Big Island Coffee Roasters is an award-winning Hawai‘i coffee farm, mill and roaster with premium coffee products from Puna, Kona, Ka‘u, Hamakua, Maui and O‘ahu. Distinguished by its unique inventory, Big Island Coffee Roasters featured Espresso Bites made from 100% Hawaiian coffees and 0% chocolate. In 2010, an unexpected opportunity arose for the cofounders Kelleigh Stewart and Brandon von Damitz to purchase a small coffee farm in a neglected region of Hawai‘i.
As they integrated themselves into the community of farmers and sampled coffees from around the islands, they were surprised by the variety and regions that are largely overshadowed–they wanted to change that.
Over the next two years, the team taught itself to farm, process and roast coffee. They tested and tasted the differences between coffee processes, cultivars, regions and roast profiles. When they found the methods and profiles that produced good results, they collaborated with neighboring farmers to do the same and began sourcing their coffees as well.
A love for wild and beautiful places brought the dynamic duo to the Big Island. Respect for the terrain and appreciation for the local farmers has kept them there. And their loyal customers have made it possible for small farms like theirs to continue doing what they love to do: growing and roasting Hawai‘i’s great coffees.
Since then, Big Island Coffee Roasters has been dedicated to developing and showcasing Hawai‘i’s coffee quality and diversity. In addition to numerous awards and accolades, the brand’s coffees have been praised for its artisanship by the likes of Coffee Review, Honolulu Magazine, Edible Hawaiian, Brutus, UPROXX, Island Air and San Francisco Chronicle. Additionally, cofounder Kelleigh was honored in 2017 for being one of Hawai'i's Top 40 Under 40.
How they give back:
Big Island Coffee Roasters has fairly paid coffee farmers over $2 million since 2015. Annually, they host give-back campaigns with proceeds benefiting national parks, Project Hawai'i and Ocean Film Festival among others. The team has also given back to the community of Puna, a historically disadvantaged area, and was awarded a Hawaii Senate Certificate for doing so!
