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Why is Hawaiian Kona Coffee So Expensive? What is the Flavor of Hawaiian Kona Coffee?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) The volcanoes on the Big Island are a goddess that local residents both fear and love. They fear the goddess's anger, which could turn their homes to ashes in an instant, yet they love the tears left by the goddess after her anger. The hot, thick lava, after cooling, forms special soil, becoming the unique foundation for Kona coffee's exceptional development.

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

The volcanoes on the Big Island are a goddess both feared and loved by the local residents. They fear the goddess's anger, which could turn their homes to ashes in an instant, yet they also love the tears left behind after her anger—the hot, thick lava that cools to form special soil, becoming one of the unique growing conditions for "Kona Coffee." Plant growth requires sunlight, but coffee beans also need appropriate shade. Surrounded by sea on all sides, Hawaii's climate is regulated by the ocean water. In the morning, sunlight becomes gentle through water vapor, and by noon, the mountain water vapor condenses into fog, protecting the coffee trees.

Without high mountains to block them, the white clouds in the sky move with the wind, forming a sunshade that automatically opens and closes with natural rhythms. In the world of coffee, "Kona Coffee" is like a girl from a noble family, receiving the gentlest care from nature.

"Kona Coffee" is not native to the Big Island. The earliest record dates back to 1813 when Spanish people planted the first coffee tree, but it truly flourished in the 19th century. Its lineage descends from "Arabica," one of the world's three major coffee varieties. Unlike the rich intensity of Italian coffee or the robust taste of Central and South American coffee, Kona Coffee offers a very gentle balance of acidity and sweetness, with fruit aromas detectable in its aftertaste. Those who dislike it find "Kona Coffee" too light, but this "fresh and natural" flavor profile is uniquely embodied by "Kona Coffee" in the coffee world.

What is the connection between Hawaii and coffee?

The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago in the central North Pacific Ocean. Between 1778 and 1898, the Hawaiian Islands were also known as the "Sandwich Islands." As part of the Polynesian Islands, they consist of 19 larger islands and other smaller islands, mostly formed as volcanic or coral islands. Located between 19° and 29° north latitude, the Tropic of Cancer passes through this archipelago.

Belonging to the Pacific Ocean and Oceania, they extend in a southeast-northwest direction for 2,400 kilometers, covering an area of 16,705 square kilometers. The largest island is the southeasternmost Hawaii Island, which locals commonly call the "Big Island." The highest point is Mauna Kea volcano at an elevation of 4,205 meters.

This summer, I visited both Hawaii and Okinawa, two Pacific islands with geographical environments very similar to Taiwan's. I still have both a familiar sense of déjà vu and a strange sense of alienation toward these two places. Take agricultural products as an example—walking in Hawaii and Okinawa, you can easily see sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, and even taro, common crops in Taiwan. However, the three islands also have some unique local crops, such as macadamia nuts, which I believe are the first impression of Hawaii for many people who have never been there.

Australian nuts are macadamia nuts

The English name for macadamia nuts is "Macadamia." Also known as Australian nuts because their origin is actually in Australia. They are evergreen trees reaching 2 to 12 meters in height. Macadamia nuts are the green seeds that fall from trees to the ground. The fruit is a hard, woody sphere with a distinct apex containing 1 to 2 seeds.

When macadamia nuts are left on the ground for two days, they begin to crack open and change color. Within four days, the seeds will crack open and turn brownish-gray. During these few days, macadamia nuts reach their optimal flavor stage. If left too long, the shells become too dark, and the kernels lose their creamy flavor. At this point, they can no longer be called premium macadamia nuts.

The Third Wave Coffee Revolution: Estates Carve Their Own Path

As for "Hawaiian coffee," due to early Japanese pursuit and the successful marketing of the Kona region on the Big Island (commonly known as Big Island), most consumers mistakenly believe that Kona is Hawaiian coffee. In fact, so-called Kona coffee refers to coffee produced 100% in the Kona region. (There is also 10% Kona coffee, which blends 10% Kona region coffee beans with 90% coffee beans from other regions.)

In fact, under the wave of the third wave specialty coffee revolution, coffee estates on various Hawaiian islands have gradually emerged from the "Kona only" shadow, each carving out their own place in the global market.

Currently, common Hawaiian coffees on the market, besides the Kona region of the Big Island, include estates from Maui, Kauai, and Molokai that are gaining prominence. Common Hawaiian coffee varieties include Typica, Mocca, and Catuai.

The Most Expensive Coffee on the Market: Kona Coffee

However, Kona Coffee remains one of the most expensive coffees on the market. According to regulations from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, only coffee grown on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the Kona district of the Big Island can be called Kona Coffee. Hawaii's nearly year-round sunny mornings, cloudy and rainy afternoons, constant gentle breezes, and mild nights, combined with mineral-rich volcanic soil, create its special flavor profile.

Kona Coffee is divided into two main categories: Type I (flat beans) and Type II (round beans, also known as Peaberry).

These two categories are further classified according to size, moisture content, and purity of bean variety. Type 1 is divided into 'Kona Extra Fancy,' 'Kona Fancy,' 'Kona Number 1,' 'Kona Select,' and 'Kona Prime.' Type II Kona coffee is divided into 'Peaberry Number 1' and 'Peaberry Prime.' Additionally, there is a lower grade 'Number 3' which cannot be called Kona Coffee.

In recent years, Kona Coffee's biggest threat has come from the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) pest. By late November 2010, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture announced that all green beans must undergo methyl bromide fumigation or another six-step procedure before leaving the Big Island.

In the future, coffee from the Kona region will likely experience significant fluctuations in both production and price. Because of this, coffee farmers from Kauai, Molokai, and Maui have gradually emerged in the past two years.