HONOLULU (AP) – The parent company of Waialua Coffee Co. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Waialua Farms LLC estimated its debts at $100,000 to $500,000 and assets at up to $50,000. Waialua Coffee tried to grow gourmet coffee
HONOLULU (AP) – The parent company of Waialua Coffee Co. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Waialua Farms LLC estimated its debts at $100,000 to $500,000 and assets at up to $50,000.
Waialua Coffee tried to grow gourmet coffee beans on 180 acres of former Dole pineapple land on O’ahu’s North Shore.
The company took over Dole’s struggling coffee-growing operation last year but abandoned the effort after one season.
Waialua Coffee president Alfred Coscina declined to comment.
But John Hirota, Dole’s former property manager, said the high-cost of hand-picking beans, combined with a glut on the coffee market meant it was not economical for Dole.
He says it was good coffee but was very expensive and Dole was unable to recover its costs.
