Story at a glance
- A resolution passed unanimously last week would require coffee blends to be at least 51 percent Hawaii-grown to use geographic names on their packaging.
- Current law states that distributors can use Hawaii names like Kona and Ka’u on coffee products that are just 10 percent Hawaii-grown.
- About 600 coffee growers in Kona filed a lawsuit against major coffee retailers like Safeway and Amazon for labeling coffee that did not originate in Kona as “Kona” blends.
County officials in Hawaii are asking state lawmakers to impose more stringent limitations on the use of Hawaii location names on coffee packaging.
A Hawaii County Council resolution, which passed unanimously last week, would require coffee blends to be at least 51 percent Hawaii-grown to use geographic names in their labeling, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported. Current state law allows distributors to use Hawaii names like Kona and Ka’u on coffee products that contain as little as 10 percent of beans from the named area.
Native coffee farmers testifying at a council meeting on Wednesday, when the resolution was passed, said the present policy is too lenient and enables large distributors to push local farmers out of the market. It’s also damaging to their brand, they said.
“When consumers are misled into believing that ‘Kona’ blends are (genuine) Kona coffee, and they are disappointed by the taste of those blends, our heritage coffees … are permanently damaged,” coffee farmer Bruce Corker said during the meeting, according to The Associated Press.
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Roughly 600 Kona coffee growers, including Corker, filed a lawsuit against major coffee retailers, including Safeway, Walmart, and Amazon, in 2019 for labeling coffee that did not originate from Kona as “Kona” blends. Some of those companies have offered preliminary settlements totaling more than $13 million, according to the Tribune-Herald.
Geographic indications, or GIs, “protect the quality and reputation of a distinctive product originating in a certain region,” according to a Congressional Research Service report. Common examples of established GIs include Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Champagne from the region of the same name in France, and Florida oranges.
The 10 percent blends of mainland coffee distributors “defraud and confuse” consumers and “smear the name of Hawaii,” coffee grower Jim Monk said Wednesday.
North Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba, who introduced the resolution, plans to reach out to state legislators directly to facilitate swift action at the next legislative session, which begins in January.
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