Kona Coffee Blend Law – Farmers Need Your Help!

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Kona Coffee Blend Law – Farmers Need Your Help! was Originally Posted on January 25, 2007 by

Aloha!

We Kona Coffee Farmers are fighting blenders against what are unfair marketing practices and consumer fraud. We would ask that you sign our electronic petition in support of two bills introduced in Hawaii. These bills may have a hearing in committee within the week, so time is of the essence!

As you know, I only sell 100% Kona Coffee. However, many mainlanders and visitors in Hawaii buy what is called a “Kona Blend”, not realizing that it is 10% Kona beans and 90% foreign (non-US) coffee. Because the bag is clearly marked KONA, the public thinks they are getting a blend of Kona Coffees. The product is substandard and thus people go away thinking Kona is substandard. Even the experts at Consumer Reports made the mistake of thinking a Kona Blend contained all Kona Coffee! If they were fooled, you can imagine that the public has no chance!

We are asking the state of Hawaii to change the law to require 75% Kona in a bag marked Kona and that the remainder be listed as to country of origin. This law is modeled after a similar bill Napa Valley Wineries passed. Once this coffee law passes, it then goes on to the US Legislature. It cannot become Federal law until Hawaii passes it.

Blenders are making enormous profits off our name and they have lots of money to hire lobbyist to stop these bills from passing. We farmers are doing what we can and every name on the petition helps us.

I ask that you consider signing the petition at the following address:

http://www.petitiononline.com/75Kona/petition.html

If you would like further information about these bills, you are welcome to visit http://KonaCoffeeFarmers.org and click on the link “KCFA Legislative Programs/Blend Law Reform.”

Most of the public is fooled into thinking these blends are really all Kona Coffee. We are not asking blenders to stop making a 10% blend using 10% Kona, they just can’t advertise it as “Kona” when 90% comes from somewhere else.

I thank you for any help you can give us farmers.

http://www.petitiononline.com/75Kona/petition.html