When ‘Farm Direct’ Becomes a Marketing Term, Farmers Lose

When you visit our cafe, you’ll see the phrase "a farm to cup experience" in our branding, This is more than a tagline. At Hala Tree, it's the foundation of everything we do. We grow, harvest, process, roast, and brew our own coffee, from our own farm. It’s a vertically integrated model that demands hard work, long-term investment, and deep responsibility. And we believe that distinction matters.

We’ve watched as language once meant to honor producers - phrases like "100% Kona," "estate grown," and even "locally sourced" - has been diluted through overuse and misrepresentation. It’s time to clarify what these terms should mean, and why they’re worth protecting.

This Isn’t Just Language - It’s Legacy

Hawaiʻi-grown products carry tremendous cultural and agricultural value. Kona coffee. Mamaki tea. Maui onions. Molokaʻi sweet potatoes. These aren’t just ingredients, they are living expressions of place, tradition, and labor.

When terms like "Kona coffee" can be used on products with only 10% Kona-grown beans, we lose more than clarity - we lose credibility. Authentic producers become harder to find in a sea of clever branding.

That’s why the recent legislative efforts around labeling and origin protections are so important. The recent move to increase the requirement to 51% Kona coffee in order to use the Kona name is a great first step, and we hope to see this work continue until only 100% Kona coffee can carry the Kona name.

Rooted in Respect, Guided by Responsibility

We live and work in Hawaiʻi, but we do so as people who came here as guests, not as those born and raised on this land. We don’t claim generational ties we haven’t earned. Instead, we commit to working with humility, respect, and kuleana: the responsibility to act with care and integrity.

We understand the difference between being present in Hawaiʻi and being of Hawaiʻi. And we believe that companies like ours have a duty to uplift and protect the reputation of all local producers. Not just for our benefit, but for the future of Hawaiʻi-grown products, and the future of farmers Hawaiian or otherwise.

Real Farm to Cup Isn’t a Catchphrase - It’s a Practice

There are many companies doing great things for coffee in Hawaiʻi. But not all who use the language of farming are involved in farming itself. Some imply ownership or estate production when their coffee is purchased from others. That’s not inherently wrong - but it’s important to be clear in how we talk about it.

Farm to cup, done properly, means full traceability. It means involvement from seed to service. It means standing behind the coffee in your cup not just as a roaster or retailer, but as the producer.

Why Vertical Integration Matters

Our model allows us to control every stage of quality and transparency. We know when and where each lot was picked, and by whom. We manage fermentation. We oversee drying. We roast with full awareness of what choices were made on the farm and at the processing station. We brew with the insights that only come from direct experience.

That’s what makes us confident in the coffee we serve - not just the taste, but the truth behind it.

An Industry-Wide Invitation

We’re not here to shame or gatekeep. We’re here to raise the standard. If you don’t own a farm, that’s okay. But be clear about your role. Celebrate the people who made your coffee possible. Use your platform to amplify the producers you rely on, rather than simply capitalizing on their hard work. And use terminology with precision and integrity.

Because when we’re all using the same words to describe vastly different relationships to the land, we undermine the terms that matter most.

Our Commitment

We don’t use borrowed stories. We don’t repackage someone else’s labor. And we don’t sell coffee unless we’ve grown, processed, roasted, and brewed it ourselves.

When we say “a farm to cup experience” it isn’t just a marketing strategy - it’s a philosophy of stewardship. We believe that by holding ourselves to the highest standard, we help strengthen the broader industry.

And we invite others to do the same.

The future of Hawaiʻi-grown products depends on truth, transparency, and the willingness to do the work. Not just out of a desire for profit - but out of respect for the people, land, and legacy behind it all.