"The phrase 'Eating now keeps you awake' is outdated... The decaf craze is now worry-free even late at night [Cheongchun Report]"

Low-Caffeine 'Decaffeinated Coffee' Gains Popularity
Beverage Industry Also Embraces 'Caffeine-Free' Trend

As the domestic coffee market continues to grow steadily, 'decaffeinated coffee' with low caffeine content is gaining attention. This is because more consumers want to enjoy coffee without the burden of caffeine even in the late afternoon. This trend has sparked a decaffeination craze not only in coffee but also in various beverages such as cola and tea.

'Coffee Republic' Korea Enthralled by Decaffeinated Coffee

[Image source=Pixabay]

Korea is known as the 'Coffee Republic' due to the large scale of its coffee market. According to the market research firm Euromonitor, the annual coffee consumption per capita in Korea reached 405 cups last year. This is more than twice the global average coffee consumption of 152 cups. Also, looking at the import-export trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service, the import volume of coffee (green beans and roasted beans) was 193,000 tons, about 1.5 times higher than nine years ago.

Among these, consumers who feel burdened by caffeine as well as those who want to take care of their health are paying attention to decaffeinated coffee. Mr. Lee (28), an office worker who always drinks decaffeinated Americano, said, "I like the aroma and taste of coffee, but I was sensitive to caffeine and avoided drinking coffee in the afternoon." He added, "Since the decaffeinated option became available, I can enjoy coffee in the late afternoon without worrying about caffeine."

The standards for decaffeination vary slightly by country. According to U.S. standards, decaffeinated products are those with more than 97% of caffeine removed. In Korea, if the caffeine content is reduced by more than 90%, it can be labeled as decaffeinated.

'Caffeine Charging' Is a Thing of the Past... Starbucks Decaffeinated Coffee Sold Over 100 Million Cups

A Starbucks store in downtown Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The franchise industry is also targeting the decaffeinated coffee market. The leading player in the decaffeinated coffee market is Starbucks. Since 2017, Starbucks has allowed customers to choose a decaffeinated option for an additional 300 won. As demand gradually increased, in 2022, annual sales exceeded 20 million cups, and last month, the cumulative sales reached 100 million cups after 6 years and 9 months since its introduction.

In particular, Starbucks analyzed Americano sales by time last month and found that the majority of decaffeinated coffee orders were made after 2 p.m. This indicates that consumers choose decaffeinated menus when they want to enjoy coffee without caffeine burden even in the late afternoon or are concerned about excessive caffeine intake.

Besides Starbucks, large coffee franchises such as Ediya Coffee and Twosome Place, as well as budget coffee brands like Mega Coffee and Paik’s Coffee, also offer decaffeinated menus. According to the Korea Customs Service import-export trade statistics, the import volume of decaffeinated green and roasted coffee beans increased to 6,521 tons last year, about 3.8 times the 1,725 tons imported five years ago.

[Image source=Pixabay]

The decaffeination craze is also linked to the 'Healthy Pleasure' phenomenon, which focuses on health. 'Healthy Pleasure' is a newly coined term combining 'Healthy' and 'Pleasure,' meaning managing health enjoyably. Excessive caffeine intake can cause side effects such as sleep disorders, anxiety, and heart palpitations. However, decaffeinated coffee has a lower probability of causing such side effects, so avoiding caffeine intake can be seen as a health-conscious choice.

As more consumers seek decaffeinated products, the food and beverage industry is expanding decaffeinated product lineups beyond coffee to include cola and tea. In July last year, Coca-Cola introduced 'Coca-Cola Zero Zero,' which contains neither sugar nor caffeine. Lotte Chilsung Beverage's Pepsi also launched a new caffeine-free cola product, 'Pepsi Zero Sugar Zero Caffeine (Pepsi Zero Caffeine),' in March. Zero caffeine products are also expected to appear in the tea beverage market. Lotte Chilsung Beverage announced that it will release 'Ceylon Tea Zero Decaffein' this year.