US investment firm Sojourner acquires stake in Hawaii Coffee Company

Hawaii Coffee Company owns the LION Coffee (pictured) packaged coffee brand | Photo credit: Hawaii Coffee Company

US private investment firm Sojourner Consumer Partners has taken a stake in Hawaii Coffee Company and established a new holding company to facilitate further acquisitions in the North American beverage sector. 
 

In a press release, Sojourner said Hawaii Coffee Company will continue to operate independently and will retain control of its roasting and milling operations in Hawaii, as well as its Kalihi-based café. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Hawaii Coffee Company is a leading roaster of packaged coffee in Hawaii and owns the LION Coffee, Royal Kona Coffee and Hawaiian Isles Coffee Roasters Co. brands, which are distributed to major supermarket retailers across the US and Japan. 

“Hawaii Coffee Company’s commanding presence in Hawaii and its embodiment of the ‘spirit of Aloha’, which is at the core of the Hawaiian culture and visitor experience, has underpinned HCC’s continued strength in Hawaii and propelled the brands into Japan and US mainland,” said Rob DesMarais, Senior Partner, Sojourner. 
 

Hawaii Coffee Company President Gerard Bastiaanse added that Sojourner’s e-commerce expertise will create new sales opportunities for the business. 
 

“They quickly understood our business and identified areas where they could help us while committing to uphold our high standards,” he said. 
 

New Jersey-based Sojourner said its new holding company, SoJoe Coffee, is actively seeking further partnerships and acquisition opportunities in the North American packaged and ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee segments. 
 

Sojourner was founded in 2023 by DesMarais, a former Chairman of Canadian specialty coffee roaster Kicking Horse Coffee, alongside Zach Johnson and Roger Dickhout. Hawaii Coffee Company is the firm’s first investment.