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A scrappy American start-up quietly turned a fringe health fad into a serious retail story last year, and hardworking consumers are voting with their wallets. Ryze, a mushroom-and-coffee blend founded in 2020, reportedly pulled in well north of $300 million in online revenue in 2025 and is now launching into nearly 2,000 Target stores, proof that consumers still reward innovation and grit. The rise of Ryze shows what free markets do best: they scale products people actually want, not what elites tell them to buy.
What should make conservatives cheer is how the brand was built: founders who started with a few thousand dollars, hustled through the pandemic, and used direct-to-consumer marketing to build a half-million-member private community. Ryze’s move from subscription-only sales to mainstream retail is the classic American dream — bootstrap, find product-market fit, then expand. This is the kind of entrepreneurship that creates jobs, disrupts stale incumbents, and gives consumers more choice at the shelf.
That said, not every shiny new product deserves a permanent crown, and honest conservatives should call out the risks when they appear. Forbes’ reporting flags thin margins, heavy marketing spend, and a churny subscription model that left Ryze reportedly with an EBITDA margin barely above break-even in 2025, which is a red flag for any would-be acquirer. When companies trade on cult-like online followings and high prices — a six-ounce bag sold for around forty-five dollars — it’s fair to question whether the valuation is rooted in sustainable fundamentals or just hype.
At the same time, the functional beverage market is booming and American brands are capturing that demand, proving again that regulation and elite skepticism won’t stop consumers from voting with their dollars. Mushroom coffee and other functional drinks are part of a larger roughly fifty-billion-dollar market, and mainstream retail acceptance shows these products aren’t just a coastal fad anymore. Conservatives should celebrate the diversity of the market while urging prudent capital discipline from founders and investors alike.
On a very different front, President Trump made headlines this week by warning he may impose tariffs on countries that resist his longtime push to gain control of Greenland — a move he raised during a White House roundtable. He told attendees he might put tariffs on nations that don’t “go along” with acquiring Greenland, framing the move as necessary for U.S. national security. The president’s blunt language shocked some, but it also put a clear marker down: the protection of American strategic interests will not be treated as negotiable.
Patriots should admire the clarity of purpose. For decades, America’s adversaries and even some allies have exploited ambiguity; using economic leverage to protect strategic assets is the kind of realpolitik that keeps Americans safe. European outrage is predictable — Paris and Copenhagen may tut and posture — but when foreign policies threaten our security, American leadership must be willing to use the tools of statecraft, including tariffs, to secure results. Strong measures are not bullying when they defend the homeland.
That said, the administration would do well to marry strength with prudence; reckless coercion can fracture alliances and hand strategic advantage to rivals like China and Russia. Critics across the Atlantic and even some American voices have warned that tariff threats could destabilize relations and provoke a costly economic backlash, a risk the president should weigh carefully. Conservatives can back firm defense of U.S. interests while still urging smart diplomacy that protects both security and commerce.
Taken together, these stories — a homegrown brand climbing from scrappy startup to national retailer and a president willing to wield economic power for strategic ends — illustrate a moment where American resolve matters. We should champion entrepreneurs who build real products and demand responsible stewardship from those companies, and we should support leaders who put national security first without flinching. That blend of capitalist daring and unapologetic defense is exactly what will keep America prosperous and free for the hard-working citizens who make this country great.
