Afternoon visitors to Whole Foods in Kahala on Saturday will have the rare treat of getting Kona Bob’s Coffee Concentrate served to them by "Kona Bob" McDonald himself.
The concentrate is made from 100 percent Kona coffee beans and is just what you think it is, though it’s never brewed or cooked in any way. "It’s cold-pressed," said Jean Yokoyama, McDonald’s wife.
It’s not like those little "Mio" or other micro-bottled products that one squeezes into a water bottle or water-filled glass.
Rather, the concentrate comes in 16-ounce or 32-ounce bottles that will make about six or 12 cups of coffee, respectively, depending on how strong the drinker wants it. If it’s espresso you’re after, dilute with less water or not at all.
But wait, there’s more!
"We use it for pouring on ice cream," and there are "other things, like frappuccino, that consumers can make at home," Yokoyama said.
If such fanciful recipes are not in your head, the label bears instructions for various gourmet coffee drinks including Irish Coffee Delight, and an ice cream pie dessert.
The couple worked with Whole Foods for close to six months to get the product into the Kahala and Kailua stores, where it sells for $11.99 for 16 ounces and $21.99 for 32 ounces.
"They support the local farmers, and that’s really, really good for all of us," she said.
Otherwise, the concentrate is sold only in Island Naturals health food store on the Kona side of Hawaii island, or via Kona Bob’s website.
The company produces "small batches" of two to three dozen bottles per month, Yokoyama said.
"We do it all; we’re a mom-and-pop business. We make small batches so they can be fresh," she said.
Should demand increase, the company will have to make adjustments, such as bringing other family members into the mix, or selling the company, but at 80, McDonald is having fun. "This is a wonderful thing for him to do, and he’s very healthy," Yokoyama said, so there’s no talk of changing anything at the moment.
Farming can be fun and rewarding, but it can be fraught with frustration.
The Yokoyama-McDonald Farm did not escape the coffee berry borer unscathed. "We lost 20 percent of our crop last year," she said. "We ran out of coffee before the end of the year," but with a farm manager to stay atop the pest, "we’re coming back," she said.
Yokoyama knew nothing of farming when she sought to buy Bob McDonald’s then-macadamia nut farm in 1986. She bought the farm, and after continued consultation with McDonald about how to run it, one thing led to another and they were married in 1987. Then Yokoyama’s grown children either bought a vacation home in or moved to Kona from Oahu, where their mother had previously toiled in real estate.
"It was just wonderful to start to a whole new life," she said.
The Whole Foods Kona Bob’s demonstration and tasting will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Kahala store.
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On the Net:
» www.KonaBobsCoffee.com
LEAGUE OF LOL-ERS TO GATHER
The Aiea PC Gamerz video game emporium and Internet cafe will be full of more than the usual number of people madly clicking computer mice from noon to 11 p.m. or perhaps later Saturday, as a League of Legends tournament unfolds.
"League," as it’s called for short, or "LoL," which almost nobody calls it, is an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), and beyond that, despite having two sons who play the game with actual and virtual friends, your columnist isn’t able to explain anything more.
"We are currently trying to keep (the tournament) to one day," though it may go longer, said Devin Wolery, No. 2 in command of PC Gamerz.
The 24 participating teams of five have been set for a while, and organizers are expecting as many as 150 people to show up for the action.
As well as supporting the local gaming community, PC Gamerz also plans a food drive, encouraging players to bring nonperishable foods to donate "to support the community of the island," he said.
The Kaneohe location will be open for business as usual.
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On the Net:
» pcgamerzhawaii.com
