Adulteration of Kona coffee by Wawa
Wawa is a convenience store chain in the northeast and mid-atlantic areas that sells lots of coffee. They claim on their website (wawa.com) to sell over 125 million cups a year.
I recently counted 84 coffee pots in a large Wawa. One of them is labeled Kona. I asked the coffee manager if it is 100% Kona or a blend. She wasn't sure but asked the store manager, who said she thinks it's a blend. I asked, "Don't you think you should label it "Kona blend" instead of just "Kona"? And, as long as you're labeling, why not state the percentage of Kona and the origins of the rest of the blend?" She didn't understand my question.
I have long contended that the real competition to gourmet coffee shops is not Starbucks, but the Wawas, 7-11's, and other convenience stores. When a person buys a cup of "Kona" coffee from a Wawa and finds it's no better than any other cup in the store, you can be sure he will never, ever pay $30 a pound for the real Kona.
Kona coffee deserves better treatment. Coffee consumers deserve better. Wawa is deceiving its customers and Kona coffee is being adulterated.
Robert
Labels: Kona Coffee
posted by Robert @ 1/20/2008
9 Comments
9 Comments:
Aloha Robert,
Thank you very much for helping us with the Kona fight! You are "right on" and it is scandalous in our collective Kona Coffee farmers opinion, to call something with just 10% Kona or less (there is NO Federal standard- it just exists in Hawaii) and 90% other/unknown, - a Kona coffee "blend".
In case you or others are interested, our Kona Coffee Farmers Association(KCFA) is again going to our Hawaii State Legislature, asking that the minumum in a Kona Blend be 75% Kona.It is a really tough fight within our own State when the huge blenders stand to lose large profits if they have to put more REAL Kona in their profitable blends. arrrgh
The KCFA has its online petition available at http://petitiononline.com/75Kona/
Please sign it if you have time so we can impress our local politicals with the importance of Truth.
Thank you again Robert! warmest aloha, Cea and many others:)
Robert your post is right on! I hope Wawa reads it.
I have sent Wawa a link to the post. I will share their reply.
Robert
Thanks Robert, as a 100% Kona coffee farmer I appreciate your efforts. I hope all of your readers do as well.
It is totally understandable that a consumer would feel abused and defrauded by drinking something labeled "Kona" when in fact the management has no clue as to what is actually in there!
That is why as a 100% Kona coffee farmer we support truth in labeling laws and an increase in the required percentage for the blenders!
Mahalo
Below is the email I received from Wawa. I think it means I should contact their GM, or they will contact me. I'm not sure.
Robert
Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:42:48 (GMT)
subject Thank You!
Reply
Thank you for contacting us with your comments!
If you are writing to us concerning one of our stores, we welcome you to please contact the General Manager of the store in question. He or she will gladly assist you! Your comments will be forwarded to the General Manager for follow up at the store location you specified. Please be assured that your comments will be investigated. If appropriate, corrective action will also be taken.
All other emails will be forwarded to the appropriate person or management team. Again, thank you for contacting us. If we can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Relations Center at 1-800-444-9292.
Sincerely,
Wawa Customer Relations
260 West Baltimore Pike
Wawa, PA 19063
1-800-444-9292
It is the vaguest of responses. Or even a "no response" in my critical mind. Keep us posted please. aloha, Cea
The letter you recieved is a computer generated response.
I never got a valid response on my complaint over a year ago.
Wawa is just another rags to riches company that has used their vendors and thrown them to the curbside when they are done with them.
Avoid Wawa they will tell you anything to get your money.
Robert, Growers and Readers,
Let's all relax. If the truth be told many merchants sell/serve Kona Blends and promote it as Kona Coffee. It is rare the 100% Kona is served anywhere. It would not be cost effective. If a buyer pays a dollar for a cup of "Kona Coffee" at a 7'11 and is not wise enough to know that it is not 100% then they are not a true coffee drinker and the issue it not. Yes, 100% or blended Kona is special in any form and we thank God for the Kona Region which allows for such a fine brew. But let's not forget all the other great coffee growers, Maui, Kauai, Columbia, etc. . .
I just posted a copy of a letter from the Kona Coffee Growers Association to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters on the same topic of adulteration of Kona coffee.
http://www.aboutcoffee.net/2008/02/kona-farmers-complain-to-green-mountain.html
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