Oritain partners with Hawaii Coffee Association

Relying on the tenants of science, the Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) has inked an agreement with Oritain to build a statewide “origin fingerprint” database to verify the origins of Hawaii-grown coffee.
How it Works: A product’s origin can be identified by measuring the chemical compositions of plants and animals that vary naturally in the environment. As something is grown, reared or made, it absorbs a unique ratio of elements and isotopes depending on the local temperature, altitude, precipitation, soil conditions, fertilizer and farm practices.
Oritain runs this data through its statistical models to produce an “Origin Fingerprint” that it then uses to test subsequent samples as they move through the supply chain. Any samples that are inconsistent with the “Origin Fingerprint,” have likely been adulterated.
“Hawaii-grown coffee has earned a world-renowned reputation for its specialty status, farming practices and flavor profile. It is coffee that is unrivalled from anywhere else in the world. However, with such a strong reputation, brings a temptation to cheat by substituting coffee from other origins and labelling it as Hawaiian. This partnership marks a significant step in deterring this type of behavior by protecting the integrity and reputation of an important specialty crop.” Grant Cochrane, CEO, Oritain.