For nearly four decades, one of those easy, reliable recommendations given to visitors largely without hesitation may end. If you have a free hour on the South Shore, now is the time to take advantage of it, in case anything changes. For now, you can drive out to the fields, walk the paths, sip the coffee samples, shop at the store, and take in the views. It is free, educational, scenic, and uniquely Kauai. But all that is poised to change soon.
Kauai Coffee lease will not be extended beyond March 2026.
Beat of Hawaii’s offices are about three miles away from the Kauai Coffee plantation, and over the years, we have sent countless Beat of Hawaii readers there. That is why the news quietly shared at a recent open house matters far beyond the coffee rows themselves.
At the company level, the message has been one of uncertainty rather than resolution. Employees were informed, and local and state officials, including Mayor Derek Kawakami, members of the Kauai County Council, and Senate President Ron Kouchi, have been briefed. For now, there is no clear timeline or outcome, only the understanding that decisions still lie ahead.
From just a few miles away, what we are hearing locally is less panic than unease. Kauai Coffee is woven into the South Shore economy in quiet ways, from vendors to tour traffic, and the uncertainty is enough that people are paying attention even if no one yet believes the gates are about to close.
For visitors, the uncertainty centers on what they might lose. Kauai Coffee is not just a brand on a Costco or grocery shelf, but one of the island’s most popular free attractions, welcoming more than 350,000 guests a year. The visitor center combines complimentary tastings, a self-guided walk through active fields, coffee education exhibits, and a well-stocked shop, all set against a rural Kauai south shore setting, ocean views and open space that very few agricultural attractions can match.
The situation becomes clearer when you understand who controls the land.
Kauai Coffee has never owned the property it farms. For generations, the land was part of Alexander and Baldwin’s vast plantation real estate holdings. In November 2021, A&B sold the Kukuiula luxury development to Brue Baukol Capital Partners for $183.5M. In June 2022, A&B sold more than 18,000 additional acres on Kauai to the same Colorado-based investment firm for about $74M. That package included roughly 5,000 acres of South Shore agricultural land where Kauai Coffee operates, in addition to more than 10,000 acres in the Wainiha Valley, plus land surrounding Kukuiula. With that deal, BBCP became Kauai’s third-largest private landowner.
Kauai Coffee is operated by Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, a global coffee company that also owns mass-market brands such as Maxwell House and Hills Bros. The company purchased Kauai Coffee in 2011 and leases the land from BBCP. The farm itself was planted decades earlier as a practical agricultural replacement after macadamia nut trees failed following hurricane damage, a reminder that this operation has always been about scale and viability rather than boutique (“third wave”) coffee production. We explored that trend in detail in Wall Street Just Paid $2.3B For Hawaii. Guess Who Pays Next?, and the parallels here are hard to ignore.
The stakes are not small. Kauai Coffee has been operating since 1987.
Hurricane Iniki, a Category 4 storm that struck Kauai in September 1992, severely damaged macadamia nut orchards on this South Shore acreage. In the years that followed, the landowner shifted to coffee as a practical large-scale replacement crop, setting the foundation for what later became Kauai Coffee. Today, the operation spans about 3,100 acres with roughly four million trees, making it the largest coffee farm in the United States. Since Massimo Zanetti Beverage acquired the operation in 2011, the company says revenues have grown 209% to an estimated $24.9M in 2025. It reports paying more than $3M in state taxes over that period and investing $63M with local vendors and businesses. The farm is Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and Non-GMO certified, but its sheer scale has also made pesticide use and environmental impact a long-running point of local concern and debate.
Kauai Coffee says it wants to remain on the land and continue operating beyond the current lease, though that outcome ultimately depends on decisions by the landowner. The company has also expressed support for workforce housing tied specifically to its agricultural staff.
From here, there are three realistic paths forward.
- In the first scenario, Massimo Zanetti Beverage and BBCP reach a lease agreement, and operations continue largely as they do now. Jobs remain, the visitor center stays open, and most travelers would never notice anything changed. Given the scale and profitability of the operation, some believe this is the most likely outcome if negotiations resolve.
- In the second scenario, the landowner takes over. BBCP could operate the farm directly or bring in new management, with coffee production continuing under different ownership. Workers could be rehired under a new structure, and the visitor experience would likely continue but could evolve. The Kauai Coffee brand name might remain, or it could change depending on how the transition ultimately unfolds.
- The third scenario is a shutdown. Operations would cease, jobs would be lost, and one of Kauai’s most accessible free visitor experiences would disappear. While agricultural zoning currently limits major redevelopment options, Hawaii’s land history shows that zoning and land use can evolve over time, particularly when large landowners such as these are involved. Given strong coffee prices and the farm’s scale, this appears the least likely short-term outcome, but it would be naive to dismiss it entirely.
For visitors planning a Kauai trip, timing matters. If you are coming in the next ninety days, the visitor center will still be operating as it does now. If your plans extend into late March 2026 or beyond, the picture becomes less clear. It would be wise not to build an itinerary around Kauai Coffee visits without checking closer to your travel dates.
This is not an alarm bell, at least not yet. It is, however, a reminder of how quickly familiar Hawaii experiences can become uncertain when land ownership and investment priorities shift. From just a few miles away, we will be watching closely, because what happens here affects not only workers and fields, but also residents and the visitors who have made this stop part of their Kauai routine for decades.
Have you visited Kauai Coffee, and what would losing or changing this attraction mean for your Kauai trips?
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Sadly, real estate is going to win out. (17DEC25)
My husband and I have been visiting Kauai since 1996. This has always been my happy place! The other islands do not give me the joy and peace that Kauai does. In May 2026 we will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary on Kauai and unfortunately it will be our last trip there. Our ages, our mobility issues and the increasing travel costs are making this decision for us. We have visited Kauai Coffee on every trip. The coffee is addicting! Before it became available locally, we would ship home enough to last until our next trip! It is the only coffee we drink in our home! I pray that it does not go away, that would be devastating. By enjoying Kauai coffee in our home, it brings a small piece of my happy place to me.
