How did orange-handled carafes in restaurants come to indicate decaf coffee?
The most popular explanation is that this originated with Sanka. Sanka, which derives its name from “sans caffeine,” came to the United States in 1923 and was distributed by the Sanka Coffee Corporation. In 1927, Postum (which, along with other acquired brands, changed its name to General Foods Corporation in 1929) took over distribution, until General Foods (which is now Kraft) bought Sanka outright in 1932.
