A small industry centred on one machine-harvested farm and mill at Kualapu'u, about 850 ft up, mostly Red Catuai.
Molokai's coffee is grown at Kualapu'u on the upper slopes of the island's central part, at about 850 ft (roughly 260 m), by one producer with its own mill. The Hawaii Coffee Association booklet calls it the sole source of Molokai coffee, and reported farm size varies from about 115 to 500 acres. Most plants are Red Catuai, and the crop is picked by machine. The booklet lists nutty, sweet, caramel and full-bodied cups with mild acidity.
Field notes
- i
Coffees of Hawaii, Inc. was formed in 1984 and leased land from Molokai Ranch, and about 600 acres were planted by 1988, with the first commercial harvest in 1993.
- ii
A German merchant, Rudolph Wilhelm Meyer (1826-1897), grew coffee on Molokai long before the modern industry.
In the cup, according to guides
- NuttyOften notedThe Hawaii Coffee Association booklet lists nutty, sweet, caramel and chocolate-aftertaste notes for Molokai.
- CaramelOften notedThe Hawaii Coffee Association booklet lists nutty, sweet, caramel and chocolate-aftertaste notes for Molokai.
Varietals
Sources · 3 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Molokai coffee · Wikipedia
- Molokai Coffee Beans - Espresso & Coffee Guide · Espresso & Coffee Guide
- Grown with Aloha: A Guide to Hawai'i's Coffee Industry · Hawaii Coffee Association (with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture), 2018