Rich in History, Rich in Flavor!
Established in 1904
Our History
C.S. Wing, as President of now Wing Coffee Company, Ltd., purchases the Takakura Coffee Mill in Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, and changes the name to Hawaii Coffee Mill. Mr. Wing creates coffee advertisements depicting Hawaii's famous Diamond Head, surfing at Waikiki Beach, active volcanoes, and dancing hula girls which are a first in the coffee industry. Silent motion pictures are also used to promote the Wing Brand. Business rapidly expands.
Three local firms are selling Kona Coffee: Mid Pacific, Ka Moi, and Wing Coffee. Cost of coffee beans skyrocket after Superior Tea monopolized the market. Coffee bean prices increase by $10 per bag. Wing Coffee Company, Ltd. is forced to discontinue roasting and selling coffee. The business concentrates on selling imported goods, sauces, and groceries.
Wing Coffee Company, Ltd. purchases the property at 31 N. Pauahi St. for $70,000 from China Gift Chest.
1948
C.S. Wing, at the age of 13 immigrates to Hawaii to study and earn a living.
At age 15, C.S. Wing becomes a partner with Chong Yee Jou in a small cold drink concession at the old Territorial Market at Alakea Street with $50 capital. This is the start of his business career.
C.S.Wing buys the Hong Kee Fruit Store on Nuuanu Avenue, and later sells his share to purchase Wing Sang with his cousin Yuck Wing and friend Wong Sau.
C.S. Wing changes the name of the store from Wing Sang to Wing Hing, which means "forever prosperous". Their retail business specializes in groceries, fresh fruits imported from the mainland, canned goods, and Kona coffee made with a small hand roaster. This is the beginning of what would become Wing Coffee Company Ltd.
1915
1904
On November 13th, C.S. Wing marries Duck Yau Lee, sister-in-law of the prominent merchant Chun Hoon.
1918
C.S. Wing appoints his friend Wai Kong Ho as agent to collect and coordinate green coffee beans from Kona and ship them to Honolulu for roasting and grinding.
1922
1925
C.S. Wing makes his first visit to the U.S. mainland, where he appoints agents in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. He becomes known as the "King of Coffee".
Loans are extended to individual coffee farmers in exchange to purchase their harvest.
1927
1939
C.S. Wing originates Aloha Gift Boxes labeled "Greetings from Paradise", or "Aloha from Hawaii" with scenes of a surfers, flower lei, or the Hawaiian Islands.
1933
During the recession of 1933, C.S. Wing purchases the mansion of the McCandless estate, and this becomes the entertainment center for many Wing Coffee functions and community gatherings.
1970
On December 1st, Robert Chong joins the firm and is placed in charge of the coffee operation.
On November 1st, the sale of Wing Coffee Co., Ltd. to Peter Kam, owner of First Commercial Kitchen, is completed. Peter is a former customer and vendor who provided bottling services for sauces under the Wing Brand.
1996
1995
On August 21st, President Robert Chong unexpectedly dies of cancer after a short illness. Elizabeth Hirokane takes over as manager, but the directors voted to sell the company.
2004
Wing Coffee Company celebrates a century of business enterprise since the founding of Wing Hing Company by C.S. Wing in 1904. The business is relocated to the Waipio Gentry Business Park in Waipahu, Hawaii. First Commercial Kitchen, a food manufacture, now had a distribution arm via Wing Coffee Company
Peter changes the Wing Coffee packaging back to its original form of 1904. A 100% Hawaiian Island Blend is added to complement the original 100% Pure Hawaiian Kona Coffee. Vanilla Mac-nut and a Kona Blend are added later that year, as well as a gift pack.
2016
1940
C.S. Wing establishes the Central Coffee Mill in Kona to supply green beans to the Honolulu factory in Chinatown.
Due to the great depression and World War II, Hawaii Coffee Mill suffers heavy losses and is forced to shut down.
1944
1942
C.S. Wing dies of a heart attack at the age of 72.
1956
1897
1903
1899
On April 1st, The Islander Group buys Wing Coffee Company. Their vision is to bring Hawaii’s oldest coffee company back into the market for local people to enjoy.
2022
Present
Day
Today, Wing Coffee can be found on the shelves of boutique coffee retailers in addition to their website. Wing’s popularity continues to grow as island residents rediscover one of Hawaii’s oldest brands.
A PEEK INTO THE PAST
