The journey of Kona Healthy Hapa began before the COVID-19 pandemic on one of our farms. Among our hardworking team was Manuel Lopez, an immigrant from Venezuela who had come to Hawaii to pick coffee cherries—the hardest job in the field. At noon, we sat down for lunch as we always did. In our co-op, we make it a tradition to share food, and that day, I handed out burritos to everyone.
As we ate, Manuel shared a story about his grandfather’s coffee-making method. He described how his grandfather would use a pressure pot, adding coffee and clean water, then letting it sit for eight hours. When they returned, the water was completely black. Curious, I asked why, and Manuel explained that the impurities had been drawn out of the coffee.
Intrigued, I decided to test this method myself. After following the same process, I sent a sample to a lab for analysis. Under a microscope, the coffee’s pores were still open, meaning there was an opportunity to improve the process further. I then added ice-cold water, which closed the molecules in the bean. Seeing potential, I developed a machine—a massive stainless-steel boiler brewer with computerized monitoring. As soon as the brewing process finished, the machine would dump the coffee into a pool, where another system rapidly cooled it with ice. A UV sanitizer completed the process, ensuring a pure and clean coffee.
Through refinement, we perfected this innovative brewing method. The result? Kona Healthy Hapa—a coffee that retains 81% of its caffeine while reducing acidity by an incredible 92%, making it a very low-acid coffee.
Our coffee quickly caught the attention of doctors, who started picking up 16 bags per week. Hawaiian surfer and health enthusiast Harry Hamilton, known for his passion for superfoods, also became a supporter. Some customers, including those undergoing cancer treatments, reported that Kona Healthy Hapa was easier on their stomachs, causing no headaches or acid reflux.
The Process:
- Coffee is brewed using our custom-built stainless-steel machine.
- It is rapidly cooled in a freezer.
- The coffee then moves through industrial dryers and a UV sanitizer.
This meticulous method preserves the natural goodness of Kona coffee while eliminating harmful impurities, making Kona Healthy Hapa a healthier, gut-friendly coffee without sacrificing its rich and delicious flavor.