Soaring Popularity of Decaffeinated Coffee: Starbucks Surpasses 200 Million Cups Sold

Decaffeinated Coffee Sales Surpass 40 Million Cups for the First Time Last Year

"One Out of Every Seven Americanos Sold This Year Is Decaffeinated"

Starbucks Korea announced on March 24 that the cumulative sales of decaffeinated coffee reached 200 million cups as of February this year. It took 8 years and 6 months to reach this milestone since Starbucks first launched its decaffeinated coffee in August 2017.

Last year, Starbucks sold 45.5 million cups of decaffeinated coffee, a 39% increase compared to the previous year. This figure is the highest annual sales since decaffeinated coffee was first introduced in 2017, and it marks the first time that annual sales have exceeded 40 million cups. As a result, the “Decaffeinated Caffe Americano” ranked third in total beverage sales at Starbucks last year, moving up one spot from the previous year.

Starbucks Korea announced on the 24th that it has sold a cumulative total of 200 million decaffeinated coffees as of February this year. (Photo by Starbucks Korea)

The Millennials & Gen Z demographic led the decaffeinated coffee trend. According to an analysis of Starbucks Rewards members’ demand for decaffeinated drinks, Millennials & Gen Z accounted for 60% of members who purchased decaffeinated coffee last year, the highest proportion, while members in their 40s and 50s accounted for 35%.

In January and February of this year, sales of decaffeinated coffee increased by 23% compared to the same period last year. During the same period, decaffeinated coffee made up 14% of all Caffe Americano sales, meaning that one out of every seven Caffe Americanos sold was decaffeinated.

To commemorate surpassing 200 million cups of decaffeinated coffee sold, Starbucks is offering a “1+1” coupon for decaffeinated beverages to Starbucks Rewards Gold members (as of March 18), valid from March 24. The eligible beverages include the Decaffeinated Caffe Americano, Decaffeinated Caffe Latte, Decaffeinated Vanilla Latte, and Decaffeinated Aerocano, with the coupon allowing members to receive one free drink of the same kind with the purchase of any of these four decaffeinated beverages.

Choi Hyunjung, Head of Food & Beverage Development at Starbucks, stated, “Starbucks decaffeinated coffee uses beans from which more than 99.9% of caffeine has been removed from the green coffee beans, allowing customers to enjoy it anytime and anywhere without worry. In response to the growing demand for decaffeinated options, we plan to continue expanding our lineup of caffeine-free beverages, including teas and fruit-based drinks.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.