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Replanting Our Past, Harvesting Our Future
Last January 65,000 pounds of green coffee beans were harvested from the groves of Ka‘anapali Coffee Farms. That harvest represents the culmination of nine years of untiring efforts by Pioneer Mill Company, Kaanapali Land Management Corp. (KLM), and MauiGrown Coffee president Kimo Falconer to bring back one of the island’s most durable crops and maintain diversified agriculture in West Maui for generations to come.
When the Pioneer Mill ended its production of sugar in 1998, Falconer, then director of agricultural research, led the effort to grow and market Ka‘anapali Estate Coffee on the former sugarcane fields. Although the brand developed an excellent reputation among coffee connoisseurs, the company could not compete in larger markets and closed its operations in 2001.
But Falconer never gave up, and with the help of KLM and a small crew they kept the coffee groves alive until a way was found to care for the land and preserve it for agriculture, but also synergize the production of coffee with real estate development.
The ingenious solution was Ka‘anapali Coffee Farms. On 4- to 7-acre “Farm Dwelling Sites” owners can now build the Maui home of their dreams while also participating in a contract with Kimo Falconer’s MauiGrown Coffee to harvest the groves’ green coffee beans, which MauiGrown would then sell to roasters throughout the island.
KLM and MauiGrown Coffee are optimistic about their “Maui origin” crop, featuring a smoky, chocolate-accented brand of coffee Arabica known as “Maui Mokka.” The specialty coffee consumer market that the beans are ultimately destined for has roared along with double digit growth annually for the past ten years. MauiGrown Coffee is poised to ride a boost in demand for Maui origin coffee, both locally and worldwide, and it’s expected that Ka‘anapali Coffee Farms will marry the current demand for high-end real estate with the goal of keeping Maui green and preserving its agricultural legacy.
To sample a delicious cup brewed by the world’s only producer of Maui certified origin coffee, visit the MauiGrown Coffee Company store located at 277 Lahainaluna Road (next to the old mill smokestack). To schedule a private property tour and/or for more information on Ka‘anapali Coffee Farms, call 808-662-0000.
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