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One of the most asked questions about our Kona Coffee is why our prices are a bit higher than Kona Coffee that can be found in the grocery store.
Kona Coffee tends to run a little more expensive than your typical consumer brands, but there are a couple reasons for that you might notice ours costs a little bit more.
The first reason is that our coffee is not mass produced. Kona Coffee from Carta Coffee Merchants comes from small farms in Kona Hawaii where the entire coffee making process is done by hand. It’s important for us to pay our employees a living wage and to create the best tasting coffee we possibly can.
Because we are a small, family-owned, operation, it costs us a little more to produce our coffee, thus the prices can seem a bit higher. But we assure you that the quality of our coffee is second to none.
The other thing you need to consider when talking about Kona Coffee is whether the Kona coffee you are purchasing is a Kona Blend or if it is 100% Kona Coffee. This will make a huge difference in the price as well as the taste and quality of the coffee.
At Carta Coffee Merchants, we specialize in 100% Kona Coffee, so you can be sure that you’re getting quality coffee from only the best source.
Now I know you’re thinking to yourself, “That’s great, but what’s the difference between Kona Blend Coffee and 100% Kona Coffee” and I’m glad you asked.
What Makes 100% Kona Coffee Different from Kona Blend Coffee?
It’s very important that you understand the difference between 100% Kona Coffee and Kona Blend Coffee. Choosing a blend over a true Kona Coffee can dilute the taste and quality and give you a far less superior product. It may even have you questioning what the hype is over Kona Coffee.
100% Kona Coffee will always consist of coffee beans grown in Kona, Hawaii. It will not be blended with any other types of coffee grown in other areas. Every bean in the bag needs to have originated in the soil in Kona for it to be considered a true 100% Kona Coffee.
This can also mean that a certain bag may contain a blend of different roasts of the same bean, like our Latitude Black and Tan Roast. While the beans are a blend of different roasts, all the beans were grown in Kona, Hawaii and therefore the bag is considered 100% Pure Kona Coffee.
When it comes to blend coffees and Kona Blend Coffees, to be allowed to have the word “Kona” in the name or on the packaging, a coffee only needs to contain 10% Kona coffee beans. The other 90% of the beans can be whatever they decide to throw in the bag, but as long as 10% of them are true Kona coffee beans then they can claim it’s a Kona blend.
Why do brands do this? Because the Kona Coffee name and reputation is so coveted that coffee producers will do whatever they can to get those words on the packaging.
If you’re not a big coffee drinker, or are just looking for something new to try, seeing the word “Kona” on a package of coffee could be enough to get you to try it. And if you don’t look close enough, you could be getting a blend which may very well be disappointing on first taste, leading you to question why people rave so much about Kona Coffee.
True Kona coffee farmers have an issue with this because it can tarnish the Kona coffee name and easily misinform people of what is truly Kona coffee. Not to mention these Kona blends can be priced much cheaper, since they aren’t using 100% Kona coffee, thus causing consumers to be more likely to purchase the lower price bag than a higher priced, 100% pure Kona coffee bag.
When it comes to Kona Coffee you want to make sure that you’re getting what you paid for. Make sure to look at the label and see if it says the words “100% Kona Coffee” and it doesn’t say “Kona Blend Coffee”.
You should also be able to find, usually in the fine print, an area that states that the bag has only 10% Kona coffee beans if it’s a blend.
And finally, price should also be a red flag. True Kona coffee is going to be priced a bit higher than a Kona coffee blend because it takes more work to grow and process the beans.
If you’re looking for pure 100% Kona Coffee, without having to worry about whether you’re getting a blend or not, be sure to check out our shop for some of the best Kona Coffee you can buy!
