The week in brief
This Week in Hawaii Coffee: July 11-18, 2026
A consequential pest-rule change, a nearly full statewide conference, a new competition division, and fresh manufacturing support are shaping Hawaii coffee this month.
July 11-18, 2026
Hawaii coffee is heading into its biggest industry gathering of the summer with two important changes already in motion. Interisland coffee movement rules shifted after a new pest designation, while the Best of Hawaii competition created a clearer lane for traditional washed coffees. For anyone hoping to attend the Maui conference, the practical message is simple: most major ticket options are already gone.
News and scene updates
The most interesting signals this week are about how Hawaii coffee is produced, recognized, and equipped to grow.
- A new quality benchmark
A new quality benchmark
Best of Hawaii makes room for traditional washed coffee
The 2026 Best of Hawaii competition adds a Hawaii Heritage Washed division alongside its innovative and micro-lot categories. Eligible coffees must be fully washed Typica, Bourbon, or Caturra, with short fermentation and no commercial inoculants, additives, co-ferments, or in-fruit fermentation.
Why it matters: The division gives buyers and drinkers a cleaner comparison point for classic Hawaii coffee craft. Instead of asking a traditional washed coffee to compete directly with experimental processing, judges can evaluate how variety, place, picking, and careful milling show up in the cup.
- When
- Results due July 31
- Where
- HCA Annual Conference, Maui
Best for: buyers watching Hawaii quality; drinkers curious about processing
- Investment behind the cup
Investment behind the cup
Three Hawaii coffee businesses receive manufacturing support
Coffees of Hawaii, Kona Mountain Coffee, and Waimea Coffee Farm were named in HTDC's FY26 Manufacturing Assistance Program awards. Kona Mountain Coffee was among the program's first-time recipients.
Why it matters: Hawaii coffee's constraints are not only agricultural. Roasting, packaging, production equipment, and other manufacturing capacity determine whether local businesses can turn good harvests into consistent products and reach more customers. These awards identify three businesses investing on that side of the industry.
- When
- Announced June 18
Best for: people following Hawaii coffee businesses; buyers looking beyond farm awards
Worth making time for
The statewide conference is still worth following even if you are not holding a full-conference ticket.
- Plan ahead for Maui
Plan ahead for Maui
Hawaii coffee's statewide conference is nearly spoken for
The Hawaii Coffee Association returns to Maui College July 29-August 1 for coffee tracks, a trade show, a barista throwdown, the Best of Hawaii awards, and a final-day Seed to Cup Festival at Maui Tropical Plantation.
Why it matters: This is where growers, roasters, buyers, researchers, and suppliers compare notes on the state's coffee industry. Full-conference, Friday-only, gala, exhibit, and hotel-block availability had already sold out or moved to waitlists during our review, so this is no longer a casual walk-up decision.
- When
- July 29-August 1
- Where
- Maui College and Maui Tropical Plantation
- Plan
- Check current waitlists and remaining day options
Best for: Hawaii coffee professionals; Maui visitors planning around coffee
Useful to know
One state rule change matters immediately to anyone moving coffee or equipment between islands.
- New interisland rules
New interisland rules
Coffee berry borer rules now treat Lanai and Kauai as infested islands
The state added Lanai and Kauai to Hawaii's coffee berry borer-infested areas. Green coffee, used coffee bags, and harvesting equipment can now move among most infested islands without the previous permit and inspection process, although random inspections remain possible.
Why it matters: This reduces friction for growers, mills, and roasters working across most islands, but it does not erase every quarantine boundary. Molokai remains the exception, with permits and treatment still required for incoming green coffee, used bags, and equipment; coffee plants and propagation material remain more tightly controlled statewide.
- When
- Effective June 24, 2026
- Where
- Lanai and Kauai added; Molokai remains protected
Best for: coffee growers and mills; interisland roasters and buyers
We will return to the Best of Hawaii results after they are announced on July 31, with an emphasis on what the winning coffees reveal about regions, varieties, and processing choices.