The Independent Voice June 2026
Contents
Greetings from President Peterson
Growing Bigger, Sweeter Coffee
Kona Earthquake Caused Catastrophic Water Supply Damage
Ka’u Coffee Festival 2026
The History of Ka’u Coffee
Dave Barry Quote
How Coffee Packaging Design Influences Trust, Clarity and Sales
The War in Iran is Making Coffee Production More Expensive
The Social Impact of Biennial Production Cycles
Co-Fermented Coffees may be Divisive, But there is a Market for Them
Study: Unsweetened vs Sweetened Coffee and Cardiovascular Disease
Local Coffee Industry Jobs – Kauai Coffee
Espretto Secures US Partnerships Across Hawai’i, Florida and New York
Recipe – Majestic Kona Coffee Cheesecake
Editor: Clare Wilson
GREETINGS FROM PRESIDENT PETERSEN
Aloha Coffee Farmers,
Well… if anyone needed proof that Kona farmers are made of tougher stuff than our rocky soils, the past few weeks certainly delivered it. First, the Kona Low tried to wash us into the ocean, and then the earth itself decided to give South Kona a good shake — just to make sure we were paying attention. If your nerves are still rattled, you’re in excellent company.
But here’s the good news: our community is strong, our coffee trees are stubborn, and there is real help available for anyone dealing with damage, repairs, or lingering “why is that wall suddenly crooked?” mysteries.
Below is a roundup of state, federal, and nonprofit assistance that farmers can tap into right now. If you know someone who isn’t on email or doesn’t read the newsletter, please pass this on.
USDA Farm Service Agency – Federal Disaster Programs
USDA has several programs that may apply to storm or earthquake impacts:
ELAP – for feed, water, or grazing losses
TAP – for damaged or destroyed coffee, cacao, and other perennial crops
LIP – for livestock losses
NAP / crop insurance – for crop-level damage
Important: Report losses to FSA and NRCS as soon as possible — even if you’re still assessing.
Contact: USDA Kona / Hilo Service Centers
Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA)
For farms with structural, road, or major infrastructure damage, HI-EMA administers:
• Hazard Mitigation Grants
• Flood Mitigation Assistance
• Public Assistance (for eligible entities)
Contact: dod.hiema.grants@hawaii.gov • 808-733-4300
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) – Disaster Aid
OHA has released $3.96 million in disaster relief, including up to $15,000 for Native Hawaiian families affected by the Kona Low. Native Hawaiian farmers may also qualify for the Mahiʻai Micro-Grant.
Website: https://www.oha.org
Email: info@oha.org
Hawai‘i VOAD – Volunteer & NGO Support
If you need help with cleanup, debris removal, or volunteer labor, Hawai‘i VOAD coordinates nonprofit partners who can assist.
Contact: hawaiistatevoad@gmail.com
Website: https://www.hawaiistatevoad.
CTAHR Soil & Plant Testing – Free Through July
If your soil took a beating from flooding or runoff, CTAHR’s diagnostic center is offering up to three free soil or plant tests for affected farmers through July 21, 2026.
This is a wonderful way to check whether your soil is recovering faster than you are.
Web article: UH soil service center reopens with free testing for flood-affected farmers | University of Hawaiʻi System News
Hawaii County Civil Defense
Earthquake Damage Reporting
If the May 22 earthquake left cracks or leaks in your structures, please report the damage. These reports help unlock additional aid. We have received word that approximately 145 mauka water tanks have been reported to Hawaii County Civil Defense. If you have damage to your water tank(s), please report the earthquake effects so assistance could be developed to provide relief.
Phone: 808-935-0031
Online: Hawai‘i County Civil Defense damage report portal
These past weeks have reminded us that farming in Kona is not for the faint of heart — but it is for people who show up for each other. If you need help navigating any of these programs, reach out. If you are doing okay, check on a neighbor who might not be. If your home or outbuildings were damaged during the quake, we wish you a swift recovery and minimal trouble.
Mahalo for all you do to keep Kona coffee strong, resilient, and rooted in community. Here’s to calmer weather, cooperative trees, and a June that behaves itself.
