Death Wish Coffee Company

What Death Wish Coffee Company does

Death Wish Coffee Company is a privately held coffee brand founded in 2012 by Mike Brown in Saratoga Springs, New York, with manufacturing operations in nearby Round Lake. The company sells USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee blends built on a proprietary arabica-robusta formula engineered for higher caffeine content while maintaining a smooth, low-acid flavor profile. The portfolio spans core roasts (Dark, Medium, Espresso, Light), an extra-caffeine SKU (Power Surge), a premium line (Valhalla Java Odinforce Blend), single-serve "Death Cups" pods, RTD canned cold brew lattes, instant coffee (developed with NASA Food Labs), espresso capsules, and a flavored coffee range, alongside branded apparel, mugs, and brewing accessories.

The company's go-to-market is anchored in direct-to-consumer e-commerce on deathwishcoffee.com (Shopify-based), supplemented by a subscription program (Society of Strong Coffee) with 30% off first shipment and up to 20% recurring discounts, free shipping, and exclusive merchandise. Under new CEO Steve Gardiner (appointed September 2025), Death Wish Coffee is actively expanding into US supermarket retail through major chain partnerships, while maintaining a wholesale portal (dwccwholesale.com). Revenue streams include one-time product sales, subscription billing on 30/60/90-day cycles, merchandise, and wholesale distribution. The target customer base comprises strong-coffee enthusiasts and organic/health-conscious consumers, with ongoing extensions into younger demographics via the Light Roast launch and entertainment IP collaborations (Marvel's Daredevil: Born Again) to broaden audience reach.

Name

Death Wish Coffee Company

Legal name

Death Wish Coffee Company

Website

https://deathwishcoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Death Wish Coffee Company is a US-based coffee brand founded in 2012 that sells USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified high-caffeine arabica-robusa blends directly to consumers via e-commerce, subscription, and an expanding supermarket retail presence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

RTD Coffee Production (Non-Dairy/Non-Alcoholic) (AFAFABAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD)

Keywords

• Organic coffee products
• Coffee subscriptions
• Ready-to-drink coffee
• Fair trade coffee
• Coffee merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Saratoga Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Direct sales of coffee products including ground/whole bean, single-serve pods, canned lattes, cold brew, espresso capsules, and instant coffee across various roast profiles (dark, medium, espresso, light) and flavors.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, mugs, drinkware, and storage/brewing accessories through the e-commerce platform.
3. Subscription Revenue (Society of Strong Coffee): Recurring subscription revenue offering 30% off first shipment and up to 20% off future deliveries, with free shipping on subscription orders and access to exclusive merch. Billing options include 30, 60, and 90-day cycles.
4. Wholesale/Distribution: Wholesale distribution through major supermarket chains, with a dedicated wholesale portal at dwccwholesale.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Death Wish Coffee Company roasts, packages, and sells high-caffeine USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee products across multiple formats—including ground, whole bean, single-serve pods, cold brew, canned lattes, and instant coffee—directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform and subscription program. The company complements its coffee line with branded merchandise and is expanding into physical retail distribution through major supermarket partners.

Product overview

Death Wish Coffee Company offers a portfolio of organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee products centered around high-caffeine blends combining arabica and robusta beans. The core product lineup includes Dark Roast Coffee (signature original), Dark Roast Single-Serve Pods (Death Cups), Medium Roast, Espresso Roast, Power Surge Coffee (extra high caffeine), Valhalla Java Odinforce Blend, and Light Roast Coffee (launched September 2024). Flavored offerings include Blueberry, Chocolate Hazelnut, Maple Cinnamon, and Vanilla coffees. Ready-to-drink products include Caramel and Vanilla Cold Brew Lattes plus Organic Cold Brew. The company also offers Instant Coffee (NASA-developed freeze-dried formula), Espresso Capsules, and various bundle options. Beyond coffee, the brand sells merchandise including branded mugs and drinkware, apparel, accessories, and storage & brewing equipment. The company operates subscription (Society of Strong Coffee with 30% first order discount) and loyalty (Ritual Rewards) programs, plus digital gift cards. Recent product diversification includes a Marvel Daredevil limited-edition collaboration and expansion into major retail supermarket partnerships under new CEO Steve Gardiner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Death Cups: Single-serve coffee pods compatible with Keurig machines
• Power Surge
• Valhalla Java
• Society of Strong Coffee

