2101.11.21.31 - Packaged for retail sale

This HTS classification, 2101.11.21.31, specifically covers decaffeinated instant coffee that is packaged for retail sale. It encompasses powdered or granulated coffee products that have undergone a process to remove a significant portion of their caffeine content, intended for direct consumer purchase and preparation. The key characteristics are instant dissolvability and the absence of caffeine, distinguishing it from regular instant coffee.

This category is distinct from its sibling, 2101.11.21.39, which covers "Other" decaffeinated instant coffee. While this category (2101.11.21.31) applies to products ready for retail consumers, the sibling category would likely encompass decaffeinated instant coffee not specifically packaged for such sale, or perhaps bulk institutional or industrial packaging. The defining difference lies in the intended end-user and packaging format.

As this is a leaf node in the HTS classification, there are no further subcategories. Classification within this code is final, based on the product being decaffeinated instant coffee packaged for retail sale. This means that once a product meets these criteria, it is definitively classified under this heading, and further subdivisions are not applicable.