Sasha Auguste has joined Death Wish Coffee Co. as Chief Marketing Officer, the Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based brand confirmed, tasking her with overseeing marketing strategy, brand positioning, and digital initiatives as the company deepens its retail footprint and new product pipeline.
Auguste arrives from YumEarth, where she led strategic repositioning for the better-for-you confectionery brand, expanded its innovation pipeline into new segments, and drove omnichannel growth across direct-to-consumer, Amazon, and key retail partners. Before YumEarth, she spearheaded brand repositioning and launched the direct-to-consumer business at children's food brand Kidfresh — a trajectory that signals Death Wish's intent to sharpen both its DTC engine and its shelf presence simultaneously.
What She Inherits
Death Wish Coffee currently holds the titles of No. 1 selling Fair Trade and No. 1 Organic Roasted Coffee Brand in the United States, according to SPINS MULO Scan Data from December 2025, and its products are stocked in more than 25,000 stores nationwide. The brand's lineup — spanning Dark Roast, Medium Roast, Espresso Roast, Light Roast, and Valhalla Java — is entirely Fair Trade-certified and made with organic coffee, a positioning that resonates strongly with the growing segment of values-driven coffee consumers. For operators and retail buyers tracking the specialty and organic coffee category, that dual certification at scale is a meaningful differentiator in a crowded field.
"This is a brand that has never been afraid to challenge convention, and that's exactly what excites me most," Auguste said. "With a strong foundation, meaningful opportunities for innovation and an incredibly passionate consumer base, I'm excited to help accelerate the brand's growth and introduce even more consumers to what makes Death Wish Coffee unlike any other coffee brand."
Operator and Retail Implications
The CMO hire comes at a moment when premium and mission-aligned coffee brands are competing fiercely for both foodservice placement and grocery shelf space. Death Wish's combination of bold brand identity, certified credentials, and a cult-level consumer following gives Auguste a distinctive platform — but translating that energy into sustained omnichannel velocity requires exactly the kind of integrated marketing and innovation discipline she brings from her CPG background.
CEO Steve Gardiner framed the hire as a deliberate talent investment. "As we continue to grow, attracting exceptional talent will always be critical," he said. "Sasha is a proven leader, and her experience at big and small brands will help us up our game even further."
For restaurant and hospitality operators watching premium coffee sourcing and brand partnerships, Death Wish's executive moves suggest a brand preparing for a more aggressive push into new channels — worth monitoring as the coffee category continues to evolve well beyond the grocery aisle. Food & Beverage Magazine has also been tracking the broader trend of better-for-you CPG executives migrating into specialty beverage leadership roles.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
