Decaffeination can be accomplished using liquid chemicals (ethyl acetate or methylene chloride), which we do not deem acceptable for our high standards. However, chemical decaffeination is quick, easy, and therefore cheap. Most decaffeination of coffee and tea employs this mainstream decaffeination process. With both liquids, the solvent chemical molecules bind to the caffeine, and there is concern regarding the safety of the solvents remaining in the dried coffee or tea, which is then consumed.

We are strict with safety standards and thus only use CO2 (carbon dioxide) fluid processing, otherwise known as supercriticial CO2 processing. In this method, at a high pressure and temperature, CO2 is in a supercritical state, acting as both a gas and liquid. As a liquid, it becomes a solvent with its non-polar molecules binding to the caffeine molecule. Flavour molecules are large and thus will not bind to the CO2, which ensures the important flavour molecules are not affected. CO2 is harmless, and although this method is expensive and time-consuming, it is the only safe method of decaffeination used in our blending program.