Awards & Recognitions
Aloha Star Kona Coffee is a multi-award-winning 100% Kona coffee farm in South Kona, Hawaiʻi. Since our first cupping competition entry in 2018, our estate-grown coffees have earned recognition from the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Hawaii Coffee Association Cupping Competitions, Good Food Awards-winning submissions roasted by Pacific Coffee Research, and the Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll People’s Choice Awards.
It's an honor for us to be part of the Kona Coffee community. Also, it’s a double honor to be able to represent the Latino/Hispanic coffee farmers producing coffee in Hawai’i.
Good Food Awards Winning Coffee Producer
2023 Good Food Awards — Winning Coffee Producer
In April 2023, Pacific Coffee Research, based in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi, roasted and submitted our Aloha Star 100% Kona Honey Process coffee to the Good Food Awards. The coffee was selected as a 2023 Good Food Awards Coffee Winner under Pacific Coffee Research’s submission, with Aloha Star Coffee recognized as the Kona coffee producer.
This recognition was especially meaningful because our estate-grown Honey Process coffee represented Kona coffee, Hawaiʻi-grown coffee, and the quality possible through seed-to-cup production on our family farm.
For more information, visit: Winners - Good Food Foundation (goodfoodfdn.org)
2025 Good Food Awards — 15 Years of Good Food Awards, Community Choice Edition
In June 2025, Aloha Star Kona Coffee was recognized again through Pacific Coffee Research in the Good Food Awards’ 15 Years of Good Food Awards Community Choice Edition. Pacific Coffee Research roasted and represented our Kona coffee, and Aloha Star Coffee was the producer of the coffee recognized in this special anniversary edition.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (KCCF) Cupping Competitions.
November 2022: 4th place - Classic Division, out of 66 participants. Our entry of Kona Typica/ Pacamara 100% Kona Private Reserve- NATURAL process, scored 86.15 points. The 2022’s first place scored 86.42 points (out of 100).
November 2021: 6th place - Classic Division, out of 70+ participants. Our entry of Kona Typica/ Pacamara 100% Kona Private Reserve- NATURAL process, scored 86.15 points. The first place scored 87.15 points (out of 100).
November 2019: 8th place - Classic Division, out of 72 participants. Our Kona Typica - Private Reserve 100% Kona HONEY process scored 84.29 points.
November 2018: 3rd place - Classic Division, out of 90+ participants. Our first time ever participating in a cupping competition. Our Kona Typica Private Reserve 100% Kona - HONEY process scored 84.042 (participated under the name of Casablanca Farms, we changed our brand name to Aloha Star in 2020).
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Cupping Competition Results
Hawaii Coffee Association Cupping Competition (HCA)
May 15-17, 2023: State of Hawaii Top 25 winners, from all coffee districts within the state of Hawaii. Our Kona Typica/Pacamara 100% Kona Private Reserve - HONEY process, scored 83.31 points.
June 24–25, 2021: 6th Place, Statewide Top Ten Winner. Our 100% Kona Private Reserve Washed Process coffee scored 85.85 points in the Hawaii Coffee Association Statewide Cupping Competition, placing 6th among the Top Ten coffees from across all Hawaiʻi coffee districts. The highest score of the competition was 86.63, placing our coffee less than one point from 1st place. This was our first time participating in the HCA Cupping Competition, making this recognition especially meaningful for our farm.
Hawaii Coffee Association Cupping Competition Results
Annual Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll
3-time winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s Annual Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll
November 2025 - 2nd Place26th Annual Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll.
November 2024 - 1st Place25th Annual Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll.
November 2023 - 1st Place24th Annual Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll.
Recognitions
November 2024: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (KCCF) Cupping Competition (Nov 1st -10th, 2024) - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard).
November 2023: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (KCCF) Cupping Competition (Nov 3th -12th, 2023) - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard).
June 2023: Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) Cupping Competition - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard).
November 2022: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (KCCF) Cupping Competition (Nov 4th -13th, 2022) - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard)
November 2022: Kona Coffee Signature Beverage Throwdown - (Nov 10th, 2022) - Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s Baristas Competition.
Our 100% Kona coffee was employed by first the place winner @onegramofbeans, and also by @paulmelicor from @whitenenecoffee , who won third place.
October 2022: Our story was featured in the Hispanic Heritage Month Special by KHON2 News
Our farm's story was featured by @khonnews, as part of a documentary about members of the Hispanic/Latino community living and working in Hawaii and on the mainland USA, in celebration of 2022 Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15th - Oct 15th). The complete video, including the other featured stories, can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JElikxKZMYY
May 2022: Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) Cupping Competition - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard)
November 2021: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (KCCF) Cupping Competition - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard)
October 2021: Donkey Mill Art Center - Kona People Exhibition - 50th anniversary of the Coffee Cultural Festival - October 23rd - December 18th, at Holualoa Village, Hawaii island.
Such an honor for us to be considered as part of the Kona farmers whose portraits were painted. “This curated exhibition pairs artists with Kona farmers to create works which convey the spirit of “Kona People” through explorations in portraiture”. Featured artists included: Adare, Noel Badges Pugh, Naehalani Breeland, Aspen Dewey, Ronit Fahl, Amanda Lillibridge, Mary Lovein, Miho Morinoue, Brandon Reis, Virginia Small, William Wingert and Hana Yoshihata. Our portraits were created by William Wingert.
June 2021: Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) Cupping Competition - Final Ranking coffees with scores over 80 points (SCA standard).