PURE KONA,
Mahalo nui loa!
Mark Petersen, KCFA President
GROWING BIGGER, SWEETER COFFEE
What Farmers Can Do During Cherry Development
Kona farmers know that flowering gets most of the attention — but the real magic of cup quality happens quietly in the weeks and months after pollination. During cherry expansion and bean filling (roughly 10–20 weeks after flowering), the tree determines bean size, density, sugar content, and overall cup quality.
This guide summarizes research-based, practical actions farmers can take during cherry development to produce larger beans and sweeter cups.
1. Maintain Steady Soil Moisture (Avoid Stress Fluctuations)
Coffee is sensitive to water stress during fruit expansion. Even short dry spells can reduce bean size and sugar accumulation.
Why it matters
• Water deficits during the cell-expansion phase reduce final bean size by limiting pericarp and endosperm growth (DaMatta et al., 2007).
• Alternating drought and sudden rainfall increases small beans, “bean abortion,” and uneven maturation (Carr, 2001).
• Guidelines
• Maintain consistent soil moisture using mulch, shade, or supplemental irrigation where available.
• Avoid swings from “dry” to “soaked” — steady moisture is better than perfect moisture.
• Apply 3–6 inches of organic mulch to stabilize moisture and support soil biology.
2. Provide Balanced Nutrition During Bean Filling
Bean filling is a major nutrient sink, especially for nitrogen (N), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and boron (B).
Why it matters
• Potassium is linked to bean size and sugar transport (Malavolta et al., 2002).
• Calcium strengthens cell walls and reduces bean defects (Reis et al., 2015).
• Boron is essential for sugar movement and seed development (Silva et al., 2016).
Guidelines
• Apply balanced fertilizer early in fruit expansion.
• Ensure K is not limiting — coffee removes more K than N during fruiting.
• Foliar B at 0.2–0.3% can improve fruit set and bean filling.
• Avoid heavy late-season N, which can delay ripening and reduce sweetness.
3. Manage Shade to Improve Sweetness and Bean Density
Moderate shade (20–40%) improves bean size, sucrose content, and cup quality.
Why it matters
• Shade reduces heat stress and slows cherry development, allowing more time for sugar accumulation (Vaast et al., 2006).
• Shade-grown coffee often has higher sucrose and lipid content, improving sweetness and mouthfeel (Worku et al., 2018).
Guidelines
• Maintain light, filtered shade, not deep shade.
• Prune shade trees to allow morning sun and afternoon protection.
• Avoid sudden shade removal, which can shock trees and reduce bean filling
4. Control Pests Early to Protect Bean Development
Even low pest pressure during cherry expansion can reduce bean size and sweetness.
Key culprits
• Coffee berry borer (CBB) reduces bean mass and sugar content (Vega et al., 2015).
• Black twig borer — disrupts carbohydrate flow to developing cherries.
• Leaf miners — reduce photosynthesis and sugar supply.
Guidelines
• Maintain CBB IPM: Beauveria sprays, sanitation, strip picking.
• Remove infested twigs to reduce black twig borer populations.
• Keep trees vigorous to reduce susceptibility.
5. Maintain Healthy Leaf Area (Avoid Heavy Pruning During Fruit Fill)
Coffee beans are filled primarily by current photosynthesis, not stored reserves.
Why it matters
• Removing too much leaf area reduces carbohydrate supply, leading to smaller beans (Cannell, 1985).
• Trees need at least 70% of normal leaf area to maintain optimal bean filling.
Guidelines
• Avoid heavy pruning or skeletonizing during fruit expansion.
• Maintain a full, healthy canopy until after harvest.
• Address nutrient deficiencies with nutrition, not pruning.
6. Reduce Competition: Weed Control Improves Bean Size
Weeds compete for water and nutrients exactly when cherries need them most.
Why it matters
• Weed competition can reduce bean size by 10–30% (Silva & Silva, 2013).
• Clean rows improve soil moisture and nutrient availability.
Guidelines
• Maintain a 2–3 ft weed-free strip around each tree.
• Use mulch to suppress regrowth and stabilize moisture.
