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Peet's Coffee achieves 100% water processing for decaffeinated drinks

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January 18, 2022

As decaffeinated coffee consumption increases at the start of the year, Peet's Coffee has transitioned to water processing across its line of decaffeinated roasted beans, K-Cup pods and handcrafted decaf coffee beverages available in Peet's cafes. The process is chemical-free and naturally removes caffeine while ensuring the integrity, taste and quality of the coffee beans for an optimal sipping experience, according to a company press release.

The move to water process its decaffeinated coffees comes as Peet's decaffeinated bean portfolio has grown 11% over the past 12 months, said Doug Welsh, Peet's Coffee vice president and roast master.

"Peet's Coffee is dedicated to exceptional coffee experiences, with the most stringent standards in place for quality, sourcing, and taste," he said in the release. "We are continuously improving our coffee offerings to meet the lifestyle needs of our consumers, and decaffeinated coffee is an important staple for many. To the delight of our decaf coffee drinkers, we use the same superior roasted beans in our decaffeinated blends as we do in our regular coffees, so the flavor is never compromised. Now, they will be able to enjoy a Peet's coffee that is naturally decaffeinated though water process while maintaining the superior taste you'd expect from Peet's."

How it works
The water process decaffeination method gently removes caffeine from fresh coffee beans while maintaining the bean's distinctive flavor profile. Water process decaffeination occurs in two steps: first, the decaffeinator prepares a solution from pure hot water and unroasted coffee beans and then filters the caffeine out of that solution. Then, a batch of raw green coffee beans selected and supplied by Peet's are soaked in the solution. The caffeine flows out, leaving the flavor intact. The beans — full of flavor, not caffeine — are then dried and ready for hand roasting at Peet's Roastery in Alameda, California, according to the release.