Sanka

Sanka is a brand of instant coffee produced by Kraft Foods. It is known for being one of the first brands to provide decaffeinated coffee to the market. Sanka is sold in many countries around the world and is available in both regular and decaffeinated varieties.

History

Sanka was introduced in the United States by Theodore Roosevelt's son, Kermit Roosevelt, in 1923. The brand was originally developed by a German coffee merchant, Ludwig Roselius, and his company, Kaffee HAG. Roselius invented the decaffeination process and applied it to the coffee beans to create Sanka.

Decaffeination Process

The decaffeination process used by Sanka involves soaking the coffee beans in water to dissolve the caffeine. The water is then passed through a carbon filter, which captures the caffeine molecules. The water, now free of caffeine but still containing the coffee's flavor compounds, is returned to the beans. The process is repeated until the beans are 97% caffeine-free.

Popularity

Sanka gained popularity during World War II when the U.S. government used it in ration kits for the troops. After the war, the brand continued to be popular, especially among those who wanted to enjoy coffee without the effects of caffeine.

Varieties

Sanka offers both regular and decaffeinated varieties of instant coffee. The decaffeinated version is the most popular and is available in both glass jars and single-serving packets.

In Popular Culture

Sanka has been referenced in various forms of media, including television shows and films. It was notably mentioned in the film Goodfellas, where it was used as a code word.

See Also

• Instant coffee
• Decaffeination process
• Kraft Foods