Buy Local: Hawaiian Coffee

Coffee is an important crop in Hawaiʻi, grown on Hawaiʻi island, Maui, Moloka‘I, Kauaʻi, and even on Oʻahu. We see familiar regional names—Kona, Kaʻū, Waialua, etc.—on “Hawaiian blends” in the market. These can sound very local, but truly, they are maybe not so much so: By law, blends must be 10% beans from the specified island region; the rest of the blend can be any foreign bean. It pays to read the labels closely, and, ideally, know the producer. (Change is coming: effective July 1, 2027, any blend must be 51% beans from the region.)

In appreciation of the bean

Coffee arabica is a tropical plant. It’s in the same family as the gardenia. The tree was first brought to Hawaiʻi in 1825; local cultivation took off by around 1850. (Coffee is not grown elsewhere in the nation, aside from limited production in Santa Barbara, CA.) The trees produce fruit roughly 3 – 5 years after planting, and if farmed carefully, are productive for typically 50+ years. In most regions, a tree produces a few months a year; from flower to harvest takes typically seven months. Coffee “cherries” are ripe and ready for harvest when they are dark red. (There are also yellow, pink, and orange varieties.) In the islands, most farms harvest by hand. Post-harvest, there are several ways to remove the seed from the fruity layers. Most commonly, the cherry is pulped to get the seeds out (generally two beans per cherry; if one, that’s “peaberry”), and the seeds are then soaked in water to remove mucilage. In the next step, they are dried and a papery skin is removed to reveal the green bean. Once dried to just over 10% water content, the green coffee beans can be stored. After that comes the roasting process. The temperature (420 – 450 degrees F) and duration of roasting (to light, medium, or dark hue) help determine the final flavor of a bean.

Where to find local beans

Greenwell Farms: In 1850, Henry Greenwell settled in Kona and started planting coffee, winning a first award at the 1873 Vienna World Expo. Generations later, the Greenwell family is still at it, cultivating 85 acres of orchards in Kona using sustainable practices. Buy on line at https://www.greenwellfarms.com/

Green World Coffee Farm is a seven-acre coffee orchard on Oʻahu at the convergence of roads leading to Oʻahu’s North Shore, on land previously used for growing pineapples. The farm grows two varieties of C. arabica, Kona Typica and Red Catuai. (Green World also roasts and sells beans and blends of beans grown elsewhere.) Order on line or buy at the farm store in Wahiawa. https://www.greenworldcoffeefarm.com/

Grok Coffee is the beans-to-brew representation of coffee consultant Shawn Steiman who has, essentially, a PhD in coffee science. When he’s not doing Grok Coffee, Shawn is providing knowledge to coffee farmers, writing about coffee, or giving educational presentations large and small. Through Grok Coffee, he offers Oʻahu consumers a few bean selections each week (roasted by local roasters), at least one Hawaiian grown and one world bean. Order on line and pick up at Kaka’ako Farmers Market or at sites in Pālolo, Kailua, and Kalihi. For environmental good, Grok Coffee beans come in glass jar containers that customers return for reuse. https://grokcoffee.net/

Kauai Coffee Company boasts 3,100 acres of coffee orchard on Kauaʻi, having transformed what was once McBryde Sugar Company land. Accordingly, it’s now the largest coffee grower in the islands—and in the United States. The company does the full process—cultivation through roasting and packaging—at its estate using “sustainable, environmentally sound practices.” Find Kauai Coffee at Foodland, Safeway, Times, Longs, Costco, and on line. https://kauaicoffee.com/

Kupa'a Farms: Janet Simpson and Gerry Ross started planting coffee trees at their six-acre farm in Kula, Maui, in 1998. Today they are growing eight varieties of coffee and a whole bunch of organic fruits and vegetables. Supply of their coffee is limited; look for it at https://kupaa-farms.square.site/

Monarch Coffee: Greg and Susie Stille got started growing coffee on Maui and moved to Kona (Holualoa) to expand, importing a cherished variety, Gesha, to Hawai'i. Today their daughter and son-in-law help run the farm, which is now growing about 6000 trees. Find their coffee on line. https://www.monarchcoffee.com/

Rusty’s Hawaiian: Rusty and Lorie Obra started their coffee farm business years ago in Ka‘ū. Lorie kept it going following his death, joined by their daughter and son-in-law. Rusty’s now roasts and sells beans from farms on Hawai'i island and Maui. You can find Rusty’s Hawaiian beans at Whole Foods and Foodland, or order on line. https://www.rustyshawaiian.com/

Uluwehi Coffee Farm: Franck and Nathalie Carisey founded this Holualoa (Kona region) coffee farm. The five-acre specialty farm was planted in 2018 and is growing two varieties, SL34 and Red Bourbon. Buy on line at https://uluwehicoffeefarm.com/

Waialua Estate: This large North Shore, O‘ahu, estate is a project of Dole Food Company, growing 155 acres of the Typica variety (and 80 acres of cacao) on former sugarcane land. You can find some products on line. https://www.waialuaestate.com/coffee/

For a cup of 100% Hawaiian brew

Downtown Coffee on Fort St. Mall roasts, sells, and serves 100% Hawaiian coffee from various sources. Check them out in person or buy on line. http://www.dtcoffee.com/

Hala Tree Cafe in Ka‘aawa, O‘ahu, is brewing from beans grown at the Hala Tree coffee farm in Kona. Stop in for a cup and a bite to eat, and shop for beans (also on line). https://www.halatreecafe.com/