“Love the Coffee but Not the Caffeine”: Decaf Sales Surge 50% in Korea
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Decaf coffee sales in South Korea have jumped sharply as consumers prioritize health, sleep quality and lifestyle choices. Market tracker Embrain found decaf purchases at 11 major coffee chains reached about 292.6 billion won over the past year (up 55.2% year-on-year). Premium chains like Starbucks and Twosome Place saw strong growth, but low-cost brands recorded even faster increases, driven by lower price barriers that make decaf more accessible. Surveys show many consumers value decaf for preserving coffee taste while reducing caffeine; some see it as a stress-free, value-focused purchase (psychological ROI). From March next year tighter labeling rules will require beans with 0.1% or less residual caffeine to be labeled “decaffein(ated)” (디카페인), pushing the market toward quality, traceability and processing-tech competition among brands.