Products and services

• Dark Roast Coffee High-caffeine USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified dark roast coffee sold in ground, whole bean, and pod formats for daily home brewing by individual consumers.
• Medium Roast Coffee USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified medium roast coffee sold in ground, whole bean, and pod formats for consumers seeking a less intense roast profile.
• Espresso Coffee USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified espresso roast coffee sold in ground and pod formats for espresso machine brewing at home or in small café settings.
• Light Roast Coffee USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified light roast coffee sold in ground, whole bean, and pod formats for consumers preferring lighter roast profiles.
• Flavored Coffee USDA Organic flavored coffee variants sold in ground and pod formats for consumers seeking flavored coffee options with the brand's caffeine profile.
• Cold Brew Coffee Ready-to-drink or brew-at-home cold brew coffee using the brand's high-caffeine beans, sold for chilled consumption occasions.
• Canned Lattes Ready-to-drink canned latte beverages made with the brand's high-caffeine coffee, sold for on-the-go consumption.
• Instant Coffee Freeze-dried instant coffee made with the brand's high-caffeine blend, sold for convenient single-serve preparation at home, work, or while traveling.
• Subscription Service Subscribe-and-save recurring delivery program for Death Wish Coffee products, offering automatic replenishment and subscription-pricing incentives for individual consumers.
• Branded Merchandise Brand-affiliated merchandise such as apparel and accessories carrying Death Wish Coffee branding, sold as ancillary products and gift items through the e-commerce site.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Marvel TelevisioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 March 2026Death Wish Coffee Co. released a limited-edition 'Rise Again Collector's Box' inspired by Season 2 of Marvel Television's 'Daredevil: Born Again,' featuring signature Dark Roast coffee and a custom heat-reactive mug. Available for pre-order starting March 24, 2026, on deathwishcoffee.com while supplies last. The CEO highlighted the collaboration as a natural fit between the brand's rebellious identity and Daredevil's fearless character.
• NASA Food LabsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2018, Death Wish Coffee collaborated with NASA Food Labs to develop an instant freeze-dried coffee blend specifically for astronauts aboard the International Space Station, demonstrating product innovation capabilities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster operating DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and café channels with draft RTD lattes as a flagship innovation. Highly comparable in vertical integration, format diversification, and retail expansion strategy.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty coffee roaster with strong DTC subscription, retail café presence, and ready-to-drink products. Comparable on premium organic positioning, format breadth, and omnichannel distribution.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with DTC subscriptions, wholesale, and cafés, plus RTD cold brew products. Comparable as a vertically integrated specialty roaster competing for the same premium, ethically sourced coffee consumer.
• Bulletproof Coffee: Premium DTC coffee brand positioned around functional benefits and bold identity, with subscription revenue, ready-to-drink products, and a direct-to-consumer go-to-market. Direct comparable on premium positioning and subscription-first model.
• Black Rifle Coffee Company: Veteran-founded premium coffee company built on a bold, high-caffeine identity with a strong DTC e-commerce presence, subscription model, and expanding retail footprint. Highly comparable to Death Wish in business model, customer persona, and brand-led marketing approach.
• Chamberlain Coffee: Influencer-founded DTC specialty coffee brand with social-media-driven marketing, flavored and single-origin SKUs, and strong e-commerce subscription mechanics. Comparable in DTC-led brand strategy and younger consumer targeting.

Broad incumbents

• Keurig Dr Pepper (Green Mountain): Incumbent single-serve coffee giant that owns Keurig brewing systems and a portfolio of coffee brands including Green Mountain. Death Wish Death Cups are Keurig-compatible, making KDP both a distribution partner and broad competitive incumbent with vastly superior scale.
• Rogers Family Company: Family-owned specialty coffee company operating organic and Fair Trade brands across DTC, wholesale, and private-label channels. Explicitly named alongside Death Wish as a key organic coffee market player, making it a direct comparable in the organic/fair-trade segment.
• Lavazza: Global Italian coffee incumbent with strong espresso and robusta-blend expertise, retail and foodservice presence, and growing RTD portfolio. Comparable as a broad incumbent with deep robusta sourcing and bold-flavor positioning.

Regional players

• Allegro Coffee Company: Specialty organic and Fair Trade coffee roaster serving grocery, foodservice, and DTC channels. Named as a peer in Death Wish's organic coffee market and comparable in ethical sourcing positioning and retail distribution strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deathwishcoff
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1uurJMded2rRJioe8yka7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/deathwishcoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/deathwishcoffee

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Death Wish Coffee Company