Scarcity, Gourmet and Hype
Some coffees, like Hawaiians, are expensive. Are they worth it? Many coffee specialistas snicker at the idea of paying premium prices for a coffee given the abundance of good—even great—coffees available at much lower prices. So what gives? Are premium coffees worth the the premium?
“Worth” is a complex mix of subjective perception (shaped by marketing) and objective reality (the cold, hard facts). Let’s start with the facts, beginning with supply and demand. If there’s little supply of a coffee, then it becomes expensive, even when demand is relatively low. Exacerbating the problem, large, global importers aren’t interested in chasing the supply for a niche demand, further pushing up price for those few who want the product. Finally, with weak importer interest, coffee farmers who depend on volume themselves lose interest in growing the crop, making supply even less. And so the cycle perpetuates. Some coffees that fall into this category are Hawaiian, Yemeni, and Jamaican Blue coffees.
Other coffees enjoy tremendous worldwide supply because of their climate, geography and economies. Ethiopia, Brazil and many Central American coffees fall into this category. Importers love these coffees because they can buy thousands of pounds to meet global coffee demand, which sparks more interest from farmers to produce. This abundance of supply together with global distribution keeps prices low (and farmers under the thumb of the importers).
Now the subjective part. Should someone pay a premium on a sought after, difficult to get coffee? There is no doubt some of these coffees are prized for a qualities like balance, pleasant acidity, and unique flavor notes. But are they worth the extra cost? Wines and cheese are a good analogy. Some wines and cheese take years to mature under a complex fermentation process in a highly controlled environment to produce a one-of-a kind flavor. Connoisseurs will demand a premium for that unparalleled savoriness. Is it worth it? The answer to that question depends on your perception and wallet.
We like to think that for some coffees, like our Hawaiians, the answer is a resounding yes! Hawaii green production ranges between 3 to 6 million pounds a season, compared to Brazil’s 8 billion pounds in a good season. That’s tiny! And like many prized coffees, farmers don’t like to sell to wholesale importers who are interested in paying only cents on the dollar. This generally means that the vast majority of all Hawaiian coffee production is roasted and consumed in Hawaii itself, leaving very little for export to the rest of the globe.
Yet, Hawaiian coffees are truly exceptional in taste, balance and versatility. The Hawaiians have know that secret for a generations and have kept growing coffee in Kona, Ka’u and now Puna, always pushing the boundaries of flavor. But don’t take our word for it. Try it for yourself and test the hype.
We’ve cultivated relationships with farmers in Hawaii, who are are happy to sell us their best and highest graded crop solely for our customers. Try our award winning Darnall Estate coffee from Kona or the truly exceptional honey processed Puna coffee. Of course, our friends at Miranda Farms sell us Hawaii’s most exquisite yellow caturra from K’au.