Coffe Kona Hawaii | Hoshide Farms | 2008 Gevalia Kona Cupping Winner |

HOSHIDE FARMS WINS 2008 GEVALIA KONA COFFEE CUPPING COMPETITION WINNER

KONA, HAWAII'S BIG ISLAND – Debbie Hoshide, owner of Hoshide Farms, took first place at the 2008 Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition held at Keauhou Beach Resort. Hoshide Farms is located on 7 acres in Honaunau at the 1,700-foot elevation.

“I am absolutely elated and grateful to Greenwell Farms for their management expertise. This win is in honor of my mother and father who are no longer with us. My farm has a forest reserve on one side and a bee farm on the other side, a perfect combination of oxygenation and pollination,” commented Debbie Hoshide, owner, Hoshide Farms.

Owner and operator of Harold L. King & Co, John King shared, ”The winning Kona coffee possessed the quintessential Kona floral fragrance. It scored the highest marks in fragrance, which made it standout from the others. On the cup it was both sweet and tart.”

Second place was awarded to Kuaiwi Farm/Kona Old Style located in Kealakekua, owned by Una Greenaway and Leon Rosner. Third place was awarded to Kona Rainforest Coffee located south of Captain Cook, owned by Robert and Dawn Barnes.

56 Kona coffee farmers submitted entries into this year's Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. The blind-taste competition, held Wednesday and Thursday, was sponsored by Gevalia Kaffe. Sixteen entries advanced to today's final round.

Judges included Gevalia’s Master Taster and Panel Chairman, Willy Pettersson, Shota Takemoto from Japan’s UCC Ueshima Coffee Company, Ltd., world-renown coffee expert John King with Harold L. King & Company and Sherri Johns, President, WholeCup Coffee Consulting LLC.

Each coffee farm submitted a 50-pound sample from which five pounds were actually entered into the cupping competition. To be eligible, the coffee submitted must have been harvested in Kona. The Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition is a blind tasting. Once the entry is accepted, it is simply assigned a number to protect its anonymity. These numbers are changed midway into the cupping, between the preliminary and final rounds, to keep the judges' palates alert throughout the competition.

Gevalia Winner

Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition
First Place Winners

2008      Hoshide Farms
2007      Kona Old Style/Kuaiwi Farm
2006      Pearl Estate Organics
2005      Rancho Aloha
2004      Lafayette Coffee
2003      Kona Coffee & Tea Co.
2002      Koa Coffee Plantation
2001      Wood Captain Cook Estate
2000      The Other Farm
1999      Dragon Roast Coffee
1998      Brockston Gate Estate
1997      Terry Fitzgerald Estate
1996      Keokea Kona Farm
1995      Kona Kulana Farms
1994      Perry Estate Farms
1993      Keopu Mauka Lani Plantation
1992      Kona Kulana Farms
1991      Wailapa Farms
1990      Island Girl Coffee
1989      Wailapa Farms
1988      Faye Takashiba
1987      Tojiro Motoki

The coffee samples, both green and roasted, are placed on a long table for the judges to independently evaluate. The judges look for high marks in these six categories: fragrance, aroma, taste, nose, aftertaste and body.

Gevalia Kaffe is built on a tradition of fine craftsmanship encompassing 150 years. Gevalia carries more than 40 exquisite varieties of coffees and teas ranging from distinctive varietals, European and limited edition blends as well as seasonal flavors. Gevalia’s wide selection suits the personal tastes, mood and desires of even the world’s most discriminating coffee-lovers. Gevalia is not sold retail and is available in the U.S. exclusively at www.gevalia.com or through 1-800-GEVALIA.

The Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition is a signature event of the 38th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is recognized and supported as a ‘Major Festival’ by Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) as the Festival showcases Hawaii’s unique culture and diversity. HTA was created in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage the growth of Hawaii’s visitor industry in a manner consistent with its economic goal, cultural values, preservation of natural resources and community interests.

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