HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0023.006 2006-2008 Page 1 oF2
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From: Donald Schoenholt [i840coffee@gilliescoffee.com]
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 12:25 PM
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Testimony In Support of Resolution #18-06
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Dear Council Members: -
Thank you for the opportunity to be heard in the matter of Resolution # 18-06 before you today.
Kona Coffee is, one of the richest coffees in the world, both in taste quality and the price it brings in the marketplace. It is
sad that so much coffee bought by consumers as Kona, is in fact only a blend of second rate coffee into which is mixed 10%
Kona beans.
The average consumer palate can not distinguish a blend component of 10% in a blend of coffee. This means [he Kona in
Kona blend is lost to the consumer. 10% Kona blend tastes about the same as any acceptable blend made from Central or
South American coffee. The only thing that distinguishes it is its fancy Kona blend label and its fancy price.
Our sixteenth President said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you
can not fool all of the people all of the time." Mr. Lincoln might have been talking about Kona blend coffee for the brand
suffers in trade on the mainland and in opening new markets for American goods, by being disappointing more often that it is
pleasing to the consumer's level of expectation. When this happens repeat sales are lost. Kona blend, as it now is prepared,
may be a great tourist attraction. It is not a great coffee. For Kona blend to break away from the stereotype of overpriced
nicely packaged tourist trade goods and take its place at the coffee table on the mainland and internationally it requires for
this legislative body to take action in its defense.
Kona coffee farmers should be held in the same level of respect in Hawaii as are growers of Cabernet in the Napa Valley.
Kona Farmers bring honor to the State of Hawaii, and the country through their efforts at bringing to market one of the
world's great coffees. At the same time they lack the political sophistication and economic clout of California wine growers
so their efforts are often overlooked. Their work and their produce is no less worthy of your attention and support than are
the California wine farmers worthy of the substantial support that their state brings to the defense of California reds.
I urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to support the Kona Coffee Farmers Association request that Hawaiian legislators
revise HRS 486-120.6 as a first step toward bringing to Kona, America's `Gran cru" coffee the legislative support it truly
needs to help it move forward to the level of respect it deserves.
Thank you.
Donald N. Schoenholt
President
Gillies Coffee Company
America's Oldest Coffee Merchant
Brooklyn, New York
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The above testimony is provided by Donald N. Schoenholt. He can be reached at, Gillies Coffee Company, 150 19th Street,
Brooklyn New York 11232.
PH:718-499-7766
FX:718-499-7771
E: i840coffee@gilliescoffee.com
Mr. Schoenholt has forty-three (43) years experience as a copper, and roaster of fine coffee. He is Founding Father of both
Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) the world's, largest coffee trade group, and Roasters Guild an association
of craftspeople celebrating the art of coffee roasting. Mr. Schoenholt is a Charter Member of the SCAA Green Coffee
Comm. No. ~ 3
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