Keala's journey with coffee began in 2006, when he moved to New York City to pursue a career in art. It was the height of the third wave coffee movement, and while searching for work in a creative environment, he landed a job as a barista in the West Village.

To stay grounded, Keala kept close ties to his Hawaiian roots—cooking local dishes, dancing hula, and weaving island traditions into his fast-paced city life. But one thing was missing: the coffee he grew up drinking in Hawai‘i. Even after years in the coffee industry, he couldn’t find those familiar island flavors in NYC.

So he decided to change that.

After nearly a year of blending, roasting, and tasting, he crafted Keala’s Blend—his first Hawaiian coffee blend. That blend became the seed of something bigger: Kau Kau.

Today, Kau Kau is more than coffee—it's a bridge between Hawai‘i and New York, rooted in culture, creativity, and connection.

Want to hear the full story? Come “talk story” with Keala—aka The Guerrilla Barista—at one of our events or pop-ups.

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