As of May 20, Death Wish Coffee Co. released a new blend called “Power Surge” which is marketed with higher caffeine content, according to the purveyor’s press release citing a higher ratio of premium, organic robusta beans—bagged and ready for sales online and at retailers like Walmart, Kroger, Wegmans, and more. Roasters are increasingly highlighting robusta-heavy blends as prices have been volatile and elevated across coffee markets, according to Expana’s team.
The new ground, whole bean, and single-serve pod product line is said to deliver approximately 210mg of caffeine per 6-ounce serving: “Power Surge offers 20% more caffeine than the brand’s crowd favorite Dark Roast,” read the release.
“Our consumers count on us to push the boundaries of what a great cup of coffee can deliver, and they are always looking for that next level of natural fuel,” said Steve Gardiner, CEO of Death Wish Coffee Co. “…With Power Surge, we are embracing our heritage and leading the high caffeine revolution once again. We’re delivering a jitter-free kick of caffeine and the bold, smooth flavor our fans expect, proving that you never have to sacrifice ingredient integrity and Fair Trade standards for potency.”
Highlighting Coffee Market Trend & Wide Price Difference
Previously, Expana’s team wondered when coffee roasters would begin rolling into robusta-heavy coffee blends based on the wide price differential between robusta and arabica beans, noted Senior Manager of Coffee Analysis, Oliver Broster during a commodity webinar.
“Robusta has a naturally higher caffeine content,” explained Broster, who said that cheaper coffees were gaining market share for roasters and buyers of coffee who have been forced to look for the most economical offerings during a time of elevated prices, tariffs, and volatility.
“We’re seeing this trend in Europe too,” he said. “Where we see companies not necessarily changing recipes but rather marketing blends that have higher robusta content.”
Across all agri-food channels, the topic of consumer prices has been of note—especially for coffee as contract prices for the commodity have reached recent record highs. As of June 11, contracts for arabica on NY ICE were closed up at ~$2.54/Lb, according to prices cited by Expana. At the same time, the equivalent value of nearby robusta contracts are worth $1.57/Lb, cited Expana.
Previously, differentials between the two bean types were even wider: In January 2026, there was nearly a $2.00/Lb price difference.
“A structural shift toward robusta continues,” shared Broster who noted that Vietnam, Uganda, and India have captured some market share in the space previously dominated by Brazil and Colombia.
For example, “EU imports indicate that Vietnam and Indonesia, robusta producers, have gained market share at the expense of Brazil and Colombia. If arabica producers want business back they will have to be competitive,” said Broster.
Meanwhile, roasters like those at Death Wish Coffee can offer customers a certified organic product, that is cost effective and still aimed at a more conscious consumer.
“…High caffeine items [are] vastly outpacing general coffee growth, showing a +51.5% dollar change over a recent period… Death Wish Coffee Co. surveyed its own loyal subscribers, finding that 67% would eagerly rotate a higher caffeinated product into their current lineup to keep up with their day,” read the release… “Death Wish Coffee has always leveraged the resilient Robusta bean, which boasts naturally higher caffeine levels (around 2.5 mg per bean compared to Arabica’s 1.5 mg) to deliver clean caffeine that calms the chaos.”
Written by Ryan Gallagher
