Category: Our Legacy

Tom Greenwell Recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award  Greenwell Farms CEO Tom Greenwell and fellow coffee pioneer David Gridley were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at The Hawaii Coffee Association’s 27th Annual Conference by Kaiali’i Kahele and the US House of Representatives.  “You are vital to the economy of Hawaii. You are vital to preserving and protecting our rural Hawaii landscapes. You are a significant part of the mosaic that makes Hawaii so special. You have created a five-star coffee Hawaii coffee brand and allure that brings people from all over Read More…

New Opportunities for Greenwell Farms Greenwell Farms President, Thomas Greenwell, and his cousin Eugene Clapp, along with Eugene’s wife and family, have embarked on a new passion project. It consists of transforming the 200-acres of Kopiko Farms land,  used for sugar and cattle production in the late 1800’s, into harvested 100% Kona coffee. The purpose of this coffee is to supply more variety and steady production of Kona coffee beans to Greenwell Farms. For Tom, this project is something that he can make his own, as most of the Greenwell Read More…

Our Story Coffee has been part of Kona tradition for centuries, and, today, it’s one of Hawaii’s biggest exports. According to USDA reports, Kona coffee production grew by 5% between 2016 and 2017, equating to 36.4 million pounds of harvested coffee cherries. Hawaiian coffee also saw a dramatic increase in value, increasing by 15% to reach a whopping $62.2 million for the season. Looking at these numbers, it’s clear coffee plays a vital role in Hawaii’s economy, history and natural landscape. The history of Kona coffee dates as far back Read More…

The Pualu Business Innovation Award recognized Greenwell Farms for leadership in the Kona coffee industry. This includes Greenwell’s approach to modern farming strategies, innovations in farming technology, and R&D projects aimed at farm management practices. The Pualu Award also acknowledged Greenwell Farms for commitment to coffee development. Greenwell Farms innovates coffee hybrids that yield new varietals. There are currently thirty numbered varietals in development at Greenwell Farms. Two signature series varietals, Jeni K and Elizabeth J, are currently on sale. A third varietal, Mamo, is slated for release later this Read More…

Big Island Volcanoes and Affected Areas Many friends and customers have contacted us over the past week regarding the national press attention on the recent activity of the Kilauea Volcano in the Puna district of the Big Island. We have appreciated the concern people have expressed about the situation relative to Greenwell Farms and the coffee grown in our area. While this event is dramatically affecting people living in the Puna area, Greenwell Farms and, in general the Kona Area, has not been affected other than noticeable (but not life-threatening) Read More…

Greenwell Named Best Agriculture Tourism Destination Greenwell Farms was named Best Agriculture Tourism Destination in the agritourism category at the 2018 aio Media Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Awards ceremony held recently in Honolulu. The 2018 aio Media Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Awards publicly recognize and reward excellence within the industry; reinforce the value of the tourism industry; reinforce consumer confidence in the tourism industry; and promote an annual platform of celebration for the industry and offer networking opportunities for operators, supporters and sponsors. The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association together with aio Read More…

Coffee growers and industry leaders gathered in Kona last week for the Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) annual conference and its highly anticipated HCA Statewide Coffee Cupping Competition. We are so excited to write that Greenwell Farms captured Hawaii’s top award in the Creative Division for its Signature Series Elizabeth J, a Pacamara varietal! The Greenwell Farms Elizabeth J label also won the District Award Division as Kona’s top coffee, and our latest varietal blend Meritage (patent pending), a creative blend of both Greenwell Farms Signature Series coffees – the Jeni Read More…

Bringing Serious Bragging Rights! Great news here on the farm. Greenwell Farms has been selected as one of the 10Best Food Factory Tours in the nation according to readers of USA Today. The well-known national newspaper asked readers to help find the nation’s ten best food factory tours, and after a busy month of voting, Greenwell Farms stands proudly with Herr’s Snack Factory, TABASCO®, Hershey’s Chocolate World, Celestial Seasonings Tea, PEZ, Jelly Belly and Boudin Bakery. Other factory tours nominated but not making the Top 10 included Ben & Jerry’s, Read More…

Greenwell Farms captured the hearts and tastebuds of attendees at Kona Coffee Council’s 2015 Cream of the Crop coffee and dessert tasting competition held recently on the lawn at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa. Greenwell Farms served a much-welcomed iced espresso to happy Cream of the Crop attendees and was rewarded with a gold medal in the open division People’s Choice. “We are so excited to be honored once again as the People’s Choice winner at this prestigious event. Our customers and fans appreciate the superior quality they have Read More…

In a ceremony in Kamuela, Hawaii Sunday, June 8, 2013, the Kona Soil and Water Conservation District announced that Greenwell Farms has been recognized as the 2013 Cooperator of the Year. Tom Greenwell and Greenwell Farms were recognized for their sustainable farming practices while developing a completely new 40-acre coffee farm above Konawaena School in Kealakekua Hawaii.

It’s exciting to know that Greenwell Farms family ties to Kona’s history continues through the centennial celebration of the Kona Coffee Living History Farm. Read The Full Article Here The seven-acre farm tells the story of Kona coffee pioneers. Interpreters in costumes demonstrate life on the farm from 1920 to 1935, West Hawaii Today reported. The farm was started by a Japanese immigrant, Daisaku Uchida, said Kuulani Auld, program director for the Kona Historical Society. In 1913, he leased land for the coffee farm in South Kona from E.C. Greenwell Read More…

Last Saturday, hundreds of people attended the Cream of the Crop coffee and dessert tasting competition at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and had the opportunity to sample Kona coffee and vote for their favorites. Greenwell Farms, featuring its 2013 release of Onouli, captured the People’s Choice win in the open division. Onouli, a premium estate coffee farm, is owned by the extended Greenwell Family and managed by Greenwell Farms. “I’m very happy that our premium estate coffee placed first at this prestigious event. We attribute this win to our Read More…

The Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce presented its prestigious Visitor Industry Marketing Award to Greenwell Farms at the Chamber’s Annual Membership Meeting and Luncheon on Friday, June 28. The Kona Kohala Chamber’s Visitor Industry Marketing Award recognized Greenwell Farms for its commitment to ag tourism that engages visitors with an authentic Kona coffee farm experience and its multi-faceted ag tourism marketing campaign overseen by fourth-generation farmers Tom and Jennifer Greenwell. Since 1979, the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce has recognized West Hawaii visitor industry leaders for their promotional efforts of Read More…

Today, Greenwell Farms is situated in the heart of the Kona Coffee growing region (see map) adjacent to the ancestral home of Henry and Elizabeth, which is now occupied by the Kona Historical Society and Museum. Managed by the descendants of Henry and Elizabeth, Greenwell Farms has evolved into a multi-faceted Agribusiness: The farming operation is located on the same farmland once cultivated by the Greenwell Family in the 1800s. Today Greenwell Farms employs modern farming practices to ensure consistent supply and the highest quality possible. In addition to farming, Read More…

The Greenwell Farms legacy began in 1850 when Henry Nicholas Greenwell left England and first set foot on the fertile soil of rural Kona. Together with his wife, Elizabeth Caroline, Henry spent the next forty years farming, ranching, and perfecting his Kona Coffee soon exporting it to Europe and the Americas. In 1873, the President of the Kaiser’s Exposition awarded the Greenwells a “Recognition Diploma” for their Kona Coffee at the World’s Fair in Vienna, Austria.