Ethiopia
SWD Natural Sidama
Oromia, Sama
Hint of fruit, Apple | Sweet
SWD · In Stock
Processing
Swiss Water Process
Chemical-free decaffeination using only water. Removes 99.9% of caffeine while preserving origin character. The gold standard for specialty decaf.
Definition
How Swiss Water works
Swiss Water Process uses Green Coffee Extract (GCE)--water saturated with coffee's soluble compounds minus caffeine. When green beans soak in this water, only caffeine migrates out (because GCE already contains everything else).
The process is repeated until 99.9% of caffeine is removed. No chemicals ever touch the beans. The caffeine is then removed from the water using activated charcoal, and the GCE is reused.
SWP at a glance
Chemicals used
None
Caffeine removed
99.9%
Processing location
Vancouver, Canada
Certifications
Organic compatible
Also called
SWP, water process
Why Roasters Care
What Swiss Water offers
Clean label marketing
"Chemical-free" and "water process only" resonate with health-conscious customers. Premium positioning.
Flavor preservation
SWP retains more origin character than solvent methods. Origin notes come through in the cup.
Organic compatible
SWP is approved for organic certification. If you sell organic decaf, SWP is the standard method.
Consistent quality
Swiss Water controls their process tightly. You know what you're getting batch to batch.
Traceability
Every SWP lot is tracked. You can verify the process date and origin on their database.
Customer demand
Informed customers ask for Swiss Water by name. It's become the expected standard for specialty decaf.
Our Approach
How we use Swiss Water
Ethiopian greens to SWP
We send our specialty Ethiopian coffees to Swiss Water for decaffeination. Ethiopian character preserved.
Fresh process dates
We coordinate processing to minimize storage time. Fresh decaf, not last year's inventory.
Quality verification
We cup every SWP lot on return. The process usually works well, but we verify.
Full transparency
We share process date, lot codes, and origin details. You know exactly what you're buying.
Deep Dive
Decaf Green Coffee: Swiss Water & Beyond
How Swiss Water and other decaf methods work, what to look for on a spec sheet, and why Keffa's decaf lots cup above 84 points.
Related Terms
More Processing
Natural Process
Dried in cherry. Fruit-forward flavors, higher body.
Washed Process
Pulped and fermented before drying. Clean, bright, terroir-forward.
Wet Hulled
Indonesian method. Earthy, full body, low acidity.
Decaf
Caffeine removed via water or solvent. Quality depends on process.
Fermentation
Microbial breakdown of mucilage. Key to flavor development.
Raised Beds
Elevated drying surfaces for airflow. Better quality control.
Want chemical-free decaf?
Request samples and taste Ethiopian decaf done right.