<![CDATA[The rapid growth of Indonesia’s food and beverage (F&B) industry, particularly the coffee subsector, has transformed coffee consumption into an important part of modern lifestyle and social interaction among younger consumers. The increasing number of coffee shops and shifting consumer preferences have intensified competition, requiring businesses to focus not only on product quality but also on building strong brand perceptions and customer relationships. In this context, understanding how brand-related factors contribute to customer loyalty becomes increasingly important. Accordingly, this study seeks to examine the influence of brand association on brand loyalty by considering customer trust as a mediating variable. This research involves 200 respondents selected through purposive non-probability sampling. This study utilized a questionnaire as instrument for data collection, while data analysis was performed using PLS-SEM. The findings demonstrate that brand association exerts a significant positive influence on both customer trust and brand loyalty, while customer trust likewise contributes positively to the enhancement of brand loyalty. Moreover, customer trust serves as a mediating variable in the relationship between brand association and brand loyalty. The results imply that brand loyalty is shaped not only by the direct influence of brand association, but also indirectly through the presence of customer trust. Overall, strengthening brand association and sustaining customer trust are essential for fostering brand loyalty. This study enriches the branding literature by clarifying the mediating role of trust in the relationship between brand association and brand loyalty while offering guidance for businesses to develop trust and loyalty.]]>
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