• Avoid deep cultivation that damages feeder roots.
7. Encourage Slow, Even Ripening for Sweeter Beans
Sweetness is strongly linked to sucrose accumulation, which increases when cherries ripen slowly and evenly.
Why it matters
• Slow maturation increases sucrose, lipids, and volatile precursors (Bertrand et al., 2012).
• Heat stress accelerates ripening but reduces sweetness.
Guidelines
• Maintain moderate shade.
• Keep trees well-watered during heat waves.
• Avoid late-season nitrogen that pushes vegetative growth over fruit quality.
Conclusion: Small Actions Now Can Help with Bigger, Sweeter Beans Later
The period between flowering and harvesting is the most important window for influencing bean size and sweetness. By focusing on steady moisture, balanced nutrition, moderate shade, pest control, and healthy leaf area, Kona farmers can meaningfully improve both yield and cup quality.
References here
KONA EARTHQUAKE LEFT CATASTROPHIC WATER SUPPLY DAMAGE FOR HUNDREDS
https://tinyurl.com/yc8nw8jf
“Just two months after the Kona low storms, another potential disaster is playing out on the rural southwest side of Hawaiʻi island. But this time, instead of too much water, farmers and other rural residents suddenly don’t have enough.
The May 22nd 6.0 magnitude earthquake crushed and burst water catchment systems — large wooden and metal tanks that hold the rainwater pumped into homes and farm irrigation systems. The county provides very little water to the predominantly agricultural region and Corey Yeaton, owner of Pacific Blue Catchment, estimated that as many as 500 people could be without water.
The earthquake brought violent shaking and multiple aftershocks. Homes moved off their foundations and ancient rock walls toppled. It was 14 miles deep and felt throughout the islands.
By Monday morning, Yeaton had already received “well over 100” phone calls from Kona farmers and other rural residents.
“Most people’s tanks blew out catastrophically,” he said. Some tanks collapsed, many others had their linings torn. The linings are typically attached to the ground beneath the tanks, and they stayed attached while the tanks themselves, he said, “walked for up to a foot” in the quake”
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17TH KA’U COFFEE FESTIVAL 2026
Sip, savor & celebrate Hawai‘i’s Southern Brew
https://www.comunicaffe.com/
“KA’U (Hawaii) – Sip, savor and enjoy the unique coffee and regional flavor of the island’s southern district at the 17th Ka‘ū Coffee Festival. The annual event celebrates Ka‘ū’s award-winning brew with a lineup of festive and tasty activities June 14-20. The 2026 festival honors the people, places and traditions that have shaped Ka‘ū’s remarkable coffee story. This year’s festivities highlight the deep connection between malama ʻaina and the resilience of Ka‘ū’s farming families who reinvented themselves to build a new agricultural industry from the ground up. Over the past 25-plus years, they have protected their lands, strengthened their farms and created a world-recognized coffee rooted in community and stewardship.
Festival fun features the exceptional flavor and aroma of Ka‘ū coffee and the remarkable people and place that produce it. Some activities are free, while others have a fee. Kindly note the 2026 festival schedule is subject to change; visit www.kaucoffeefestival.com for the latest information….”
THE HISTORY OF KA’Ū COFFEE
Kaʻū coffee has one of the most inspiring agricultural stories in Hawaiʻi — a story shaped by resilience, community strength, and the determination to rebuild after the end of sugar.
Coffee was first planted in Kaʻū in the late 1800s, but for more than a century the region remained dominated by sugar plantations. When the Kaʻū Sugar Company closed in 1996, hundreds of workers suddenly found themselves without jobs and the district without its economic foundation. What could have been a period of decline instead became a turning point.
Former plantation workers and their families began planting coffee on the fertile southern slopes of Mauna Loa, where rich volcanic soils, sunny mornings, and cool misty afternoons created ideal growing conditions. Many of these early farmers were new to specialty coffee, learning cultivation, processing, and marketing from the ground up.
Their perseverance paid off. In 2007, Kaʻū coffee gained international recognition when local farmers placed in the top ranks of the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s global cupping competition. This breakthrough put Kaʻū on the world coffee map and sparked a wave of pride and investment in the region.
