"We feel incredibly lucky to have received not just a coffee business, but a foundation built on love, hard work, and vision. Our parents showed us what it means to care deeply for people, for land, for purpose. Monarch Coffee Collective is our way of carrying that forward-with clarity, with intention, and with open hands." —Abby Muñoz
Our Story
From Kona Roots to a Collective Vision
We never set out to build a coffee empire; we just wanted to grow great coffee, serve our community, and build a meaningful life around something we loved.
For years, that meant working side-by-side with family on the slopes of Hualālai. What began as a small, family-operated farm became a name known for excellence, producing award-winning coffees, pioneering post-harvest processing methods, and drawing in visitors from all over the world to experience it firsthand.
Behind the scenes, it was a family legacy in motion, built on passion, grit, and the belief that great coffee starts with care. When our parents, Greg and Susy Stille, retired, they passed the torch with grace, having laid a foundation of excellence we’re forever grateful for. With their blessing, we took a step back to dream about what Monarch could become in its next season: a space not only to grow coffee, but to grow ideas, community, and connection. Monarch Coffee Collective is our way of honoring the past while doing our part to be better, do better, and help others do the same.
"This new chapter isn’t about doing things differently for the sake of change-it’s about taking something already beautiful and asking, ‘How can we honor it by evolving?’ We’re here because of the care that came before us, and we hope to pass that care forward in everything we do." —Sal Muñoz
Introducing Monarch Coffee Collective
Monarch Coffee Collective is the next chapter in our story, a shift from farming full-time to building something bigger than a single place or product.
We still have our hands in the soil, continuing to steward the crop at Monarch Estate with the help of a trusted team of agronomists and farmworkers. But we’ve moved our roasting operations to the Pacific Northwest, where our new HQ in Salem gives us the space to innovate, host, teach, and conspire to the success of others.
The word collective isn’t just a rebrand. It’s a reflection of what we believe:
That better coffee comes from better systems.
That producers deserve support beyond the harvest.
And that we’re all stronger when we grow together.
A Coffee That Changed Everything
In 2018, we submitted our coffee to the Hawaii Coffee Association’s annual cupping competition for the very first time. Over 100 farms from across the islands participated, but it was our washed Gesha from Monarch Estate that took home Grand Champion, First Place, with our pulp natural Gesha also earning a Top 3 placement.
It was a defining moment for our farm. A quiet affirmation that the care we poured into the details, from the variety choice to selective picking and innovative processing, was worth it. That same Gesha has gone on to become our signature coffee: elegant, expressive, and grown with intention on the slopes of Hualālai.
We’ve continued to earn top scores for our Gesha and Pacamara coffees in the years since, but perhaps more meaningful is how our role in the industry has evolved.
In 2025, instead of entering the competition, Abby served as Chairperson of the 16th Annual State of Hawaii Cupping Competition, working to bring a fresh perspective and meaningful change to how Hawaii coffee is evaluated and celebrated. With the introduction of international judges, national sponsorship from ROASTRONIX Houston, and the use of Tastify cupping software, the competition took a bold step toward the future.
Because excellence isn’t just about winning-it’s about raising the bar for everyone.