Ulu Coffee Farm
Sense of place, Peace of mind
High in the Kona cloud forest, on the slope of Hualalai volcano, coffee farms dominate the landscape. Morning sun and vibrant bird song illuminate the colors of the mountain. As afternoon approaches, clouds settle in from higher elevations and bring evening rain — ideal conditions for the coffee tree.
Our 5 1/2 acre estate orchard is positioned on the Keopu Mauka area in Holualoa on Hawaii’s Big Island. This is Kona Coffee Country. When Carol Hodson purchased the land in the 1980’s, it was untouched pasture and mango groves. Carol’s husband Hal first planted the diverse landscaping, ornamental flowers, and macadamia nut trees.
It was years later when Carol’s son Phil noticed a new tree growing on the volcanic wall forming green and red cherries — coffee trees! These first trees had been seeded not by the Hodsons but by friendly fauna.
Spontaneous growth in ideal conditions: ULU in action. Phil has now realized the dream of the farm by planting the two acres of pasture with coffee trees.
Our first batch of coffee was actually roasted in the oven on the farm by Phil & 3rd generation Jack Hodson. Today, Ulu is roasted in Chicago in small batches. Our goal is to bring to Chicago the freshest 100% Kona Coffee we can. While we ship all over the country, Chicago is our epicenter and our main market. We champion the Specialty Coffee culture in this city and take pride in sharing our beans with the community.
