America’s foremost beverage purveyor has taken a stake in Kona coffee once again. Starbucks announced that through April 14, 2014, 100% Kona Parry Estate is available in select stores.
We’re glad to have more awareness of the Hawaii coffee industry brought about by this test offering. While the coffee is grown in Hawaii, the actual roasting will be done on the mainland by Starbucks. As home coffee roasters, we’ve never been fans of how Starbucks typically over roasts their coffees. If you try their latest offering, be sure to let us know your thoughts.
Meticulous care is exactly the way I would describe the approach taken at Parry Estate –Anthony Carroll, Starbucks
The new Kona coffee offering was announced by Starbucks manager of coffee quality Anthony Carroll, who added, “producing high quality coffee takes meticulous care….This Estate is stunning. It is well maintained and cared for and it shows in the amazing coffee it produces. The trees are healthy and the mill is clean and efficient.”
The farm’s owner/operator is John Parry has run the operation for over 25 years. His 900 acre farm at the top of Donkey Mill Road in Kailua Kona is the largest sustainable coffee plantation in the US.
“Mr. Parry is a very engaged farmer,” said Carroll. “He is focused on quality and has a tremendous amount of respect for those who have the same passion.”
There are many great coffees for you to try on your Hawaii vacation. Two of our favorite places for pure Hawaiian java are Beach Bum Cafe in Honolulu and Coffees of Hawaii on Molokai. Any Hawaii coffee favorites you’d like to share?
I have tried it, in Hawaii, it’s excellent, but not nearly that expensive.
No thank you! I will continue to support small businesses and order my Kona and Ka’u from Hanalei coffee roasters.
I really can’t wait for this Starbucks trend to be over with. It is lousy coffee.
I work at Starbucks, and have for 9 years in May.
Someone, probably a very kind customer, brought some of this new coffee to our store for the partners to try.
We made a french press of it just yesterday when I finished work.
Having to taste coffee for a living, I have to say I was surprised at how toned down it was for a Kona. But it was smooth, slightly bright, and reminded me of sitting watching the waves in Maui. Maybe even a hint of mango and floral notes, but that may have been my memory.
I most certainly would buy it from Edmonton, Alberta, if I could….
1/2 pound at Starbucks $24.95, wow.
Hi Barb,
You can’t compare the cost of most Hawaii coffee with others and there are valid reasons for that. You can also expect to pay $5 per cup for Kona or Ka`u. Give it a try if you’d like and let us know what you think.
Aloha.
When I first saw this I couldn’t believe that any grower of coffee on the Kona coast on Hawai’i could conceive of partnering up with Charbucks!…There are so many wonderful coffee roasters on the mainland that would or could do a wonderful job of promoting Hawai’is well known export in a way that would benefit all concerned. This particular coffee chain carried Jamaican Blue Mountain awhile back that truly inspired me since that coffee can be a most wounderous experience….They roasted it like Burnt Toast and it tasted just like everything else they make…ugh! I understand that Charbucks is huge in the exposure arena but Peet’s Coffee, Blue Bottle in Ca and Stumptown in Wa would be better partners albeit smaller but considerably better coffee roasters by any measure. I’m not in the industry but I certainly would reconsider that direction a wrong turn and definitely make a course correction & get on a more quality based long term track ASAP!