Greetings to all and welcome to the fall edition of the Swiss Water Wave.

I trust that everyone had an enjoyable summer and is now back from days in the sun and family fun, focused on what hopes to be a very promising stretch run. In this issue you will find various pieces of information that will help add to the success of your growing business. As always, we would like to thank you for your continued support and remind you that we are here to provide assistance for all of your decaf needs. Being a "full service" decaffeinator means we can do more for you than just extract caffeine!

Ben Hieltjes, VP Business Development


SWISS WATER® Process branding on packaging and pre-purchase consumer communication can add value to your brand, leading to increased sales and profit generation for your decaffeinated offerings. Earlier this year, in partnership with a large US specialty roaster and a third party research firm, we conducted on-line consumer research to test the purchase appeal of SWISS WATER® Process branded decaffeinated coffee versus coffee decaffeinated using an unbranded process. Research participants were women age 45+ who exclusively drink ground decaffeinated coffee.

Several key findings arose:

  1. Consumer purchase intent for a particular brand of decaffeinated coffee notably increases when the SWISS WATER® logo is incorporated on packaging

    2. Most importantly, ‘Definitely Would Buy' purchase intent was 33% higher, indicating SWISS WATER® Process branding will generate strong consumer pickup and loyalty.

  2. Simple pre-purchase communication to consumers about the SWISS WATER® Process also increases consumer purchase intent.


    3. Purchase intent for SWISS WATER® branded decaf was 28% higher than unbranded decaffeinated coffee when consumers were exposed to simple pre-purchase brand communication, such as in-store point of sale materials.

  3. The SWISS WATER® Process brand carries strong consumer equity, particularly with regards to the benefits "great taste" and "healthfulness".


    4. Consumers believe that SWISS WATER® branded coffees have greater benefits. 84% said they believed the SWISS WATER® branded product would "taste great" and 74% believed that it would be "healthier" (both significantly ahead of the unbranded decaf in either of these categories).
Simply put, SWISS WATER® Process branding on packaging with some form of pre-purchase consumer communication will be successful in driving increased profits and sales. To incorporate the SWISS WATER® brand on packaging, consider placing the logo directly on the packaging film, or order our 1” logo stickers, available free of charge to Licensed Vendors. In-store communication opportunities include menu boards, window clings, pamphlets, or a simple poster. For more information on the research and branding opportunities, contact Eric Buchegger, Associate Marketing Manager, at ebuchegger@swisswater.com.

2006 will be remembered for many things, but it's certain that among them will be the realization that the term "organic" has become an organic part of our culture and our consumption patterns. "Organic" has gone mainstream, and specialty roasters, cafés and grocers had better understand what this means to them.

This year, after all, even Wal-Mart announced its intentions to develop organic food offerings! For those of us in the coffee business, this means we need to ensure that when customers come to us asking for organic products we are ready to give them what they want. Especially in the case of organic coffees, it's becoming more and more obvious that a strong lineup is increasingly important, a lineup that includes, of course, organic decaffeinated coffees.

The SWISS WATER® Process is certified organic by the OCIA in accordance with standards developed by the USDA's National Organic Program. As such, we are able to decaffeinate customer-owned coffees which are certified organic. In addition, we offer our own select line-up of great tasting organic decaffeinated coffees, including the following:

  • Organic Colombia Rainforest Alliance
  • Organic Mexico
  • Organic Mexico Fair Trade
  • Organic Peru
  • Organic Peru Fair Trade
  • Organic Sumatra Fair Trade

If you'd like to learn more about our product offerings, or receive a sample, please e-mail samples@swisswater.com. To order, please contact your broker. Remember, we're here to help if you want to increase your offerings of organic SWISS WATER® decaffeinated coffee. (And, it's the right thing to do!)

NEW! Organic Sumatra Fair Trade

The organic segment is growing and so, too, is our offering sheet. Many of you have been asking us about Organic Sumatra Fair Trade and we thought the time was right to give it a try. We have just produced our first run of 66 pound bags that are now ready to be roasted, but act fast if this is something of interest to you as supply of this coffee is limited.

This exceptional coffee is a Gayo Mountain Coffee, produced in Takengon, Sumatra, Indonesia. Gayo Mountain has been a pioneer in the Organic Sumatra industry, gaining Organic Certification from SKAL in 1985, and Fair Trade Certification in 2005.

Once again, SWISS WATER® Process decaffeinated coffees have been reviewed in blind tastings by Coffee Review (www.coffeereview.com) and the grades were great! Both our SWISS WATER® House Blend and our Organic Espresso Blend Fair Trade achieved a solid overall rating of 87/100 in August.

In the assessment by Coffee Review, SWISS WATER® House Blend was described as "Very sweet-toned, gently roasty aroma, with peach-toned cedar and semi-sweet chocolate notes. Simplifies in the cup, but remains delicately sweet and balanced with continuing dry chocolate complication. Gently rich finish with the barest hint of astringency as the cup cools." The review goes on to note that "The slow, tactfully conducted dark roast is the dominating feature of this blend as tested here."

Our Organic Espresso Blend Fair Trade was also well received in the blind assessment with "Complex aroma: toast, banana-toned fruit, semi-sweet chocolate, perhaps a hint of tomato. In the small cup quite light-bodied though smooth in mouthfeel; very sweet, with a richly fruity character that continues to suggest banana and a prune-toned, semi-sweet chocolate, all of which carries elegantly into a rich finish."

To order either of these coffees, please contact your broker.



We would like to remind you that Jodi Foutch, formerly Business Development Manager for California, has moved to Philadelphia. Jodi is now responsible for the Eastern US, covering as far west as Minnesota, Missouri and Louisiana. Jodi can be reached at (510) 761-5300.

At the same time, Jason Remmer, who was the Business Development Manager for Washington/Oregon, has now assumed responsibility for the Western US, covering as far east as the Dakotas, Kansas and Texas. Jason can be reached at (503) 807-0667.


We're very pleased to welcome a new customer to our ranks. Café Bom Dia North America is part of a fully integrated Brazilian coffee company owned by the Marques de Paiva family. The operation not only roasts coffee but also grows it in Brazil . Much of the company's operations are now organic as well, and Café Bom Dia takes great pride in this commitment. When they where looking for a decaf process and a partner to help develop a decaffeinated offering, we were the natural choice. (No pun intended!)

Joe Alcantara, President of Café Bom Dia North America, had this to say about his company's association with the SWISS WATER® brand, "Café Bom Dia is excited to be bringing whole bean SWISS WATER® Process decaf to a national audience through Sam's Club. This is an unprecedented offering to the consumer and one which we believe will benefit both Marques de Paiva and the brand recognition of the SWISS WATER® identity immensely."

As most shoppers at club stores in the US already know, the private label and exclusive brands found there are often some of the highest quality products available, anywhere. Sam's Club is placing increasing emphasis on maintaining and/or exceeding the existing quality level of these products in its stores and the "Member's Mark Marques de Paiva SWISS WATER® Process Organic Decaffeinated Coffee" is part of that initiative.

Frank Dennis, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company's President & CEO noted, "We believe that through Café Bom Dia's introduction of a SWISS WATER® branded coffee on a national level through Sam's Clubs, all of our customers will benefit due to the added visibility our brand will acquire. Further, it will make our efforts to promote and enhance the SWISS WATER® brand through a variety of initiatives easier now that we have this additional national distribution."




Earlier this year, in May, I traveled to Colombia to have a look at both conventional and organic production—and of course to reconnect with origin quality control. As this was my second trip to Colombia, I wanted to try something a little different and see new things, so my focus was going to be on organics, and if possible, Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees.

Click here to read more.


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