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An Introduction to Hawaiian Kona Coffee and How Expensive It Is

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 official account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - A Brief Introduction to Hawaiian Kona Coffee. The History of Kona Coffee Hawaiian coffee has a rich history. In 1825, the first coffee beans were planted here. Oahu, at that time imported from Brazil. This area was proven to be attractive. As coffee

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

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Hawaiian Kona Coffee Knowledge

The History of Kona Coffee

Hawaiian coffee has a rich history. In 1825, the first coffee beans were planted here. Oahu, at that time, was imported from Brazil. This area proved to be attractive. As coffee flourished throughout the island, more and more coffee was grown. It wasn't until 1828 that Kona coffee was cultivated in Hawaii, thanks to a missionary.

Named Samuel Ruggles. Initially, it was not successful. White virus infection became a dominant disease problem, and most of the land was converted to sugarcane plantations. In 1850, Hawaiian coffee production became more stable. Ladybugs were introduced to combat pest infestations. Advanced cultivation techniques were also introduced. Meanwhile, in the 1950s, it was said that Kona coffee was cultivated on more than 6,000 acres of land on the Big Island, which proved its success. On such a large scale, the region could produce 17 million Kona beans annually. Today, Hawaii has more than 600 farms growing Kona coffee, especially on the slopes of Mauna Loa volcano. This accounts for 95% of the entire Big Island's coffee production.

The Kona coffee harvest season runs from August to January. During this time, farmers spend a great deal of time carefully selecting ripe beans. They pick red coffee cherries, which indicate they are ready to be harvested. Hand-picking ensures that cherries are ripe enough to be picked. After harvesting, the pulp of each cherry is removed. The removal of the outer skin is done by hand, which is one of the reasons why it is much more expensive than ordinary coffee beans. It undergoes fermentation and is rinsed with clean water. Then it is dried under the high heat of the sun.

After sun-drying, they are milled to remove the parchment. The green beans are then sorted and graded. After this, farmers can choose to sell the coffee beans to commercial roasters, or process them themselves until sale. The flavor is rich and mellow, with a mixed aroma of wine, fruit, and spices, making for an extremely special taste. Premium Kona coffee has moderate acidity and a smooth, full-bodied texture, along with a unique mellow flavor.

Kona coffee is aromatic, has a unique taste, and possesses outstanding regional characteristics, making it stand out in international competition. Those who love Kona coffee can personally brew Kona coffee on Kona Coffee Street. Most coffees on the market today that call themselves "Kona" contain less than 5% of real Hawaiian Kona coffee, and their prices are similar to Blue Mountain coffee. FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaiian coffee is genuine Kona coffee, from Queen Farm. In 2009 and 2011, it won the runner-up title in the Gevalia (Hawaiian KONA Cupping Competition) Cup Competition.