Kona coffee is growing in popularity, although it’s been with us for close to two centuries. It originates from Hawaii, which has climate and soil suitable for coffee growth, although coffee is not native to the island. It was introduced to the European market at the World Fair in 1873, where it received an excellence award. The consumption significantly increased during the world wars as the supply chain lines were interrupted. In the beginning of the nineties, the law was passed where coffee blends containing a minimum of 10% of Kona beans were allowed to be marketed as blend. This gave a rise to the niche market for 100% pure Hawaiian bean coffee.
Key Takeaways:
- Kona coffee is not native to Oahu, but rather was brought there by an American missionary.
- Although Kona coffee was first planted in 1828, its first big breakthrough didn’t come until 1873 at the Worlds Fair where it received an award of excelence.
- The 1980s saw Kona’s big breakthrough. This is when consumers began what is now known as the specialty coffee craze.
“Although Hawaii has several regions well-suited to growing coffee, the plants are not native to the big island.”