, processed, and produced domestically. 

Instead, the lawsuit alleges that every major step in bringing the coffee to market happens outside the country, allowing the company to charge a premium based on a false impression of U.S. origin.

Plaintiffs Say They Bought Coffee Believing It Was American-Made

The case is led by California resident Justin Bakker and New York resident Noah Lundgren, both of whom say they purchased Black Rifle’s coffee over the past three years because they believed the company sold American-made products. 

Each says they routinely look for U.S.-made goods and are willing to pay extra for them, a preference they claim the company exploited through its patriotic slogans and design choices.

Bakker purchased varieties like “Wakin the Neighbors” and “Spirit of ‘76” from local grocery stores, while Lundgren picked up a bag of “Tactisquatch” at a Walmart in Kingston. 

Both plaintiffs say they relied on the “America’s Coffee” tagline and flag imagery when making their purchases and would have either paid less or bought another brand had they known the beans were sourced and processed abroad.

Federal and State Laws Bar Misleading Origin Claims

The lawsuit argues that Black Rifle’s marketing goes far beyond quirks of packaging. It walks through the long and labor-intensive global process of growing, harvesting, fermenting, drying, sorting, and milling coffee, all steps that the plaintiffs say occur entirely outside the country before the beans are ever roasted and bagged.

California has strict rules prohibiting unqualified “Made in USA” claims when a product is substantially produced elsewhere. New York law bars deceptive business practices more broadly, and federal rules from the Federal Trade Commission treat phrases like “America’s Coffee,” combined with an American flag, as implied U.S.-origin claims. 

The suit argues Black Rifle violates all three.

More Companies Face Lawsuits Over “Made in USA” Branding

Patriotic branding is drawing scrutiny across industries. John Paul Mitchell Systems is defending a class action lawsuit over hair products marketed as U.S.-made despite allegedly containing key foreign ingredients. 

French’s mustard faces claims that it uses imported components while advertising products as crafted domestically. Brands like Lowe’s and Reynolds have also been sued over origin-related representations on safety gear and household goods.

Bakker seeks to represent a California class, while Lundgren aims to represent New York buyers who purchased Black Rifle coffee within the statute of limitations. 

Together, they’re asking the court for damages and an injunction to stop the company from using what they say are misleading “Made in America” claims. 

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Bakker, et al. v. Black Rifle Coffee Company LLC, et al.
• Case Number: 2:25-cv-03193-DAD-CSK
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California 

Plaintiffs' Attorney:

• Ryan Ellersick and Zain A. Shirazi (Zimmerman Reed LLP)

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