An unspoiled land, a sunny climate and misty afternoons give Ka'u Coffee its characteristic deep flavors. One esteemed coffee taster described Ka'u Coffee as "the taste of chocolate, cherry, and coconut, accented with floral notes of orchid and citrus flowers."

Ka'u coffee has earned the reputation of one of the best coffees anywhere. For the last four years, Ka'u Coffee has placed top ten in tasting competition at the world's largest coffee gathering, the Specialty Coffee Association of America Convention. In 2010, the professional tasters gave such high scores to Ka'u Coffee, that Ka'u brought Hawaiian coffee to regional status. Will and Grace Tabios produced a Ka'u Coffee on their Rising sun Farm that scored 87.563 points, the highest of all Hawaiian coffees. Six Ka'u Coffees that were entered into this International Roasters Guild Coffees of the Year competition became finalists along with 68 other coffees from around the world. In 2009, Bull and Jamie Kailiawa's coffee ranked seventh in the world at the same competition. In 2008, Manuel Marques took eleventh with his Ka'u Forest Coffee. In 2007, Will and Grace Tabios took sixth.

Ka'u Coffee also topped statewide competition with Lori Obra's coffee, called Rusty's Hawaiian 100 % Ka'u, coming in first in the 2010 statewide Hawaiian Coffee Association competition. Manuel Marques and Paradise Meadows farms teamed up for third. Efren Abellera with his Kehau Coffee Farm took fifth. 

In 2010, Lorie Obra was named Outstanding Producer by the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe, which sent tasters to visit the Ka'u Coffee farms.