If Kona Coffee growers get their way, that 90% Panamanian coffee you pay a premium price for may be a little more clearly labeled in the near future.
What? You don’t pay a premium price for Panamanian Coffee?
Okay, let’s start over again (from the top).
If Kona Coffee growers get there way, that 10% Kona Coffee you pay a premium price for may be a little more clearly labeled in the near future.
And, if Kona Coffee was more clearly labeled, we wouldn’t have had that little miscommunication in the first place.
Currently, in order for a blend to be labeled “Kona” it must consist of at least 10% of coffee grown in the Kona Region of Hawaii. However, the label does not have to disclose what the other 90% of what comprises the other 90% of the blend.
According to a recent Huffington Post article, “The Kona Coffee Farmers Association says that it wants (Hawaii) state Legislature to consider a bill it has drafted that would identify where the remainder of the blend is grown.”
Of course, the idea behind the labeling initiative is to protect the integrity and “brand” of the US-grown Kona Coffee, but it could also do wonders for the way people look at Panamanian Coffee (which is most commonly used to fill out the remainder of Kona Blends).
If more people realize that coffee from Panama is the top choice to blend with Hawaiian-grown Kona, maybe they will start looking at brands like Panama’s own Cafe Duran in a whole new light.
For more information on this post, the Huffington Post article or Kona Coffee in general, please visit KonaCoffeeFarmer.org.
