Photographs by Mark Richards
Photo Essay: Fields of Dreams
Kona Joe Coffee
Kona, HI
Deepa and Joe Alban on their 20-acre Kona coffee plantation in Hawaii. Joe devised a patented method of growing coffee trees using trellises. This lets the coffee cherry, containing the seeds commonly known as beans, ripen more evenly, giving the coffee richer flavor and improved texture.
- Who: Joe Alban, 45, and Deepa Alban, 40
- Revenues: $525,000
- Employees: 11
- Old Job: Joe is an orthopedic surgeon and still practices part-time. Deepa is an artist
- How it Started: As family and friends requested coffee from the Albans' personal stash, they kept planting more
- Preparation: Got help from the Agriculture Dept. and joined trade groups such as the Specialty Coffee Assn.
- Initial Investment: $50,000
- Began in: 1997
- Broke Even: 2000
- Favorite thing About Kona Joe: "Creating something that makes people say, 'Wow, that really tastes good.'"
- Biggest Challenge: Competing with companies that don't believe in truth in labeling