Two prominent figures from the 20 – year – old Salem, Massachusetts – based Jaho Coffee have recently ventured into a new direct – to – consumer coffee brand, Dekáf Coffee Roasters. Marketing and design expert Khanh Nguyen and Jaho Coffee’s founder, Anil Mezini, initiated online sales last month, presenting a range of nine single – origin decaf coffees and six blends.
Khanh Nguyen shared with Daily Coffee News, “The core concept of the Dekáf brand is that decaffeinated coffee isn’t inferior. In fact, it holds great promise. The market simply lacks the refinement and attention given to its caffeinated counterpart.”
Besides fully decaffeinated offerings, the brand also features some low – caffeine blends. For the light – caffeine blends, the caffeinated beans are roasted in the same Loring S35 that Mezini uses for roasting Jaho coffees. On the other hand, the decaffeinated beans are first sample – roasted in a dedicated Ikawa Pro100 machine, followed by production roasting in a Coffee – Tech Engineering Ghibli R15.
Mezini told DCN, “At Dekáf, we ensure that our decaffeinated coffees are isolated at every stage. Just like in a kitchen where cross – contamination can occur, shared roasters and grinders can contaminate decaffeinated coffees. Caffeinated coffee beans can get stuck in the hopper, drum, cooling tray, etc., which unpredictably impacts the caffeine content of the final product.”
Nguyen pointed out that using separate equipment for decaf is not just a practical measure but also a matter of principle. “Philosophically, we want our customers to know that we’re committed to delivering a truly full – decaffeinated experience. If it matters to the customer, it matters to us,” Nguyen said.
Mezini and Nguyen first came up with the idea for this new brand around five years ago. Since then, they’ve been researching decaffeination methods, roasting techniques, sourcing priorities, and brand development. Currently, all but one of the coffee products on the Dekáf website are decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process. The exception is a Mexican single – origin coffee decaffeinated through the Mountain Water Process.
Mezini stated, “The variety of decaffeinated coffees in the market has expanded significantly, but we’re still on the lookout for new candidates for decaffeination. The goal of Dekáf is to source and roast the world’s best coffees. We want you to enjoy our coffee without realizing it’s a decaf version of your favorite.”
Responding to customer interest, Mezini revealed that blends with “functional” additives like mushrooms, gingko, or ginseng are in the works. The company is also developing ready – to – mix coffee concentrates and a line of caffeine – controlled and herbal teas.
Nguyen commented, “There are constantly new, exciting, and innovative ways to enjoy coffee emerging. Over the years in the coffee industry, I’ve learned that there’s always scope to push the boundaries.”
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