Starbucks in South Korea offers a decaffeinated option – one out of every 11 Americanos sold is now a decaf version. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 2 (Korea Bizwire) – For those sensitive to caffeine or seeking to enjoy coffee without its stimulant effects, Starbucks in South Korea offers a decaffeinated option – one out of every 11 Americanos sold is now a decaf version.
Starbucks announced on May 1 that the cumulative sales of decaffeinated coffee in South Korea have surpassed 100 million cups.
Starbucks Korea introduced decaffeinated coffee to the domestic market in August 2017. By November of the following year, it had already sold over 10 million cups, successfully establishing itself in the South Korean market.
Since 2019, decaffeinated coffee sales have shown remarkable growth, surpassing 10 million cups annually.
In 2022, sales reached 20.2 million cups, crossing the 20 million mark for the year, and in 2023, 21.1 million cups were sold. As of April this year, 5.2 million cups have been sold in just four months.
The share of decaffeinated Americanos among all Americanos sold increased from 6.6% in 2019 to 8.9% last year. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The share of decaffeinated Americanos among all Americanos sold increased from 6.6% in 2019 to 8.9% last year, a 2.3 percentage point rise. This means that one out of every 11 customers now opts for the decaf version, indicating its growing mainstream popularity.
The sales of decaffeinated Americanos, the most popular decaf option at Starbucks, grew by 79% in 2022 compared to 2019. Last year, it ranked as the fourth best-selling beverage overall.
The popularity of decaffeinated coffee extends beyond Starbucks to other coffee brands in South Korea.
Compose Coffee, a lower-priced coffee chain, reported an increase in decaffeinated Americano sales after introducing the beverage in August 2022. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Twosome Place reported a 20% increase in decaffeinated beverage sales last year compared to the previous year. The share of decaffeinated coffee among all coffee drinks sold at both company-owned and franchised stores grew from 0.9% in 2020, when decaf menus were introduced, to 6.5% last year.
At Ediya Coffee, sales of decaffeinated espresso have shown a steady monthly increase of 10% since its launch in January 2022.
Compose Coffee, a lower-priced coffee chain, reported an increase in decaffeinated Americano sales after introducing the beverage in August 2022. From January to April 2023, sales were 60% higher than the August to December 2022 period.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
