Pele Plantations: 100% Organic Kona Coffee

Melanie was an incredible host and very accommodating to experiment with Coffee flights as opposed to her typical plantation tour. We sampled 4 different beans/roasts, with a couple that were freshly roasted earlier that day. All of them were amazing. The view from that high up was pretty amazing. As I didn't look at photos prior to, I was not expecting to be at that elevation. We stocked up our suitcases for the return trip and we are ordering our next batches! The plantation visit with Melanie was a very memorable part of our trip to Hawaii, rekindled every time we brew a cup back home.

After looking at many places in Kona to tour a coffee plantation, we settled on the Pele Plantation. I decided to send out an email from their website to see about taking a tour later that day. Within 20 minutes I had a reply and a time scheduled. We were sent detailed information on what to wear, directions, and if our teenage girls would like anything else to eat while we were there.

The owner of the Pele Plantations (Melanie) greeted us and took us on a tour of her and her husbands coffee plantation. She was very informative on her knowledge of growing and producing coffee. You could also tell that she makes sure, she is putting the best organic Kona coffee product that she has to offer to her customers. Melanie is very meticulous about ever bean that gets picked and how it is roasted before sending it out to her customers.

After our tour Melanie opened up her home and introduced us to a couple of flavors of her coffee and how it should be brewed to get the full flavor of the coffee.

All in all we had a magnificent trip and tour of their Plantation and I would recommend a tour and their coffee to anyone that visits.

-C

My wife, Angela and I visited Pele Plantations when vacationing on the Big Island in late April of 2018. I knew I wanted to tour a Kona Coffee plantation, but we had no idea how blessed and impressed we would be by the hospitality of Melanie and Vikram, the owners. Vikram gave us a comprehensive tour of the estate but also went into great detail about the planting process, coffee cultivation, and roasting dynamics. He also gave us an eye-opening explanation about the requirements of being Certified Organic, and then the additional steps that Pele takes (the Japanese way), above and beyond what's required, in order to produce a bean that is recognized among the best in the world. There was science, there was spirituality, there was friendship between complete strangers! At the end of the tour, we were treated to several cups of the fruit of their labor. Excellent. They gave us great local advice on things to do and places to see for the rest of our stay on Hawaii. But looking back, this unexpected expedition was the big hit of the Big Island! Highly recommend contacting for a tour, if you visit Kona. I know if we go back, there is no question; we would (will) return to Pele Plantations.

PS...the coffee is worth every penny. We're out of our stash that we brought back from our trip, but we'll be making a bulk order in time for the holidays! ☕😋

I was in Kona 4 years ago and had bought several different brands of Kona Coffee before seeing Pele Plantations. What a difference. Theirs is by far the best. They only pick the coffee cherries when they are fully ripe. Their drying and roasting process is the best I have ever seen. I quickly became a Coffee Club member. The aroma of the freshly roasted beans is wonderful. The smell of the brewed coffee is the first treat of the morning. My wife and I have enjoyed every cup. If you want a special treat, try their Peaberry. It is out of this world.

We recently had the chance to visit Melanie and Vikram at their new store in Waimea. It was a wonderful experience! They are delightful hosts and they continue to sell the absolute best coffee in the world. The new store is in a convenient location when exploring the northern part of the Big Island. As an added bonus, their new retail displays provide a wealth of information about the various farms that produce Pele's amazing coffees. We have been members of the Coffee Club since we first visited Pele Plantations two years ago, and love receiving freshly roasted coffee every month. Pele Plantations coffee is our go-to when we need a gift for family or friends. We look forward to visiting the store in Waimea on our next trip to the Big Island!

My family and I wanted to go on a coffee tour while on our Big Island vacation, and I'm so glad I was able to find Pele Plantation while I was doing research. Melanie and Vikram welcomed us with open arms and gave us a very informative private tour of their family owned farm. After learning about their 100% organic growing and roasting process (which is amazing - its so much work to stay certified year after year), we were treated with a coffee tasting on their lanai with amazing views of their property and the ocean. They have so much passion and dedication for what they do, and you can really tell in the quality of their coffee. We left with many bags for ourselves and for gifts, and signed up to be part of their coffee club. We all can't wait to enjoy the fresh Kona coffee at home and continued correspondence with Melanie and Vikram. If you're looking for a really unique Kona coffee experience run by inspiring people and is not a cookie-cutter tourist trap, definitely try to stop by Pele.

Best coffee ever! We get it shipped to us as often as possible and it doesn't ever last long enough. If you want to learn more about how an organic coffee farm works, taking a tour here is amazing! We've visited twice now and the view alone is worth booking a tour. Highly recommended but be sure to email ahead of time as this is not just a business, but their home.

Melanie and Vikram were wonderful hosts on our tour of Pele Plantations - their love for coffee and Pele comes through in their every word and action. They kindly squeezed us in for a tour and we are so grateful. My husband and I both enjoyed learning about the history of Pele, their process, and about running a farm. The tasting at the end of the tour has turned my husband and I into coffee drinkers - but only from Pele ;) Thank you again for such a lovely tour and great conversation, we both loved getting to know you two and can't wait to have more coffee!

You are a special guest when you visit Pele Plantations. Owners Vikram and Melanie took us on a personal tour of their beautiful plantation grounds and processing facilities. They shared their first-hand experiences with us about running an organic coffee plantation (and with a lot of detail, as I tend to ask a lot of questions). The plantation sits mauka to Highway 11 (on the mountain side) with breathtaking views over the ocean and coastline of Honaunau and Captain Cook. We concluded the tour with a cupping (coffee tasting) of one of their fresh roasts and talked more about their coffee and life on the Big Island. They are very generous with their time and knowledge. You make new friends and leave feeling like you have a glimpse into what it means to be a coffee grower and what life is like running a small business in Hawaii. Booking the tour was easy- I emailed through their website and got an almost immediate response from Melanie. I think they prefer tours in the AM before the weather gets too hot. The tour was free, as was their hospitality, and tasting. We ended up joining their monthly coffee club where we get a freshly roasted pound of organic coffee shipped to us on the mainland (overnighted via FedEx). We got our first shipment of coffee this month and we love every cup we make. Mahalo Melanie and Vikram.

Melanie provided exceptional hospitality, education, and an authentic experience that my family and I will remember for a lifetime. The passion her family has for this farm is evident in both the pure flavor of the coffee and the care they show at each stage of their process. Also, they have the most breathtaking view that I have ever seen. Thank you for welcoming us into your home.