Most dinners across North America have two distinct pots for serving coffee. Regular brew comes in a pot with a brown plastic rim and handle, whereas decaffeinated coffee comes with orange trim. The colour orange has been synonymous with decaf coffee for almost 70 years. How did this come to be?
In 1900, a German researcher, who believed the consumption of too much coffee killed his father, developed decaffeinated coffee. After patenting his process in 1905, he launched the product to a health-conscious population eager to try an alternative to regular caffeinated blends. The new coffee was a hit. Eventually, the company expanded into France, marketing under SANKA – a portmanteau of the words sans (without) and caféine.
In 1932, General Foods purchased the brand and actively promoted it across the United States. They took advantage of SANKA’s characteristic orange packaging to supply restaurants with orange carafes for serving their decaf coffee. The unique carafe helped both waiters and patrons distinguish the decaffeinated blend from regular coffee. Before long, throughout the industry, orange became decaffeinated coffee’s defining hue. It’s funny, a colour with so much get-up-and-go represents a beverage that purposefully eliminated its get-up-and-go!