This Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) History Month, we’re highlighting not only our producer partners in Asia and Hawaii, but also the challenges many coffee-growing communities are currently facing. Due to severe weather impacts in Sumatra and ongoing production challenges in Hawaii, we do not currently have single origin coffees from these regions available for May 2026. Instead, we wanted to share more about the people behind these coffees and how consumers can continue supporting them during this difficult time.
What’s affecting coffee production in Sumatra?
In 2025, one of Asia’s most prominent coffee-growing regions, Sumatra, experienced catastrophic weather conditions that have led to a coffee export shortage in the first half of 2026. A cyclone in December 2025 was part of a string of weather conditions that significantly impacted coffee production. Excessive rainfall and flooding disrupted growing conditions and damaged infrastructure and crops. Aside from damaging crops, these weather conditions also left many producers stranded and without supplies for their workers.
What’s affecting coffee production in Hawaii?
As a result of a multitude of factors such as labor shortages, climate-related damage, and even coffee berry borer pests, Hawaiian Kona coffee has also seen a loss of 20% to 30% of production compared to previous years.
How is Klatch Coffee supporting Sumatran and Hawaiian coffee producers?
Though we currently do not have any of their single origin offerings available, Klatch Coffee has partnered with producers in both Sumatra and Hawaii for quite some time. We’ve also imported coffee from Java and East Timor in Indonesia, but our main partnerships go through farmer collectives in Sumatra such as Kokowagayo, and through our longtime friend and partner, Lorie Obra of Rusty’s Hawaiian Coffee in Hawaii.
What is the Kokowagayo Cooperative in Sumatra?
Kokowagayo, short for Koperasi Kopi Wanita Gayo, is a women-owned cooperative in Sumatra's Aceh province—the very first of its kind. The cooperative was formed in 2014 with the goal of improving both income and quality of life for women farmers and their families. By focusing on agriculture, coffee production, and trade, the cooperative aimed to strengthen women’s participation in every aspect of the coffee industry. Previously, women in mixed-gender cooperatives often faced social barriers that limited their ability to participate in decision-making. It was especially difficult and unheard of for women to be in leadership roles.
At the Kokowagayo cooperative, women had the chance to become not just members, but leaders, managers, decision-makers, and owners. At present, the cooperative is a community of nearly 700 women farmers, originating from fifteen different villages within the region. Together, they manage over 470 hectares of coffee producing land.
This innovative cooperative has made it possible for women producers in Sumatra to ensure their voices, needs, and aspirations are heard, and it’s created a space for women producers in the region to feel empowered as leaders and key players in the farming community.
Klatch Coffee is honored to bring in the cooperative’s harvests, such as last year’s Organic Sumatra Kokowagayo.
Introducing Lorie Obra, Klatch Coffee’s Partner in Hawaii
Rusty and Lorie Obra started their Hawaiian coffee farm in 1999, when they stumbled upon what’s now known as an award-winning coffee region, Ka’u. Rusty was a retired chemist, and he was the first of the pair to arrive in Ka’u. He took over 12 acres of an old sugarcane farm on the slope of the Mauna Loa volcano, and he started planting coffee trees. Lorie, who was a medical technologist, soon sold their New Jersey home and followed him to Hawaii.
From there, the couple quickly expanded their business to become farmers, processors, and roasters of coffee. In part because of their science background, the two ran their farm like a laboratory. They began to test different processing methods and roasts, looking for ones that would bring out the best flavors in their coffee. Wanting to also advocate for the community and other farmers, Rusty also organized the Ka'u Coffee Growers Cooperative, a group of about 30 Ka'u coffee farmers.
In 2006, Rusty unfortunately passed away. This left Lorie at a crossroads, as she was uncertain if she could keep going on her own. Considering the intensive manual labor required, she thought about selling the farm and land to someone else. However, that thought was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared; she couldn’t sell off Rusty’s dream of making Ka’u coffee one of the best coffees in the world.
Instead, she focused on continuing to build up the farm. With her hard work and dedication, she was able to bring Ka’u into the global spotlight. Ka'u was honored at the Specialty Coffee Association of America's annual conference in 2007 for the first time, serving as a turning point for the region. Two of Lorie's fellow farmers in the Ka'u Coffee Growers Cooperative won sixth and ninth place in the Roaster's Guild Cupping Pavilion Competition, and that same year, Rusty's Hawaiian was one of seven farms that ranked in the SCAA's top 10 Hawaii/Asia/Indonesia regional competition.
The recognition and subsequent awards for Ka'u coffee strengthened Lorie's dedication, and reaffirmed her decision to stay with the farm. Lorie is currently the president of the Ka'u Coffee Growers Cooperative, and she was one of the organizers of the first Ka'u Coffee Festival held in April 2009. She also continues to refine the processing and roasting methods at Rusty's Hawaiian, and has even been recognized by "Coffee Review: The World's Leading Coffee Buying Guide" for her "artisan meticulousness." She now runs the farm alongside her daughter Joan, making it a multi-generational, women-led operation.
Each year, Klatch Coffee brings in their Hawaii Rusty’s Ka’u coffee as part of our Pearl Reserve collection, celebrating the craftsmanship and resilience behind every harvest.
How can we continue to support producers in these areas?
There are various ways to support the producers in affected areas. Sucafina, a global green coffee broker, set up a donation link to collect donations to be used to charter planes to the Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra regions to help producers get back on their feet. These planes carry necessary supplies such as rice and salted fish to help the communities affected.
Several organizations work alongside Hawaiian coffee producers, including the Kona Coffee Farmers Association (KCFA) and the Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA). These organizations advocate for the economic interests of producers while also supporting pest management efforts and helping reduce risks to local coffee plants.