Hawaiʻi island still ‘buzzing’ from the 45th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

KS agricultural tenant Kona Coffee and Tea in Kailua-Kona garnered third place in the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s Cupping Competition. From l-r: company co-founder Dan Bolton, Miss Aloha Hawaiʻi 2016 Kristie Naʻone, Chief Operating Officer Malia Bolton, and co-founder Jan Bolton.

Nov. 24, 2015

Contributed by Nadine Lagaso

Competition was fierce at the 2015 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s Cupping Competition as an internationally recognized panel of judges sniffed, slurped and tasted their way through two days of blind taste tests, sampling close to 70 coffees.

Events on November 11 featured the prestigious Cupping Competition, co-sponsored by festival partners Kamehameha Schools and UCC Ueshima Coffee Co. LTD. With nearly 70 percent of Hawaiʻi’s coffee grown on KS lands, Kamehameha Schools is a strong supporter of the festival.

“We’re honored to co-sponsor the Cupping Competition with the Ueshima Coffee Company, as the event promotes Hawaiʻi’s coffee industry and the many small farming operations on Kamehameha lands,” said Jamee Miller, Kamehameha Schools West Hawaiʻi director of education initiatives.

“This event brings together the best tasting coffees of Hawaiʻi into one place and allows communities, supporting organizations, and families to engage and enjoy.”

Judges look for the best “Kona characteristics” based on aroma, body, flavor, acidity, sweetness and aftertaste. Every farm has a distinctive taste because of its terroir and a unique personality profile carefully cultivated by the farms owner.

Aikane Kona Coffee took first place this year in the Classic division, reserved for small, single-estate farms. Arrianna Farms ʻOno Kona Coffee took first place in the Crown division, for larger farms and professional processing mills.

Farmers producing coffee on KS lands also had a strong showing, with two farms placing in the finals. Buddha’s Cup won second place in the Crown division while Kona Coffee and Tea won third place in the Classic.

The award-winning Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is the oldest and one of the most successful food festivals in Hawaiʻi. The 10-day festival promotes Hawaiʻi’s unique culture and diversity and is made possible through community support, collaboration and key partnerships with 60 organizations and donors.

“Congratulations to the winners of this year’s competition!” Miller said. “Kamehameha’s support for the festival is driven by a strong desire to participate in collaborations that have a positive impact on the community in the areas of education, culture, economics and sustainability, including the agricultural industry. In the West Hawai‘i region, we’re really pleased to have an event like the festival to allow us to do that.”

Kamehameha’s support for the festival is driven by a strong desire to participate in collaborations that have a positive impact on the community in the areas of education, culture, economics and sustainability, including the agricultural industry.
Jamee Miller, KS West Hawaiʻi director of education initiatives

A collection of commemorative festival buttons illustrates the event's 45 years of culture and heritage.

Judges sampled nearly 70 coffees in the cupping competition. They included l-r: Kyle Evans of Honolulu Coffee Co., Miguel Meza of Isla Custom Coffees, and Sam Shank of Hawaiʻi Coffee Company.