Day after day I read these BOH postings where everyone laments that tourism is the only current viable industry in Hawaii and how that impacts the local economy and attitudes. I remember Maui when sugar cane and pineapple were growing Everywhere. I’m pretty sure that if the slopes behind Lahaina were still managed cane fields instead of a giant weed patch, the fire devastation would not have happened. So now you have a great company employing lots of locals, selling and exporting a high-demand agricultural product, and it will ultimately be shut down in favor of even more tourist infrastructure. I’m convinced that the “vision” the Hawaiian government has for the future does not extend beyond tomorrow.
Talk about sad as I see the island change… I know we have to be open to progress and change, but to see the character of the island change is not comforting. I want to share our beautiful island home, but not being able to enjoy our island home makes me want to close our doors. I remember a story told me long ago…a Hawaiian man stands on the shore contemplating the beauty of the ocean and invites others to enjoy it with him. A visitor comes along and comments. “How can I make a buck from this…” we want our perspectives to be valued and cherished.
“Hawaiian man stands on the shore…….and invites others to share it with him”
Kalaheo- I agree with you 100 %. This is exactly why excluding non-residents from the beach certain hours, days and times and charging fees only to non-residents is so toxic.
The beach was the great equalizer- rich, poor, everyone was welcome.
This is so sad. As the spouse of a dedicated employee, I see firsthand the vital role this land plays in our community’s livelihood. This site is not merely a place of business; it is one of the final vestiges of West side agricultural heritage. To lose this site to tourist development would be a devastating blow to our local culture. We must protect our open spaces and the jobs that define our community. Let’s stand together to ensure that the West Side remains a place where agriculture thrives, not just a memory replaced by tourism.
You did say “free” but I’ll plug the paid tour. It was worth the time and money to go on the farm tour.
Sad; I always enjoyed stopping here to sample and buy coffee. Unfortunately, I think we all know which of the three scenarios will play out. It’s only a matter of time before the development company owner pays off Kauai County council to re-zone for either another luxury home development or a resort.
Aloha, I have been to Kauai coffee and enjoyed the visit. I hope it continues for the people who work there. Keep the land open
We stop by on every trip.
It’s a must visit on a regular day trip from the North Shore to the South and West Shore activities. I’m not a coffee drinker but my wife is, and she says that it is the best coffee in the world. We always load up and ship, as well as pack some to bring home to share. Before I retired my office staff expected to receive Kauai Coffee and Macadamia nuts after every trip, and no excuses for not providing these delicious Kauai treats!
I make it a point to stop in at the visitor center to sample and purchase whenever we head in that direction. It would be very sad to see it close & operations shut down. Kauai does not need to lose more jobs!
Every trip (4 times a year) we bring an extra duffle bag that we fill with bags of Kauai Coffee. Sure you can get it on Amazon, but it’s much fresher when you buy on-island (Foodland).
Coconut Carmel Crunch
Vanilla Macadamia Nut
Every sip in the morning brings me back to Kauai.
My wife is addicted to it and if goes away I’ll have to get her into rehab! 🙁
We’ve been visiting Kauai Coffee for 30 years. We love their coffee, and have bought plenty, and shipped some home that was too much for our suitcase. Their Visitor plantation is a great experience. It has the potential for great business, if non-USA coffee is highly tariffed. It will be very much missed, if it doesn’t continue.
We have visited and enjoyed Kauai Coffee and the welcoming feeling we have received from the staff. I guess everything depends on what happens next. Best case scenario is the first option BOH has listed. Everything remains as is. Worst case: the land is used for new luxury condominiums and a high-priced golf course. A precedent has already been set with the Kukuiula luxury development. I hope the land owners see the significance of Kauai Coffee, and consider the financial impact on the workers. But unfortunately, I foresee the landowners seeing nothing but $$$$ signs, especially since they are from the mainland.
I hope Kauai Coffee can continue to operate. We enjoy the visitors center and Big Braddahʻs coffee is our favorite. It is too expensive to drink every day but we periodically buy 5lb. bags and it is our weekend coffee treat.
We would be very sad to see it go.
Kauai Coffee has become a regular stop on my day trips from the north shore to the south. Though maybe not entirely free, hey, you gotta buy some coffee, it would certainly be missed as a place to stop, take a leisurely stroll and have a small snack. Hope something can be worked out in short order.
I’m conflicted. Multiple things include the sheer scale and the pesticide use there have always bothered me, but shutting it down doesn’t magically fix that problem either and what comes next could be far worse. Keep in mind that Kauai has no road infrastructure to support anything more that is traffic intensive.
People saying zoning will protect this land haven’t been paying attention here in Hawaii. Zoning changes when enough money and the right people are involved.
Let’s be honest. This land was never going to stay coffee forever. It was just a matter of timing and ownership.
This article explains something about what I never understood. I always wondered why such a massive commercial coffee operation existed there in the first place.
We stopped going years ago. It felt less authentic over time, but I’d still rather see coffee fields than whatever might come next. It’s definitely concerning since A&B is involved.
It will remain a coffee farm until BBPC can grease the hands of Hawaii officials to get the zoning changed.
This would be a real loss. Kauai Coffee was one of the few places we could stop without a reservation, without a fee, and just enjoy learning and tasting something. Not everything on Kauai needs to be monetized or gated.
Kauai Coffee has been a must-visit stop on every Kauai trip, for many years. I hope the principals will be able to work out agreements so it can remain on Kauai to-do list for my next trip.