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Our Farm FAQ

 How long has the company been in business?

   About 20 years

Tell me about the new ownership.

   The original owners fell on hard times and eventually filed bankruptcy. In April 2017, John Trowbridge, an experienced business manager, and turnaround expert purchased the assets of the company through the bankruptcy courts.

What is the elevation at Mountain Thunder?

   3,200 feet or 675 meters, one of the highest elevation Kona Coffee plantations.

What is a Cloud Forest?

   A cloud forest is generally a tropical or sub-tropical moist forest characterized by low-level cloud cover and are usually characterized by mosses covering ground and vegetation.

How often does it rain?

   Almost every day – estimated annual rainfall is in excess of 100 inches

Is your coffee irrigated?

   Not much need with the rainfall we have, however, we do have some backup irrigation in place

What is the usual temperature?

   Kailua- Kona has a mean year around temperature of 74 degrees with lows in the upper 60’s and highs in the mid-80’s. The typical temperature at Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation is about 15 degrees cooler

that in Kailua-Kona with morning sun and afternoon clouds and rain.

Where do they get all their coffee, if they don’t grow all of it?

   Mountain Thunder buys cherry coffee from dozens of small farmers, selecting only the best available.

How many acres or coffee trees does Mountain Thunder have?

   Presently about 12 acres are under the company’s management. The company is actively seeking more high-quality acreage.

Where does Mountain Thunder mill and roast its coffee?

   All processing is done on the main property at 73-1942 Ha’o Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. All tours are through the actual mills and roastery we use for all our production.

Is it all Organic?

Only our Ha’o Street property is USDA Certified Organic. The others produce regular Kona Coffee.

Do you ship internationally?

   We ship worldwide.

Do you have a coffee club with automatic monthly shipments?

   Yes, coffee club members have several benefits and receive periodic shipments. We can ship twice a month, monthly or every other month.

Does Mountain Thunder grow any other crops besides coffee?

   Not at this time.

What crops could Mountain Thunder grow, what sorts of native plants are at Mountain Thunder?

   There are many exotic fruits, certain flowers, vanilla, and boutique vegetables for the restaurant trade. It is not practical to grow macadamia nuts, pineapple or sugarcane, due to the elevation, temperature, rainfall and irregular terrain.

   Many native plants including Ohia Lehua, Amaumau Fern, Hapu’ui’I, (Hawaiian Tree Fern), among many others.