If you don’t know about Death Wish Coffee, you will. Their flavors, their skull and crossbones branding and wicked team, make them a company you just want to work with. We love them so much we had writer Brian Whitney catch up with the Albany-based indie brand. And good thing we did cause between the time he spoke with them till now, the company won the Grand Prize for Intuit QuickBooks’s Small Business Big Game. Their 30-second commercial showcased during 3rd quarter of the big game. Business has skyrocketed. Here is what Whitney had to say:If there is one thing that is without a doubt true, it is that people who don’t drink coffee are sissies. I mean seriously. Coffee is quite possibly the best thing ever. The only thing worse than people that don’t drink it, are those that do and are trying to quit or cut down. Really? Man up and have some more coffee.Coffee is the coolest thing in the world. And of all the cup o’ Joe’s in the world only one can be the strongest. So where can you get the strongest coffee in the world?Death Wish claims that it has the strongest in the world and backs it up with a guarantee. In fact it says it has 200 percent more than normal java. This is a bean that is truly for those who, don’t just want to speed out a little, but want to get a brain-crushing buzz from their morning cup.I spoke to Kane Grogan (advertising) and Teah Teriele (marketing) about their brand and about if people really are suicidal when they drink it, like the name. Kane goes by “Kane Bear” so as you can see, even their marketing staff is hardcore. We decided to dive into their dark side, as well as their light.So, we know that Death Wish Coffee is strong, but just how strong is it?KG: Strong is a very subjective word. We set out to have a coffee that was stronger than average caffeine wise, but did not want to sacrifice flavor. We sourced some of the best beans on the planet and experimented heavily in the beginning to find the perfect blend. We wanted to stay true to our values of offering fair trade and organic coffee. We understand people will try it as a gimmick, but after they try it and realize how good it tastes, we usually have a customer for life. It is very bold without being bitter, and we’re pretty proud of that.If coffee were a drug, how would you describe its effects?KG: Some people would classify coffee as a drug as it contains caffeine. I would say it’s the best kind of drug. If you want to stay awake, focused, and alert, drink coffee. It has a plethora of health benefits as well, on top of being such an awesome icebreaker or excuse to catch up with old friends and family. It carries none of the same stigmas as other drugs and is accepted worldwide. What more could you want in a drug?Do most of the people that drink your coffee really want to die?KG: I would say it’s quite the opposite. Most people that go ski diving, or bungee jumping, or push the mental and physical limits of what the body and mind can do don’t have actual death wishes. They have a need to live life to the fullest, and we like to think we have a coffee blend that can match that. Grab life by the cup and get some!Tell us a about the organic/fair trade aspect of the business. How did you guys decide to go in that direction and what are the pros and cons?TT: We have always been completely organic since the coffee shop days, but getting the USDA certification took a lot of time and money. I’d say it was definitely worth it! There are some people who will only drink organic coffee, and who could blame them? With being the World’s Strongest Coffee, people are skeptical about what’s actually in the coffee, so being able to tell people that it’s USDA Organic is crucial.Tell us about your team. From the pictures on your site, you look like friends, like it’s a lot of fun.TT: We’re a tight knit group. Mike [owner] has always been known to hire people he trusts–John, from product development, actually grew up in Mike’s neighborhood and they’ve been friends since childhood. I was an originally a staff member of his coffee shop and a few other Death Wish employees–Eric, Kane–were his customers.
So grab a cup of your strongest Death Wish and join the hype. Watch the commercial here: http://www.deathwishcoffee.com/blogs/news/54920833-thank-you-for-voting-death-wish-made-the-final-threeKeep up with us as we continue to share updates regarding this awesome brand.
Article by Brian Whitney, author of ‘Raping the Gods’
