Grok Coffee has launched a novel coffee delivery service for the island of Oahu. Grok Coffee Delivery brings locally roasted, whole-bean coffee in reusable, environmentally friendly jars to homes and businesses. The customizable service allows customers to order and pay for freshly roasted coffee by the ounce, with the option to vary the amount with every order. Coffee lovers get the variety and convenience of a subscription service but are able to enjoy more flexibility than with traditional plans.
Grok Coffee’s selection of rotating coffees is unmatched by any other company. All coffees are roasted by Hawaii-based roasters from across the Hawaiian Islands, many of them also coffee farmers. The company takes pride in seeking out quality, under-the-radar roasters and growers. Grok Coffee founder Shawn Steiman, PhD, says, “We have amazing roasters in Hawaii who roast a wide range of Hawaii-grown and world coffees. We must support our coffee community to help it grow and thrive.” The service’s most unique aspect is the ability to purchase coffee by the ounce.
Grok Coffee Delivery works much like a traditional milk delivery system. Full jars of coffee beans are dropped off and the empty containers are picked up, washed, sanitized and reused. Grok Coffee has also partnered with local businesses to host pick-up and drop-off depots as an alternative to direct delivery. Grok Coffee’s booth at the Saturday Kaka‘ako Farmers’ Market also serves as a depot with the bonus of having Steiman to answer coffee questions in person. Customers register and manage subscriptions via Grok Coffee’s website, www.GrokCoffee.net, where they choose from the weekly Hawaii-grown or world selection, or opt for some of each. Prices typically range from $2.40-$2.80/oz. for Hawaii-grown coffees and $1.40-$1.80/oz. for world coffees. The delivery charge is $7 for Oahu deliveries. At this time, mail-order is not available.
Grok Coffee has a focused eye on environmental well-being, and every aspect of the service operates with this commitment. The glass jars and lids are plastic-free and the only waste generated is the coffee label, which is recycled. A benefit of this packaging system is a reduction in plastic use by at least 47%. “We have to choose to reduce our use of fossil fuel-based products. That choice is hard—we want to help make that choice easy,” says Steiman.
About Grok Coffee
Grok Coffee is a Honolulu-based company providing coffee bean delivery, coffee-centric tours, coffee education, and event coffee service. It is owned and operated by coffee scientist Shawn Steiman, PhD. Steiman is Hawaii’s own “Doctor Coffee,” holding a doctorate from the University of Hawaii-Mānoa specializing in coffee studies. He is an international coffee consultant and the author of The Hawaii Coffee Book: A Gourmet’s Guide from Kona to Kauai and The Little Coffee Know-It-All: A Miscellany for Growing, Roasting, and Brewing, Uncompromising and Unapologetic, and co-editor and contributor to Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry.
