The Prices of 100％ Kona Coffee on the Big Island

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Prices of 100％ Kona Coffee on the Big Island

      As I mentioned in my previous entry, Kona Coffee is one of the most expensive coffee in the U.S. While my husband and I were traveling on the Big Island, Hawaii, we always ordered 100% Kona Coffee at cafe.

       According to Wikipedia, because of the rarity and price of Kona coffee, some retailers sell "Kona Blends". These are not a combination of different Kona coffees, but a blend of Kona and Colombian, Brazilian, or other foreign coffees. Usually they contain only the minimum required 10% Kona coffee and 90% cheaper imported beans.
Current Hawaiian law requires blends to state only the percentage of Kona coffee on the label but not any other coffee origins. There is no matching Federal law. Some retailers use terms such as 'Kona Roast' or 'Kona Style'. To be considered authentic Kona coffee, the state of Hawaii's labeling laws require the prominent display of the words "100% Kona Coffee".

       A small cup of 100% Kona cofee was about $2.50 on the Big Island. A bag of ground coffee was $40 at the cafe. I thought a brewed coffee was reasonable but coffee beans were still super expensive around Kona district.

We went to KTA Super Stores, the closest supermarket from Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, we stayed on the Big Island. We found so many kinds of Kona Coffee there. A 100% Kona Coffee was about two times more expensive than Kona Blend Coffee, which contains only the minimum required 10% Kona coffee and 90% cheaper imported beans.

KTA Super Stores

KTA Super Stores

Keauhou Shopping Center

78-6831 Ali`i Drive

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

We also found that Costco on the Big Island was selling a 100% Kona Coffee.

Costco in Kailua-kona

Costco
73-5600 Maiau St
Kailua-kona, HI 96740

We finally purchased these coffees for ourselves. :) The 7 OZ of 100% Kona Coffee by Royal Kona was $13.96 at KTA Super Stores. The 16 OZ of Mountain Thunder Premium 100% Kona Coffee was $19.79 at Costco. Lion Coffee, which is Hawaiian Coffee brand but is not Kona Coffee, was on sale for $3.99 at KTA Super Stores!