We Can Thank This US State For Growing The Most Coffee

Many states are known for their unique food and drink. When you think of New York, for example, pizza usually springs to mind. A state like Maine is known for its lobster rolls, while Chicago is famed for its Chicago-style hot dogs. And when you think of coffee, many think of Washington State, the birthplace of Starbucks.

While Washington is known for Starbucks coffee, it doesn't have a great environment for growing the coveted brown bean. Most states do not produce coffee and most coffee beans are imported to the United States. The U.S. is actually the second-largest country that imports coffee beans (what can we say, we love our custom coffee orders), usually from places such as South America and Europe.

However, the one exception to this is Hawaii, a state that's well-known for its coffee production. Through 2023 and 2024, Hawaii growers produced, 16.9 million pounds of coffee, which is lower than in previous seasons, but still the highest in the country. Hawaii coffee is grown on Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.

Hawaii is the only state that can produce and grow coffee beans on a commercial level, with the Kona region being well-known for its coffee production. Kona coffee is also one of the most expensive coffees in the world, due to it growing on the slopes of two active volcanoes: Mauna Loa and Hualalai. The volcanic soil gives the coffee a richer flavor that you can't get in other parts of the U.S. Similar to other coffee-producing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam, Hawaii also has an ideal climate, with high altitude areas, cool nights, and plenty of rain. 

Hawaii may be the only state in the U.S. to produce coffee on the scale it does, but that doesn't mean other states haven't tried. Farmers in California have also begun growing coffee in the state, granted on a much smaller scale. Even so, there are over 30 coffee farms in the Golden State. There are also parts in the southernmost region of Florida that grow coffee, but it's still in an experimental phase. While we may continue to see coffee production increase in other states, they still have a long way to go before reaching Hawaii levels.