Market volatility has highlighted the fact that coffee consumption is on the rise. But did you know that more U.S. consumers are also turning to decaffeinated options than ever before? In the spring of 2024, 67% of Americans said they’d had decaf coffee in the past day, according to the National Coffee Association (NCA) — the highest percentage in more than 20 years.
Some attribute this change to a shift in demographics. Younger consumers — particularly Gen Z and Millennials — tend to drink coffee throughout the day, rather than anchoring consumption to the morning. They’re also more health-conscious than previous generations, with wearables and tracking apps giving constant feedback about how caffeine affects their sleep, digestion and overall well-being. As a result, many coffee drinkers are actively managing their caffeine intake rather than avoiding coffee altogether. Combined with the rise of at-home coffee habits that solidified during the pandemic, decaffeinated options let consumers enjoy the ritual and sensory comfort of coffee without the unwanted side effects.
Many companies are responding to this increase in demand by expanding their decaf offerings to include high-quality options. We’re seeing this across larger brands and ready-to-drink options as well.
This trend appears to be significant and holding. Thinking about expanding your selection? We encourage you to check out some of our favorite options:
Brazil Swiss Water Process Decaf: Peanut brittle, candied nuts, malt.
Colombia Swiss Water Process Decaf: Brownies, baking spice, pecan, orange mousse.
Costa Rica Swiss Water Process Decaf: Brown sugar, almond, fig.
Ethiopia Methylene Chloride Decaf: Milk chocolate, black tea, raspberry, floral.
Indonesia Methylene Chloride Decaf: Grapefruit, almond, cereal sweetness.
Mexico Swiss Water Process Fairtrade Organic: Graham cracker, raisin, chocolate malt, candied pecan.
Peru Swiss Water Process Fairtrade Organic: Red apple, honey, nutty.
For a reminder about the differences between the decaffeination processes (as well as how some of our spot offerings taste over ice, for those year-round iced-coffee drinkers), click over to this News post.
