BY LIZ WITBECK
When Michael Brown started Death Wish
Coffee Co. in 2012, he didn’t know it would get
so famous, so fast.
Just three years later, the Round Lake-based
company that calls its product “the world’s
strongest coffee,” is one of the top 10 finalists
in Intuit’s Small Business Big Game competition
that could land the company a commercial
during the 50th Superbowl in February.
More than 15,000 businesses entered into
the competition. Intuit makes QuickBooks and
other software programs for small businesses.
Brown was the owner of Saratoga Coffee Traders
and sought to create the most caffeinated
coffee possible for his customers. He created
Death Wish Coffee, which he said contains 200
percent more caffeine than the average cup,
due to its combination of beans and roasting
process.
He heard about the Intuit Small Business
Big Game competition last year and watched
as GoldieBlox, a company that makes science
and engineering toys for girls, won a Superbowl
commercial. This year he entered Death Wish
Coffee Co.
Each year, large companies pay millions of
dollars for advertising during the Superbowl.
The mission competition is to level the playing
field by giving small businesses the chance to
promote their business.
“Winning this contest would be a giant
boost in sales and recognition,” said Brown. “It
would be a great kickstart to the year.”
The winner will be determined by votes at
thee website www.smallbusinessbiggame.com/contests/sbbg. People can vote once a day for
their favorite.
Voting runs until Nov. 3. Brown and his
team, along with the other finalists, will then
be flown to California for the QuickBooks
Connect conference to see the results of the
competition.
Death Wish Coffee operates a warehouse and
a team of eight employees and one temporary
hire. Almost all of their sales are conducted
online, through its own website and Amazon.
The company also sells some coffee at Saratoga
Coffee Traders in downtown Saratoga Springs,
as well as at Price Chopper supermarkets.
Marketing is also conducted mainly online.
The company engages with customers through
email newsletters and also Facebook advertisements.
Brown said word of mouth advertising
has helped Death Wish Coffee become such a
popular brand, as the fans are loyal to the coffee
and urge their friends to try it.
Marketwatch, a website that tracks trends
in business, tracked coffee companies in the
United States and their social media presence.
Death Wish Coffee Co. was the top-ranked
coffee brand on Facebook, ahead of companies
such as Folgers, Keurig and Chock Full O’Nuts.
Brown said he uses social media to interact
with customers, at any time of day.
“Customers can call me whenever they
have an issue with their order, and they can
always talk to me. You can’t get that at Dunkin
Donuts,” he said.
Death Wish Coffee Co. produces a signature
blend, Death Wish, in either ground or
whole bean form. For the fall, the company has
crafted a Death Wish Pumpkin coffee.
The company also produces Valhalla Java, as
well as the Barrel Brand line, coffee beans that
have been aged in oak barrels to give them a
flavor of various spirits. All of the coffee is fair
trade and organic.
The company website is www.deathwishcoffee.com. Its phone number is 400-1050.