Hosts serving many guests
If guests will make their own drinks, individual portions make cups easier to count. At an attended table, a jar is another option, provided someone can measure the coffee and plan the quantity.
Who is choosing?
Office and hospitality buyers
For meeting rooms or guest refreshment areas, Nestlé Professional UK specifies 200 individual 1.8g NESCAFÉ Original Decaf sticks per case, with one stick intended for a 200ml cup.
Hosts offering coffee bags
Individually wrapped Taylors of Harrogate Decaffé bags offer a cup-brewed alternative to instant coffee. Allow guests time to prepare and remove each bag.
What should you check?
Start with the number of cups needed, then choose a preparation method that fits how the afternoon tea will be served.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving count | Check whether the number refers to individual portions or an estimated yield. Nestlé Professional UK specifies 200 sticks for 200 cups; Sainsbury's estimates about 111 servings from its 200g Rich Roast decaf jar using one teaspoon per cup. | I need enough cups for the guest count, and an exact 240-portion requirement cannot be met by assuming a 200-stick case or a jar has the same yield. |
| Service method | Decide whether guests will use pre-measured instant sachets, brew coffee bags in their cups, or have coffee measured from a jar. | Will guests make their own drinks, or can someone measure and prepare the coffee at the table? |
| Coffee format | Check whether the product is soluble instant coffee or a coffee bag. Taylors of Harrogate lists Decaffé in 10-bag packs; Kenco lists its instant Decaf in 95g and 190g jars. | I want the cup-brewed coffee-bag format, or I would rather serve instant coffee with less preparation at the table. |
| Ingredients | Read the current label of each coffee and any milk, whitener or flavoured product served with it. For UK food businesses, the Food Standards Agency says allergen information must be provided for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink. | If I am serving guests with food hypersensitivities, I need accurate information for the products actually used. |
What can go wrong?
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Counting a jar or case as 240 portions
Pack weight and individual portion count are different measures. Nestlé Professional UK specifies 200 cups from its 200-stick case, while Sainsbury's estimates about 111 servings from its 200g decaf jar at one teaspoon per cup.
Check the stated serving count for the exact product. If 240 individual portions are essential, confirm that pack count with the supplier before ordering.
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Choosing coffee bags for unattended service
Unlike soluble coffee, a coffee bag needs time in the cup and must be removed. That adds a preparation step for each guest.
Use bags where guests can brew their own cups without holding up service; consider pre-measured instant portions when quick self-service matters more.
An attended coffee-bag station also takes host or staff time to manage.
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Assuming every decaf drink has the same ingredients
A plain coffee product and a drink made with milk or whitener need different ingredient checks. M&S advises that product and allergen information can change.
Read the current labels for everything served. If the event is run by a UK food business, provide allergen information in line with Food Standards Agency guidance.
Relevant brand formats
Nescafé
Nestlé Professional UK lists NESCAFÉ Original Decaf as a case of 200 individually portioned 1.8g instant-coffee sticks.
- The manufacturer specifies one stick per 200ml cup, making the case count useful for planning self-service.
- This case contains 200 sticks, not 240.
Kenco
Kenco GB lists Kenco Decaf as an instant-coffee jar in 95g and 190g sizes.
- A jar format suits a table where coffee can be measured into cups.
- Jar weight does not establish a count of individual portions.
Taylors of Harrogate
Taylors of Harrogate lists Decaffé coffee bags in 10-bag packs; Sainsbury's describes the bags as individually wrapped.
- Coffee bags provide a cup-brewed option without using an instant-coffee jar.
- A 10-bag pack requires quantity planning for a large gathering.
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists Decaff Gold Instant Coffee and Decaffeinated Classic Coffee as 200g jars.
- Both listed products offer an instant-coffee jar format.
- A 200g jar should not be counted as 240 individual servings without a stated yield for the exact product.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists Rich Roast Decaffeinated Instant Coffee in a 200g jar.
- Sainsbury's estimates approximately 111 servings when prepared using one teaspoon per cup.
- That estimate depends on the stated measure and is not an individual portion count.
M&S
M&S describes its Gold Decaf Instant Coffee as a 200g product made from medium-roasted Arabica beans from Fairtrade farms.
- Its instant-coffee format can be served from an attended jar.
- M&S advises reading the current label because product and allergen information may change.
Decaf jar for an attended tea table
This Joybuy option is a decaf instant-coffee jar for a table where servings can be measured, rather than a box of 240 individual portions.
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NESCAFÉ Decaf (New Shape) 200g
This decaffeinated soluble coffee suits an attended afternoon-tea table where portions can be measured from a jar. It weighs 200g; check the serving yield against your guest count rather than treating it as 240 individual portions.
Common questions
Can a 200-stick case meet an exact 240-portion requirement?
No. Nestlé Professional UK specifies 200 individual 1.8g sticks in its NESCAFÉ Original Decaf case, with one stick intended for a 200ml cup. Choose it only if that count fits your plans, or confirm a different pack count before ordering.
Which decaf format works for self-service afternoon tea?
Pre-measured instant-coffee sachets avoid asking guests to measure from a jar. Nestlé Professional UK specifies one NESCAFÉ Original Decaf stick per 200ml cup; coffee bags are individually wrapped but need brewing time and removal from the cup.
Are decaf coffee bags the same as instant-coffee sachets?
No. Taylors of Harrogate Decaffé bags brew in a cup, while NESCAFÉ Original Decaf sticks contain soluble coffee. Choose according to the preparation time available and the type of cup you want to serve.
What ingredient information should a UK food business provide?
The Food Standards Agency says UK food businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink. Check the current labels of the coffee and anything served with it, including milk, whitener or flavoured products.