In 2010, we stumbled upon a run-down coffee farm in a rugged region of Hawaiʻi - Puna - posted for sale on Craigslist. It could have been a scam, but with little to lose we thought ‘Why not?’. So we called the owner and took the chance.

Up to this point, we thought that Hawaiian coffees were categorically awful, having only tasted artificially flavored, stale or burnt 10% Kona blends. 

Hoping to make the best from our new land, we dove into farm rehabilitation and the craft of coffee production. Having a background in organic agriculture and biology helped. And so the adventure began. 

After several years spent reviving the land, testing processing methods and training our palates to taste the results, the efforts paid off. In 2013, our Puna Pink Bourbon earned Grand Champion in the Hawaii' Coffee Association Statewide Cupping Competition and became the first and only Puna coffee to receive the award. We were thrilled.

Later that year, we'd win more awards, including a grant to build a community mill and Hawaii's Senate Certificate for putting Puna 'on the map'. That was year Big Island Coffee Roasters was born.

Over the next few years, we consulted with farmers and tasted coffees from regions that had been ignored, overshadowed by Kona. Amidst this existed deeply rooted problems, from a counterfeit Kona coffee market, farmers abandoning their crops, and disregard for native lands. We wanted to change that.

Utilizing local grants, we opened the first coffee mill in East Hawaiʻi in 2014 and began refining, grading and roasting coffees for neighboring farms, occasionally bringing them under our brand.

In the following years, Big Island Coffee Roasters came to be known as an awarded roaster and curator of exceptional, often rare local coffees. With the launch of Espresso Bites, we came to be known as one of Hawaii's most innovative brands.

Today, what was a team of 2 is now over 22. We work with farmers around the state to offer the widest range of authentic Hawaiian coffees worldwide, milled in small batches, roasted to order and shipped fresh, with quality, community and sustainability at our core.

We’re proud recipients of Progressive Grocer’s “Impact Award” for traceability and sustainability, “Best Specialty Coffee Roaster” from the World Coffee Innovation Awards, the Good Food Awards and more. Our farm direct purchases have put over $7 million into the hands of local farmers, with most going to farmers on Hawaiʻi Island. 

A love for craftsmanship + wild and beautiful places guide us each day. But we owe everything to you: our devoted fan base and customers, purchasing from every US State and 13 countries worldwide.

Mahalo,

-Kelleigh & Brandon
Founders of Big Island Coffee Roasters