Death Wish Coffee

Overview

Death Wish Coffee is a specialty coffee brand founded in 2012 that positions itself around high-caffeine content and bold flavor profiles. The company sources USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified arabica and robusta beans from India, Peru, and Central/South America, and has become the #1 selling Fair Trade and #1 Organic coffee brand in the United States according to SPINS MULO Scan Data as of May 2024. The brand is distributed through direct-to-consumer channels, Amazon, and over 40,000 retail locations nationwide.

History

Death Wish Coffee was founded in 2012 by Mike Brown, who initially created the blend to serve customers at his coffee shop, Saratoga Coffee Traders, seeking stronger coffee options. The company began as a bootstrapped e-commerce venture and grew through consistent year-over-year doubling of revenue. A major milestone occurred in 2016 when Death Wish became the smallest company to air a commercial during Super Bowl 50 after winning the Intuit Small Business Big Game Competition. In 2018, the company partnered with NASA Food Labs to develop an instant freeze-dried coffee blend for astronauts on the International Space Station.

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Death Wish Coffee sources green beans from international suppliers and roasts them in-house at a facility in Round Lake, New York, located near their Saratoga Springs headquarters. The company maintains control over roasting and blending processes to ensure consistency and quality standards across their product lines.

Notable Products

• Death Wish Coffee Dark Roast - Signature blend combining robusta and arabica beans known for high caffeine content and bold flavor
• Valhalla Java - Premium blend positioned as the company's flagship product offering smooth, strong coffee
• NASA Instant Freeze-Dried Coffee - Specially developed instant coffee blend created in partnership with NASA Food Labs for space missions
• Fair Trade Organic Blends - Full product line certified as both USDA Organic and Fair Trade, emphasizing ethical sourcing

Reputation

Death Wish Coffee is recognized for pioneering the use of robusta beans in specialty coffee before mainstream adoption, positioning the brand as an innovator in high-caffeine coffee. The brand has built strong credibility through Fair Trade and Organic certifications and achieved significant cultural visibility via the 2016 Super Bowl commercial. The company is generally perceived as authentic and mission-driven by its customer base, though some specialty coffee enthusiasts debate whether robusta-forward blends represent quality coffee compared to traditional arabica-focused roasters. The brand maintains a loyal following among consumers seeking strong, ethically-sourced coffee at accessible price points.