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Safeway Inc. has agreed to change the label on packages of Kona coffee blend sold in mainland stores, according to the Kona Coffee Famers Association.
The Kona group said today that Safeway has sent a letter to the state Department of Agriculture saying the company will change the label to show that it contains 10 percent Kona beans.
The association called for a boycott of Safeway stores nationwide after a farmer saw the coffee while visiting California. Board of Agriculture Chairman Russell Kokubun sent a letter to Safeway’s corporate headquarters asking the company to voluntarily comply with Hawaii’s law requiring labels to specify the percentage of Hawaii-grown coffee included in a blend.
The association says not providing that information on the label degrades the reputation of world-famous Kona coffee.
