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Relax With Republic of Tea's Decaffeinated Rooibos Line

partysugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:15:14 -0800

Tea has been an incredibly trendy ingredient for the past two years. Recently, I was bombarded by so many different types of new tea products that I was quite overwhelmed. So much so that I avoided the enormous amount of tea booths at the Fancy Foods Show.

Until one - the Republic of Tea's Be Well Red Tea line - caught my eye. With names like "get happy," "get some zzz's," and "get relaxed" the collection of South African rooibos teas are each specified to change a certain aspect of your life. They're caffeine free and naturally healthful. They come in brightly colored, tin canisters. I enjoy their unpretentious packaging, clean herbal flavor, and soothing qualities.

Do you drink decaffeinated tea? Have you tried Republic of Tea?

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Do You Drink Decaf Coffee?

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:30:45 -0800

With the $2 billion business of decaffeinated coffee at a plateau, coffee companies are focusing their efforts on new "low-caf" blends. While decaf coffee has long been considered less flavorful, these breakthrough blends are genetically manipulated to be naturally lower in caffeine but complex in taste.

As an everyday coffee drinker, I hadn't realized that the decaf business was so lucrative, and was surprised to learn of the staggering numbers.

Clearly, there's a demand for caffeine-free coffee. Are you a committed decaf drinker? I'd love to hear your reasons in the comments below.

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Starbucks to Halt Continual Brewing of Decaf After Noon

YumSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:30:53 -0800

Starbucks may be generously giving back to the community, but it's a bit more tight-fisted when it comes to labor and production costs. As part of a drive to save the coffee giant $400 million by September, Starbucks announced Tuesday its stores will stop regularly brewing decaffeinated coffee after 12 p.m. The company said in a statement:

For many of our stores, the demand for decaf is greatly reduced in the afternoon. With our current standard of continually brewing decaf after 12 p.m. regardless of demand, we have seen a high amount of waste.

This cost-cutting measure is one among many that have recently been implemented, including brewing smaller pots of coffee. The company also plans to slash 6,700 jobs and close 300 more stores.

So far this announcement has received lots of negative press, and I can see why: This business decision seems contrary to all logic. Personally, I only drink coffee in the afternoon if it's decaf - and in the morning, I'll only drink joe if it's got caffeine. Do you agree that it doesn't seem to make sense? Or is this a smart decision for Starbucks?

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