Kona Earth, the renowned Hawaiian Coffee Brand, has been named the Overall Winner for Hawaii in the prestigious Global Coffee Awards. This recognition comes after the brand submitted roasted samples of its Kona Classic and Hawaiian Espresso Coffees for evaluation.
The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) celebrate excellence in coffee roasting and production. The awards recognize roasters and their partner producers across multiple regions, including US & Canada, Origin, and Europe, with regional winners progressing to a Global Final to compete for the world champion title.
Kona Earth entered the Origin Roasted category. As both a grower and roaster, Kona Earth offers customers a true crop-to-cup Kona coffee experience. The 26-acre Kona Earth coffee farm grows, processes, and micro-batch roasts its specialty Hawaiian Kona coffee on site. The freshly roasted Kona coffee beans are then shipped directly from the farm to customers across the United States.
Expert Panel Evaluates Coffees
During the Global Coffee Awards Origin competition held in Houston, Texas, on October 1, 2025, an independent panel of expert judges blind-tasted and evaluated coffees from roasteries across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Among thousands of entries, Kona Earth stood out for its exceptional quality and flavor profiles.
Each coffee was evaluated through a two-stage blind tasting. Judges first conducted a two-minute sensory assessment to score and describe the coffee. This was followed by a three-minute discussion led by a coordinator to refine and align feedback.
Outstanding Achievement for Kona Earth
The Origin Roasted category at the Global Coffee Awards celebrates roasters operating in coffee-producing regions. The award highlights local craftsmanship and showcases diverse and innovative roasting techniques and flavor profiles being developed within the producing region, in this case, Hawaii.
Hawaii is unique as the only major coffee-producing region within the United States. Hawaiian Kona coffee has a global reputation for excellence due to the unique growing conditions on Hawaii's Big Island, located within the Kona coffee belt.
Kona Earth was honored with the title of "Overall Winner - Hawaii" in recognition of its outstanding coffees. This prestigious award highlights the brand's commitment to excellence and its dedication to producing top-tier Hawaiian coffee.
Judges' Notes on Kona Earth
The expert judges were impressed with Kona Earth's Hawaiian Espresso, noting it as "a rich espresso with deep notes of dark chocolate."
On the 100% Kona Classic entries, the judges complimented the "deep and sweet flavors" with "low acidity", presenting "notes of dark chocolate and almonds.
This recognition further solidifies Kona Earth's reputation as a producer of exceptional and flavorful Hawaiian Kona specialty coffees.
Invitation to Global Coffee Awards Ceremony
As a result of this remarkable achievement, Kona Earth has been invited to the Global Coffee Awards Ceremony in El Salvador on March 26. This event will bring together coffee industry leaders, experts, and enthusiasts to celebrate the best in the business.
About the Awards
The stated mission of the Global Coffee Awards (GCA) is to recognize and reward the world’s best coffee roasters and producers. From small-batch independents to national brands, specialty roasters are invited to submit their top coffees across defined categories for blind judging by a panel of qualified judges.
The awards emphasize the collaboration between roasters and the producers who grow the coffee. The awards are organized by PDG Global, the company behind Perfect Daily Grind and the Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) The goal is to build a global network of tens of thousands of celebrated and recognized specialty coffee roasters.