Tasty and energizing, coffee remains one of the most popular beverages worldwide. In turn, decaffeinated coffee emerged to address concerns about the effects of caffeine intake on health. Created between the Innovation Institute for Food & Health, UC Davis Graduate School of Management, and Barnstorm Foundry, this report discusses the health benefits and risks of coffee consumption, describes methods used for caffeine removal, and outlines the current state of the decaf coffee market. Regular but moderate consumption of coffee relates to a lower incidence of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cardiovascular disease. While the energy-boosting effects disappear in decaf coffee, the health benefits carry over. As the market for decaf coffee continues to grow, particularly among young adults, opportunities exist for improving the decaffeination process to retain a flavor closer to the original. In addition, an unsaturated area of the market is that of alternative products based on other plants, such as chicory and dandelion, which can offer similar health benefits.
A steadily growing industry ($1.65B with a projected Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5-7% in the next decade), the decaf coffee market has several major players that dominate in terms of market share. A section of the report will discuss the state of the market, the competitors as well as the rivals that new entrants will have to face. Alternatives such as brewed teas, plant-based (chicory and dandelion) brewed coffees, and adaptogen coffees are explored and discussed as well.