Since then, Kaʻū coffees have earned multiple awards and are now celebrated for their elegance, complexity, and distinctive flavor profiles. Today, Kaʻū coffee is grown on small family farms — many operated by descendants of plantation workers and Native Hawaiian families — who continue to honor the land and the legacy of those who rebuilt the community through coffee.
The Kaʻū Coffee Festival, established in 2009, continues to share this story with the world, celebrating the farmers, families, and cultural traditions that make Kaʻū coffee unique.
Here is the Ka’ū story on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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QUOTE FROM DAVE BARRY
“It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity.”
COFFEE PACKAGING: HOW DESIGN INFLUENCES TRUST, CLARITY AND SALES
https://coffeetalk.com/daily-
“For years, much of the industry operated under the assumption that product quality alone would suffice. This was always partly wishful thinking and is significantly less true today. Coffee businesses now compete in a crowded, highly visual market where customers and buyers form rapid judgments. Before anyone even tastes the coffee, they are already assessing the logo, packaging, website, café ambiance, menu board, retail display, or trade-show presentation. While design never replaces substance, it now plays a crucial role in whether that substance is noticed by the market at all.
The Specialty Coffee Association’s current framework helps clarify this shift. Its live Design in Coffee platform showcases categories such as Branding, Packaging, Spaces, and Vessels. Complementing this, the World of Coffee San Diego Coffee Design Awards rubric guides judges to evaluate design through seven key lenses: innovation, long-lasting relevance, congruency, clarity and usability, attention to detail, sustainability, and overall experience. This framework represents a valuable shift, moving the conversation beyond simply “does this look nice?” to “does this work, communicate, and endure?”…”
THE WAR IN IRAN IS MAKING COFFEE PRODUCTION MORE EXPENSIVE
https://tinyurl.com/mrypwrnd
“…Global Fertilizer and Energy Prices
The World Bank last week projected that fertilizer prices will rise 31% in 2026, driven by a 60% jump in urea, the most widely used solid nitrogen fertilizer. Energy prices are projected to rise 24%, with the bank warning that higher fertilizer costs could erode farmer incomes and threaten future crop yields.
“Rising commodity prices caused by these shocks will increase inflation and dampen growth worldwide,” the group wrote, projecting that “70% of commodity importers and more than 60% of commodity exporters worldwide could see weaker growth than was projected in January.”
Smallholder farmers are especially exposed to fertilizer shocks because they tend to bear the most price risk with less access to credit, insurance or other financial tools. In Colombia, where 96% of coffee-producing families farm less than five hectares, fertilizer represents roughly one-fifth of production costs. Recent USDA coffee reports from El Salvador, Honduras, Indonesia and Tanzania similarly point to fertilizer as a particularly volatile cost variable among smallholder producers.”…
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COSTA RICA STUDY EXPLORES THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF BIENNNIAL PRODUCTION CYCLES
https://tinyurl.com/tx4e8c2s
“…The Social Side of Alternate Bearing
Often referenced in the broader context of market-related supply and demand, biennial cycles most deeply impact the incomes of smallholder farmers, the population that remains most vulnerable to year-to-year yield and price volatility.
The Northeastern team noted that while most resilience conversations focus on outside shocks like weather, pests and disease, the intrinsic variability of coffee farms remains less well understood, both on the ground and in academia.
In an announcement tied to the study, lead author Gabriela Garcia said there are “basically no studies” that look at the social side of alternate bearing, including “how farmers conceptualize it and its underlying drivers.”
Synchronized Coffee Farms
Using 10 years of cooperative production records from 2008-2017 in Costa Rica, the researchers found that coffee production “ups and downs” started happening around the same time. The alternate bearing became most synchronized following the leaf rust outbreak of 2012-13, one of the worst in decades.
Because farmers have learned to manage many external sources of variability, low-yield years tied to alternate bearing are often assumed to reflect a “failure of management,” especially when the cycles synchronize, Garcia said.
“Farmers reported using loans, external income, and limiting household spending during low-yield years to maintain consistent farm management, which affects overall resilience,” the study states….”
