About Us
COFFEE + COMMUNITY + CONNECTIONS
We are a Hawai'i based coffee company with a focus on light roasted coffees, delicious breakfast items, and freshly prepared sandwiches. All of our coffees are roasted in our original location in downtown Honolulu. We truly love coffee and people, and connecting the community one cup at a time is our mission.
We would like to acknowledge and express gratitude for the ‘āina on which these shops sit, and for the Kānaka Maoli of the past and present.
Mālama ‘āina | Aloha ‘āina
About James and Will
While growing up in the 80’s in Hawaii, when most kids went to the corner store to buy shaved ice, crack seed, and chips, I went to downtown McInerney to get myself a cup of dark espresso. From that impressionable age, I was always on the hunt for the perfect cup of coffee. Over the decades, that great taste eluded my grasps until today. I decided to start a coffee business from what I learned and Ali’i Coffee is a direct expression of my love for great coffee.
I started my venture with a toaster-size roaster that I purchased for $100.00. I could not roast more than half a pound at a time, but I was immediately blown away by the difference in taste. With the blessing of my wife Brandee, a graduate from Kamehameha High School and Hawaii Pacific University, I purchased a commercial roaster and apprenticed under a master roaster of 40 years to further my understanding of the coffee business. We receive fresh green beans from different countries and local farms. Based upon our roasting formula, the freshness of our beans, and our roast to order policy, you will enjoy flavorful and fresh coffee.
Give Ali’i Coffee a try and start enjoying great tasting coffee.
Aloha and Mahalo,
James Webb
Having grown up around my Father's coffee shop in San Francisco, I always knew that coffee was my passion. As much as I love the taste, there is something about the aroma that always made me dream of creating my own coffee brand. After moving to Hawaii in 1993 and discovering what great coffees were available here, I decided to take the leap and delve into the coffee roasting world by purchasing my first roaster. The journey took a great turn when James and I met and discovered our mutual love and vision for a coffee business. Itʻs with the support of the community that we have been able to sustain and grow, and for that I am truly grateful.
Mahalo,
Will Gold