Decaf demand surges in coffee-crazed Korea

In a country where the average person drinks 416 cups of coffee a year, the fastest-growing order at the counter is the one without the caffeine kick.

Decaffeinated coffee, long dismissed as a fallback for pregnant women and the caffeine-sensitive, has emerged as one of the hottest growth categories in Korea's cafe industry, powered by consumers who want a cup of coffee in the evening without a sleepless night.

The numbers show demand rising fast.

Korea imported 5,387 tons of decaffeinated coffe ...