Hawaiʻi's largest coffee grower, the Kauai Coffee Company’s Uncertain Future Sparks Fear for Workers and Westside Community
January 31 - 2026
Coffee Geography Magazine
The future of Hawaiʻi's largest coffee grower, the Kauai Coffee Company, hangs in the balance as the expiration of its land lease at the end of March approaches. This has created significant uncertainty for the roughly 140 employees who manage millions of trees across 3,100 acres on Kauaʻi's Westside.
The situation stems from protracted, and ultimately unsuccessful, negotiations between the coffee company's parent corporation, Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, and the landowner, Colorado-based investment firm Brue Baukol Capital Partners (BBCP). BBCP purchased the property in 2022.
Earlier this month, Kauai Coffee formally notified officials of a permanent closure and layoffs affecting 136 employees in mid-to-late March, stating it was being forced out of business. This announcement stands in contrast to BBCP's stated position. The firm asserts its commitment to keeping all employees who wish to stay and to maintaining the land for agriculture in perpetuity, as it is designated Important Agricultural Land. BBCP has formed a transition task force and claims a sale of the property has not been an active focus.
The conflicting messages have left workers and the community in distress. Kauaʻi County Council Chair Mel Rapozo, who has called for briefings from both parties, expressed deep concern for the employees and the broader cultural impact of losing the plantation. He noted that many workers have deep roots in the community, with some boasting decades of service.
Local and state officials, including Mayor Derek Kawakami and State Representative Dee Morikawa, acknowledge the severe impact on West Kauaʻi families and jobs but indicate their direct ability to intervene in the private lease matter is limited.
The uncertainty has also raised alarms about the potential for agricultural land conversion. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union local president, Chris West, warned that the situation risks turning Kauaʻi into a playground for investors at the expense of working families.
BBCP, which owns over 18,500 acres on Kauaʻi including the luxury Kukuiʻula development, had previously listed portions of the coffee land for sale. The listing highlighted oceanfront parcels and acreage once considered for urban study, which sparked community concern. However, the Kauaʻi Planning Department clarified that current county plans designate virtually all the coffee field lands strictly for agriculture.
BBCP Vice President James Priestley stated the firm has evaluated various agricultural stewardship options and apologized that the old sales listing language did not reflect the current county planning framework, denying any intent to pursue unsupported development.
I’d like to know the deal here are they wanting to sell or lease again what was the least before and what is it now I’m interested in knowing