Buying Kona coffee at HNL airport vs Kona pier

[Cavegirl]

Has anyone bought Kona coffee at the Honolulu airport (duty free) shops? Any experience comparing them to buying while at Kona?

 

When we were at Jamaica, we bought Blue Mountain coffee and rum at local supermarkets. It was slightly cheaper (10-20%) than the tourist areas. Then at the airport we found out the prices there were similar to the local supermarkets. That is, prices at airport were better than at the tourist areas.

 

While at Cuba, the rum (also took note of cigar prices although we don't smoke and didn't buy) was same or cheaper at the airport compared to the tourist areas.

 

This makes me wonder if the Kone coffee prices at the Honolulu airport duty free shops would be just as good as if buying from the Kona pier. (Well, won't be as fresh as buying the newly roaster coffee at a coffee farm, but if it's relatively fresh and vacuum packed...)

[spleen93]

The varieties will be less (some of the esoteric varieties will be hard to find at big stores such as Duty Free) so if you're particular about the TYPE of Kona that you get, then that wouldn't work so well. If you're looking for generic Kona coffee (like Lion, Royal Kona, etc), then it'd probably work out OK (less traveling and carrying of the coffee that way too)

 

Spleen