Goodbye Americano, hello Canadiano! Why Canadian cafes are renaming the popular beverage

Walk into a Canadian cafe and one might notice something different on the menu—the usual Americano is now called a “Canadiano.”

With tensions between Canada and the US simmering, a rising number of cafes across the country are making a statement, one cup at a time. They are now “proudly serving” the popular drink – made up of an espresso shot and water – as the “Canadianos”.

So, how are Canadian coffee shops making the sudden switch? And what does it say about the country’s changing relationship with its southern neighbour? Let’s take a closer look.

The ‘Canadiano’ revolution

The push to rename the Americano started with a now-deleted Instagram post from British Columbia-based coffee company Kicking Horse Coffee. The company encouraged cafes to adopt a name that felt “more patriotic,” sparking a wave of rebranded menus across Canada.

According to Kicking Horse, their own cafe had been serving a “Canadiano” for 16 years. “We’re officially making it a thing and asking coffee shops across the country to make the switch,” the post read, as reported by The Washington Post.

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The post wasn’t without controversy, however. Some social media users on X called for a boycott of Kicking Horse, criticising the move. But by then, the idea had already taken hold in other cafes.

In Toronto, Ontario, Cafe Belem is now offering “Canadianos” on its menu. The shop’s owner, William Oliveira, told the outlet that while he doesn’t want his café to be a “political space”, he believes showing support for Canada—however small—matters.

“It’s good for us to just, you know, stand up for being ourselves and reminding other people … that we’re not to be pushed around and bullied by others,” he said.

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Elizabeth Watson, owner of Palisades Cafe in British Columbia, also decided to make the switch after a customer sent her the Kicking Horse post. She called it “bold and brave” and felt it aligned with her cafe’s values.

“We aren’t necessarily aiming to be political,” Watson told The Post. “But we love the idea of really just supporting Canadian pride.”

For now, her cafe’s “Canadiano” sign is a temporary fix made using a piece of paper on the menu, but in the long term, she isn’t ruling out a permanent change.

Oliveira shares a similar sentiment. “It’s definitely me saying, ‘Hey, just in case anybody was wondering, this is where we stand on that subject: We are pro-Canadian,’” he said.

Coffee, hockey and more

The coffee shop rebranding is just one of the ways Canadians are pushing back against American influence.

At recent sporting events, particularly National Hockey League games, Canadian crowds have taken to booing the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.

An entire stadium in Toronto boos the American anthem.

America was exceptional at soft power. They made everyone want to be on their side. Now it will be much harder to bully countries into doing things for you, then befriending and building mutually beneficial relationships. pic.twitter.com/gmTjNO0LjB

— Christian Borys (@ItsBorys) February 2, 2025

Meanwhile, entrepreneurs are finding their own ways to promote homegrown products. One such effort is Maple Scan, an app designed to help shoppers identify items ‘Made in Canada’. According to the Financial Post, the app analyses product photos and provides details on their Canadian origins. If an item is from outside the country, it suggests locally made alternatives.

From coffee cups to hockey arenas to shopping carts, the movement to embrace Canadian identity seems to be gradually growing.

A Trump-made crisis?

Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, US-Canada relations have grown increasingly tense.

His administration has repeatedly threatened to impose steep 25 per cent import tariffs on Canada and Mexico—two of America’s largest trading partners. While there was initially a one-month delay, Trump confirmed on Monday that the tariffs would go into effect next month as planned, despite warnings that they could harm economic growth and worsen inflation.

But the trade dispute isn’t the only issue straining relations. Trump earlier also floated the idea of making Canada the 51st state.

“I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen,” he had said in an interview with Fox News.

The proposal was met with immediate backlash in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed it outright, saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.”

A recent poll also indicated that all is not well between the two sides. According to the survey, more than a quarter of Canadians — 27 per cent — now see the United States as an “enemy” country, while only 30 per cent still consider it an ally.

Lori Hatcher-Hillier, chief marketing officer of Kicking Horse Coffee, summed up the sentiment: “Now, more than ever we need to stick together and wear our Canadian pride on our (coffee) sleeves.”

With input from agencies