CO-FERMENTED COFFEES MIGHT BE DIVISIVE, BUT THERE IS CLEARLY A MARKET FOR THEM
https://tinyurl.com/muetdtxj
“Key takeaways
• Co-ferments have shifted from niche to mainstream within specialty coffee.
• Consumers treat co-ferments as occasional additions, not daily staples.
• Milk drinks and cold brew suit co-ferments particularly well.
The trend may eventually move into canned beverages and commercial blends.
Despite their polarising nature, co-fermented coffees have grown considerably in popularity over the last few years. Roasters across the US, Japan, South Korea, the UAE, and parts of Europe are now stocking these unusual, fruit-forward lots. Markets in East Asia and the Middle East, which consistently reward flavour innovation with higher prices, have been particularly receptive.
“Co-ferments have been around for a while, but the last three years are when they really started to land commercially,” says Veronique Lagarde, co-founder of Amsterdam’s Dak Coffee Roasters. “We’ve watched the category move from niche to fairly mainstream within specialty. Part of that shift came from roasters noticing there was a real audience – that people actually enjoy drinking these coffees.”…”
STUDY: UNSWEETENED COFFEE PROTECTS AGAINST CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE; SWEETENED? NOT SO MUCH
https://tinyurl.com/46w673ph
“A large-scale analysis showed that drinking unsweetened coffee was associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The same protective association was not observed among people who took their coffee with sugar or artificial sweeteners.
According to a new paper from researchers at four Chinese universities published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, the strongest protective effects were observed among people who drank 2-3 cups of unsweetened coffee per day. That group was 15% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than the zero-coffee group….”
NEW LOCAL COFFEE INDUSTRY JOBS- KAUAI COFFEE
https://tinyurl.com/bdft5wks (all jobs listed here)
• Quality Assurance Technician – $5,000 Hire Bonus $58,000 – $60,000 yearly
• Roast Plant Operator – $5,000 Hire Bonus — Kauai Coffee Co.
• Etc.
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ESPRETTO SECURES US PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS HAWAI’I, FLORIDA AND NEW YORK
https://tinyurl.com/szzakf74
“…The Hawaii partnership will bring an Espretto robot barista to a world-class shopping location near Waikiki Beach. The system allows customers to upload a photo from their phone and have it printed directly onto their drink as latte art, placing Espretto in a high visibility retail and tourism environment in one of the United States’ most recognizable visitor destinations.
Espretto has also secured a commercial partnership with a New York real estate company developing its own robotic café drive-through concept in Orlando, Florida. Espretto will support the partner’s vision as the robotic coffee hardware and automation technology provider, supplying custom robotic café kiosks aligned with the partner’s design and development plans…”
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RECIPE: MAJESTIC KONA COFFEE CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
Crust
1 package graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup crushed Kona coffee beans, dark chocolate macadamia flavored
Filling
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup crushed chocolate covered nuts
Topping
8 ounces vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons Kona Coffee Syrup, recipe follows
Syrup
1/2 cup Kona coffee, strongly brewed
1 cup sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the Crust: Mix graham crackers, butter and sugar together and press into bottom of an 8-inch pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the coffee on the crust.
- For the Filling: Blend together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until
- creamy. Add the crushed chocolate covered nuts, and stir until blended well.
- For the Syrup: Combine the coffee and sugar in a saucepan. Cook until all sugar is dissolved. Let cool a little
- For the Topping: Mix together the yogurt and coffee syrup and mix well.
- Spoon the first mixture into the cooled pie pan. Drop spoonfuls of the second
- mixture over the first mixture. Gently swirl.
Bake in oven for 25 minutes.
RECIPES WANTED If any of you have recipes that you would like to share, please submit them to the editor: clarewilson98@gmail.com
Suggestion Box Let us know what you would like to see in our newsletter. Suggestions on what to include or not. What could we do better? Let us know. Clarewilson98@gmail.com
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! >> Write to us. We welcome Letters to the Editor up to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name and email address >> Email: info@KonaCoffeeFarmers.org with SUBJECT: Commentary.
