Yeti, a manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products that include its highly popular and well-known coolers, released a statement on Monday calling the NRA’s claim that the company is cutting business ties with the organization “inaccurate.”
Last week, the NRA wrote in an email to its members that Yeti was no longer doing business with the organization.
The email, written by NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer, read:
“Suddenly, without prior notice, YETI has declined to do business with The NRA Foundation saying they no longer wish to be an NRA vendor, and refused to say why. They will only say they will no longer sell products to The NRA Foundation. That certainly isn’t sportsmanlike. In fact, YETI should be ashamed. They have declined to continue helping America’s young people enjoy outdoor recreational activities. These activities enable them to appreciate America and enjoy our natural resources with wholesome and healthy outdoor recreational and educational programs.”
Yeti said Monday in a statement on Twitter that the letter is “inaccurate,” and that the company ended some “outdoor discounting programs” that the NRA took part in and instead will be offering “an alternative customization program.”
“YETI is unwavering in our belief in and commitment to the Constitution of the United States and its Second Amendment,” the company wrote in the statement.
— YETI (@YETICoolers) April 23, 2018
However, several NRA supporters already began boycotting Yeti by blowing up several of their products and sharing videos of it online.
The NRA noted in the email to its members that Yeti coolers are a highly sought-out item at the Friends of NRA Foundation Banquet and Auction events around the U.S. that raise money for youth and educational programs.
“The youth of America who benefit from these programs are the future hunters, hikers, fishermen/women, bikers, campers, wildlife photographers, mountain climbers, sportsmen/women and conservationists who will protect our natural resources and recreational lands,” the NRA wrote in the email.
Many people on Twitter were unconvinced by Yeti’s statement the company supports the NRA, and they said they still wouldn’t buy Yeti products in the future.
The NRA’s Marion Hammer provided a statement to the Washington Post in response to Yeti’s statement.
“After three days, Yeti issued a statement claiming they didn’t really drop the NRA Foundation,” Hammer said. “They claim they simply eliminated the entire program affecting NRA Foundation and other unnamed organizations. Isn’t that like eliminating a job position so you can get rid of an employee?”
“Yeti decided the NRA Foundation can’t place any more orders and, in fact, they forced us to cancel orders they would not fill,” Hammer added.
Yeti was founded in 2006 and is well-known for its premium hard coolers that start around $200.
A number of companies have cut business ties with the NRA following the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed in February.
These companies include Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Enterprise, Alamo, Hertz, MetLife, Symantec and Wyndham Hotels.
