Seven Eleven Decaffeinated Coffee Surpasses 200,000 Cups Sold in Just 3 Months Since Launch

Expansion to Over 1,000 Stores Handling Decaffeinated Coffee by 2025

Seven Eleven announced on the 5th that its decaffeinated coffee, 'Seven Cafe Decaf,' surpassed 200,000 cups sold within three months of its launch.

In July, Seven Eleven initially introduced Seven Cafe Decaf at around 200 stores located in key commercial areas such as offices and hospitals, where demand for decaf coffee was expected to be high. The company plans to expand the number of stores offering decaf coffee to over 1,000 by next year.

Seven Cafe Decaffeinated sold at 7-Eleven. Provided by 7-Eleven

According to Seven Eleven, sales of Seven Cafe Decaf have been increasing every month. In particular, sales in October rose by 35% compared to the previous month. Looking at sales by time of day, Seven Cafe Decaf was most preferred during the afternoon hours (noon to 5 p.m.). Seven Eleven explains that this is due to the 'Healthy Pleasure' trend, where consumers want to reduce caffeine intake while still enjoying the taste of coffee, as well as consumption patterns aimed at minimizing side effects such as caffeine sensitivity or insomnia.

Seven Eleven has been developing related products anticipating that the Healthy Pleasure trend will grow mainly among the trend-sensitive MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). In fact, Seven Cafe Decaf was developed over more than a year by proactively identifying this trend. As a result, they developed a decaf-specific coffee bean blend that preserves the coffee’s flavor without caffeine.

Since it is sold at convenience stores, cost-effectiveness was also considered. Unlike decaf coffee at specialty coffee shops, which usually requires an additional charge, Seven Cafe Decaf is priced the same as regular Seven Cafe products. Customers can switch all Seven Cafe menu items, including Hot Americano, Iced Americano, and Cafe Latte, to decaf, and all sizes from Regular to Super Venti are available for purchase.

Kim Eun-hye, the product planner (MD) in charge of Seven Cafe at Seven Eleven, said, "Seven Eleven is the pioneer of original brewed coffee in the convenience store industry, and through the launch of decaf, we are pioneering a new area in convenience store coffee." She added, "We will continue to quickly identify customer needs and respond proactively to lead consumer trends."

Meanwhile, Seven Eleven is holding a discount event throughout November. Customers who purchase a set of Seven Cafe and food items such as triangular kimbap, sandwiches, steamed buns, or Pepero will receive a 1,000 won discount on the total price when purchased together with Seven Cafe (Hot).