Decaffeination with Swiss Water®

Do you love coffee, but want to consciously consume less caffeine? Then decaffeinated coffee is the obvious choice. There are many different methods of decaffeination, but at Kaldi we use the 100% organic Swiss Water® method! This unique process was developed in Switzerland and launched on the market in 1933. It is a 10-hour process, without chemical additives, to decaffeinate green coffee beans by as much as 99.9%, without any loss of flavour!

No loss of flavour

During decaffeination, only water, temperature, and time are used to gently remove the caffeine. The original characteristics of the coffee are preserved, so that the difference between a similar coffee with caffeine is imperceptible.

With the Swiss Water technique, you get the very best cup of decaf, free of chemicals, residual processing aromas, or other additives. Purely natural, of the highest quality!

Organic decaffeination, without additives

Not all decaffeination processes are the same. The Swiss Water® process is certified organic, and we have always been committed to processing without added chemicals.

	Methylene chloride No chemicals are used or added during decaffeination using the Swiss Water® technique. The process is completely organic and is therefore better not only for nature but also for consumers. Other decaffeination processes use chemicals such as methylene chloride or dichloromethane. Unfortunately, these are not the safest substances and have already been banned in paint thinners and other industrial products due to their toxicity. They have been used for centuries, but at Swiss Water® they avoid even the smallest amount in what we consume.
	Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (or CO2) occurs naturally, but for commercial use it is usually distilled from industrial by-products. As a decaffeination agent, CO2 is used under pressure to improve its extractive properties. No chemical solvents are used in the CO2 process.
	Ethyl acetate, sugar cane, or “natural” decaffeination Another popular chemical extraction method is ethyl acetate, or acetylated ethyl alcohol. Although it can be obtained naturally, and is sometimes described as a natural process, synthetic production is required on a commercial scale. When used for decaffeination, ethyl acetate changes the flavour of the coffee and adds a lingering fruity characteristic. We prefer our coffee to have the flavour it was intended to have.

How does the Swiss Water Process work?

Step 1. GCE is born

The GCE (Green Coffee Extract) is made only once, by soaking green coffee in pure water. We make our Green Coffee Extract only once, from fresh water and all the soluble solids in coffee (minus the caffeine). GCE is the key to our process.

Step 2: Washing & pre-soaking

The coffee is prepared for the Swiss Water® process. Before the caffeine is removed, the green coffee is rehydrated in preparation for the target moisture content that is ideal for caffeine removal. This step also removes dirt, dust, and silver skin.

Step 3. Caffeine removal

The caffeine is extracted and filtered. The GCE is continuously circulated around the green coffee for a period of 8-10 hours, until there is no more than 0.1% caffeine left in the green coffee. The caffeine is removed from the GCE via a proprietary carbon filter system, and the carbon is sent to a regeneration oven to burn off the caffeine so that it can be reused.

Step 4. GCE is refreshed

The GCE is checked, renewed, and refreshed. During decaffeination, the GCE is continuously refreshed and renewed. The health of the GCE is constantly monitored to ensure that it can continue to function optimally. This means that a new batch of GCE does not have to be created for each new batch of green coffee.

Step 5: Packing and shipping

Once the coffee has been decaffeinated, it begins its journey to the customer. When 99.9% of the caffeine has been removed from the coffee, it is ready to be dried, packaged, and shipped to you with care. Now it's time for you to brew a delicious cup of decaf using your preferred brewing method!