This document summarizes Death Wish Coffee's implementation of SafetyChain's food safety and quality management software. Death Wish Coffee is a rapidly growing coffee company with three facilities that was previously using paper-based processes. They implemented SafetyChain to go paperless, centralize document storage, and master SQF certification requirements. Keys to their successful implementation included comprehensive training, choosing easy-to-use software, standardizing processes, and investing in tablets. Benefits included significant time savings, improved record keeping and compliance, visibility across locations, and the ability to meet large retailer requirements. The experience demonstrated that any company can benefit from prioritizing food safety, no matter the size.

1. SafetyChain Success Story - How Death Wish Coffee Went Paperless & Mastered SQF
Presented By: SafetyChain and Death Wish Coffee
Beyond Compliance
Webinar & Podcast Series

2. Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com
The Series
Webinar & Podcast Series
BEYONDCOMPLIANCE

3. The Sponsor
Food Quality Management System
✔Food Safety
✔Food Quality
✔Supplier Compliance
Learn more at SafetyChain.com
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

4. Before We Get Started
HELPFUL TIPS
✔Informal but professional format
✔Ask Questions (Q&A at end)
✔Only panelists are displayed
✔Recording link will be shared
✔Audio issues: use call-in number
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

5. TRAINING TOPIC
SafetyChain Success Story -
How Death Wish Coffee Went Paperless &
Mastered SQF
Presented By: SafetyChain and Death Wish Coffee

6. ● Headquartered in Ballston Spa, NY
● Started in 2012 and experiencing rapid
growth
● Top online seller of fair-trade, organic, high-
caffeine blends
● Makers of the “World’s Strongest Coffee”
● Also sold in grocery stores throughout US
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com
CJ De Luca
Quality Assurance Manager
● 16 years in food/beverage industry
● 2 years at Death Wish Coffee
About Death Wish Coffee

7. Project Scope
✔Solutions
▪ Food Safety
▪ Quality Assurance
✔3 facilities
✔Complete rehaul of data gathering methods:
Paper-driven before implementation
✔No experience with SQF
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

8. Challenges
What problems did
Death Wish want to
solve with technology?

9. Challenges
✔ Knew they faced significant paper-pushing with SQF
✔ Already dragged down by tedious paper-based
processes in production
✔ Needed better record-keeping. Reduce paper
records & centralize document storage (audits)
✔ Knew the culture would have to change: record-
keeping was a negative -> time to make it a positive
✔ Wanted to drive accountability for staff
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

10. The Project
What internal considerations
and challenges did Death
Wish have to address?

11. Project considerations
✔ Budget/Financial/ROI
Needed to evaluate cost of system vs. cost of non-compliance
✔ Cost of loosing SQF certification far outweighed the cost of
FSQA software. Without SafetyChain:
✔ Loss of access to large retailers
✔ Revenue loss & potential loss of jobs
✔ Competing budget demands for machinery, other equipment, etc.
✔ Had to Convince Upper Management
Decision not immediate
✔ Spread Across 3 Facilities
Having real-time data across all facilities a huge plus
✔ Cultural Change
Knew a change in habits and culture would be required “Seeing what SafetyChain could do really opened our eyes.”
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

12. Keys to
Success
What were the biggest
drivers of success in your
implementation?

13. Keys to Success
✔Comprehensive Rollout and Training Plan
▪ Prepared team for 1-2 months before starting
✔ Generated Enthusiasm
▪ Got employees excited about an easy way to record daily
information
▪ Employees already used phones – why not use to help
them execute their jobs?
✔Chose Software That Was Easy to Use
▪ Short implementation – process of building forms took
just a few weeks
▪ Easy to learn the back-end of the system
✔ Helpfulness & Guidance of SafetyChain staff
▪ Created some basic forms then let us take ownership
Cont’d -->
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

14. Keys to Success (cont’d)
✔Used SafetyChain’s Training Environment for 1 Week
▪ Were clear with transition timeline
▪ Middle- and upper-management were open to get feedback,
hear concerns
✔Set Up a Training Class
✔Standardized Wherever Possible
▪ Minimized forms that captured same data
▪ Standardized before building forms
✔Invested in Tablets and Connected to Wi-Fi
▪ Decided to upgrade along with food defense plan
for security cameras
▪ Advice: Don’t underspend
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

15. Benefits
What benefits has
SafetyChain created for
your Death Wish Coffee?

16. Key Benefits & ROI
✔Saves time. Able to reallocate several hours per
week from data entry to more important tasks
✔Now capturing daily waste
✔ Not possible with paper records before:
SafetyChain forces good record-keeping
✔ Waste reduction has become competitive and
motivating among employees
▪ Example: Down from 500 to 120 bag
prints per day
✔Now able to implement OEE
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

17. Key Benefits & ROI
✔Record-keeping more accurate: no more guessing
✔Compliance stats seen in real time
✔Trending patterns noticeable
✔Proactive corrective actions possible
✔ Example: welder called in to fix roaster
✔Accountability for operators
(knows who to go to if there’s an issue)
✔Helped get into larger retailers by being able to document SQF/GFSI
programs
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

18. Summary
PRODUCTIVITY
✔ No missing data
✔ Quicker and easier access to data
✔ Audit readiness & preparation
✔ Fast & easy report creation
✔ Accountability
✔ No ”guessing”
PROFITABILITY
✔ Visibility into all locations
✔ Contracts with large retailers
✔ Reaping the benefits of Analytics - Data
mining, comparisons, discovering patterns
COMPLIANCE
✔ SQF compliance
✔ Proactive maintenance checks
✔ Early detection of issues
✔ Immediate visibility into HACCP checks
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

19. Takeaways
Any key learnings or advice
from the project?

20. Key Learnings
✔ You can never be too small to be safe!
Beyond Compliance Webinar Series SafetyChain.com

21. Q & A

22. Resources
White Papers & Surveys
Webinars & Videos
Product & Partner Info
Solution Consultation
info@safetychain.com SafetyChain.com