The 18th Hawaii Coffee Association Conference and fifth cupping competition will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 18-20, at the Kauai Beach Resort. Offering a full lineup of informative activities, the annual event attracts statewide coffee industry growers, processors, roasters, wholesalers and retailers.
The 18th Hawaii Coffee Association Conference and fifth cupping competition will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 18-20, at the Kauai Beach Resort. Offering a full lineup of informative activities, the annual event attracts statewide coffee industry growers, processors, roasters, wholesalers and retailers.
The gathering is also open to the public. The 2013-2014 season marks the 200th anniversary of coffee cultivation in Hawaii. The conference includes workshops covering green grading, label compliance, quality control of roasting and packaging, cupping and eradication of the coffee berry borer beetle. Also on tap are legislative updates and reports from UH’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center and the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council.
Other activities include an expo, silent auction, election of HCA officers, tour of Kauai Coffee Company and networking reception at the National Tropical Botanical Garden. Winners of the cupping competition will be announced Saturday at a dinner headlined by TV business reporter Howard Dicus. The cupping competition is an evaluation of coffee based on flavor, aroma, “mouth-feel,” acidity, sweetness and aftertaste.
For information, visit www.hawaiicoffeeassociation.com.
Last year, a panel of three lead judges, using standardized blind procedures, cupped a field of 117 Hawaiian coffees hailing from eight districts. Top honors were given to Heavenly Hawaiian Farms in Kona and the Big Isle’s Wood Valley Coffee Co. in Ka‘u. For more information and to register, visit www.hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/Events.
The Hawaii Coffee Association’s mission is to represent all sectors of the Hawaii coffee industry, including growers, millers, wholesalers, roasters and retailers. The HCA’s primary objective is to increase awareness and consumption of Hawaiian coffees. A major component of HCA’s work is the continuing education of members and consumers. The annual conference has continued to grow each year and has gained increased international attention.