Like many other small farmers, I met Emmerich Grosch about 20 years ago. His business, Captain Cook Trading Company, was selling exactly what we needed: small equipment to process our coffee, macnuts and cacao.
According to Emmerich, “I wanted to empower the small growers to develop their own ‘Gucci’ labels.”
And, he did and we did. Many of us purchased our first small coffee hullers, macnut crackers or cacao processing equipment from Captain Cook Trading.
Back in 1990, Emmerich owned and operated the Captain Cook Inn restaurant. At the suggestion of his friend, Ken Love, he decided to purchase some small coffee processing equipment from England as a way to help out some of the small growers in Kona. Ken helped spread the word among coffee farmers and by 1995, Emmerich had started a business which he called Captain Cook Trading Company.
By 1998, he had moved to his current location on Halekii Street in Kealakekua and was well stocked with equipment for processing coffee, macnuts and cacao. Today, he is still in the same spot and has greatly expanded his offerings.
“Those 25 years went fast and now I find myself only four years shy of 90,” Emmerich explained.
Always thinking of new ventures, he started buying coffee and macnuts from his farmer friends and has a thriving business today processing, bagging and selling these in many different forms through his business Hawaii Product Resources.
He also expanded into the nursery business in 2012 and continues to offer edible plants to local farmers and gardeners. Managed by Maggie McDermott and Momi Subiono, Tropical Edibles Nursery in Captain Cook carries herbs, veggies and fruit trees to encourage growers to plant food crops. They also offer a few ornamentals as “food for the soul.”
Although he built Captain Cook Trading on his own, he now has some excellent helpers. Angelica Stevens, Maggie McDermott and Raylene Sopkin each spend a day at CCT helping with the expanding workload including processing, packaging and shipping his equipment and products.
In response to my questions about his customer base, he regaled me with a long list of buyers. In addition to the visitors and locals who know he has good prices on coffee and macnuts, he also sells lots of nuts to a macaw sanctuary.
Selling to the bird sanctuary is easy since he can sell the nuts in the shell. Macaws’ beaks have a bite force of nearly 500 psi, making cracking very hard macnut shells no problem for them.
Finding new ideas for products is key to Emmerich’s business model. He offers several different kinds of coffee, including a decaf version, another called Krazie Cup that has 50% less caffeine, and a few fully caffeinated varieties.
He told me the story behind his Hippi coffee. He buys beans from Angelica Steven’s farm and dries them in the cherry before pulping them. He says the result is a somewhat sweeter-flavored coffee. The dried cherries he bags as coffee cherry tea. It’s a sweet-tasting tea with just a hint of caffeine.
Wanting to appeal to all his coffee-loving customers, he does several roasts. The light roast has the most caffeine. He also sells a medium, a medium-dark and a full-dark roast. For what he calls “the coffee snobs” he also sells some peaberry. The single bean appeals to some, and seems to produce coffee that is less acidic.
The cacao beans he buys from local farmers he prepares and sells in several ways. He sells the dried cacao beans as well as the nibs. Another unique offering is his cacao tea made from the dried husks of the cacao beans.
Displaying his sense of humor as well as his inventive spirit, Emmerich shared his latest idea: a macnut foot massager. He had one in the shop. I tried it and found it offered a nice do-it-yourself foot stimulation. Go check it out.
Dedicated to the idea of helping the agricultural community, Emmerich continues to offer equipment, products and services to serve local farmers as well as West Hawaii visitors and residents. Drop in to Captain Cook Trading or check out the plants at Tropical Edibles Nursery and know that you are participating in Emmerich’s effort to empower local farmers.
These businesses each have their own websites. You can contact Captain Cook Trading by phone at (808) 322-7799 or (808) 323-2411, or email at captaincooktrading@gmail.com. Tropical Edibles Nursery is available at (808) 328-0420 or tropicaledibles@gmail.com. If you are interested in growing, processing or enjoying local coffee, macnuts or cacao, these are places worth checking out.
Gardening events
Saturdays:
• “Work Day at Amy Greenwell Garden” from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the Garden Visitor Center across from the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook. Come with a mask and be prepared to practice social distancing. Volunteers can help with garden maintenance and are invited to bring a brown bag lunch. Water and snacks provided. Visit the website www.amygreenwell.garden/get-involved/volunteer-1/ and sign up for the weekly email for more information on work days. Save the dates:
• October 5-7: “33rd Annual Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers Conference” starting at 8 a.m. on Oct. 5 going to 2 p.m. on Oct. 7 at Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. Topic: “Security Starts with the Soil.” More information at https://www.htfg.org/event-details/33rd-annual-htfg-conference-1
• October 17-18: “Malama the Farmer” at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo. October 17 breakout sessions, October 18 agricultural businesses tour. Registration $225 for both days. Sponsorships available for farmers. Sponsored by UH CTAHR and Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program. More information at AgrabilityTraining and Events or contact Agrability Partners Tess McKeel at tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org or JoBeth Rath at jbrath@goodwillfingerlakes.org.
Farmer Direct Markets
(Check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday:
• “Ho‘oulu Farmers Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheraton Kona Resort &Spa at Keauhou Bay
Saturday:
• “Keauhou Farmers Market” 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center. Information on their online market: keauhoufarmersmarket.com/onlinemarket
• “Kamuela Farmer’s Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at Pukalani Stables
• “Waimea Town Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Parker School in central Waimea
• “Waimea Homestead Farmers Market” from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground
Sunday:
• “Pure Kona Green Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook
• “Hamakua Harvest” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hwy 19 and Mamane Street in Honokaa
Plant Advice Lines
Anytime: konamg@hawaii.edu
Tuesdays &Thursdays: 9 a.m. to noon at UH-CES in Kainaliu — 322-4893 or walk in
Mon., Tues. &Fri: 9 a.m. to noon at UH CES at Komohana in Hilo — 981-5199 or himga@hawaii.edu.
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.