A private investment firm led by the past chairman of Canada’s Kicking Horse Coffee made an undisclosed investment in Honolulu-based Hawaii Coffee Company, one of the largest coffee roasting and packaging companies in the state of Hawaii.
The deal represents the first acquisition made by the firm Sojourner Consumer Partners, which was co-founded by Rob DesMarais, the former Kicking Horse Chair who helped lead the company’s North American sale to Lavazza in 2017.
The Hawaii Coffee Company acquisition involved participation from Los Angeles-based holding and real estate company Anderson Holdings. With the deal comes the launch of SoJoe Coffee, a new holding company and investment platform focused on the packaged coffee sector.
“SoJoe Coffee represents a holding company which is actively seeking partnerships and acquisitions with high-potential packaged and ready-to-drink coffee companies based in North America,” Sojourner said in an announcement of the acquisition.
Hawaii Coffee Company currently comprises four sibling brands. In 2000, Lion Coffee and Aloha Royal Kona Coffee merged to form the Hawaii Coffee Company. The merged company launched a tea brand in 2004 called Hawaiian Islands Tea, then partnered with chef Alan Wong in 2013 to launch another coffee brand, Royal Hawaiian.
According to the announcement from Sojourner, the company will continue to operate as Hawaii Coffee Company while maintaining milling, roasting, cafe and office facilities throughout the state. In its acquisition announcement, Sojourner notably described Hawaii Coffee Company as “a pioneer of flavored coffee in Japan.”
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