The Big Island City Council in Hawaii has just passed a resolution to require coffee sellers to use more Kona Coffee in their "Kona coffee blends." Currently, the required minimum amount for a coffee to be labeled with the Kona blend term is only 10% of the beans. The new resolution ups the amount to 75% - an increase the growers and officials say is necessary to protect the Kona coffee name and reputation, as well as the financial well-being of the growers. They borrowed the 75% standard from California wine growers, who require that 75% of the grapes used in a wine to come from California grapes.
Proponents of the change, which passed through the council in a unanimous vote, say that not only will this protect the (wee deserved) reputation of Kona coffee as a luxury product, but it will ultimately prove to be better for consumers, who will know with certainty what they are paying for when they buy a Kona Blend and won't end up overpaying for a substandard product that bears the region's name.
12-26-2006 @6:36PM Will K said... So now the price of Kona has just risen dramatically. Just what we coffee drinkers need.
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12-27-2006 @12:51PM M-L said... Was just at Hilo Coffee Mill on Friday and one of the owners there was quite concerned about this new minimum. She said that there is already difficulty meeting demand. Kona farms are at capacity. There are some 600 farms in the Kona district so it's all about knowing your source. Much like California wine, just because it comes from Kona, doesn't mean 1)it's quality or 2)it's been roasted right.
Increasing to meet the 75% minimum will likely raise prices so far that Kona farmers will end up pricing themselves right out of business. Jeanette was also telling us that they will have Puna beans on in a couple more years since that's their own district.
I gather from your "wee deserved" comment that you're not impressed with Kona. I suggest finding something other than what is sold in every tourist shop/grocery store and be a little more discerning before dogging an entire region.
Buy direct from the farmer and support the business.
http://hilocoffeemill.stores.yahoo.net/index.html
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12-26-2006 @10:30PM Mike said... I was surprised, though I guess I shouldn't have been, that some "Kona Blends" were only 10% Kona coffee. I knew there was a reason I stayed away from Kona or Blue Mountain blends. You never know what you're getting.
This doesn't mean the real cost of Kona will be going up. But the percentage will go up. Want it cheaper like before? Mix it 3-to-1 with something cheap from Starbucks and you'll get what you've always got for the old price.
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12-27-2006 @2:17PM Mike said... "wee deserved" is nonsense and a typo. It was obviously suposed to be "well deserved" The paragraph reads a bit differently that way, doesn't it?
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