Java Kai was founded by Xochitl Burchell and Sean Garcia on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, after the two left careers in clothing design and film production in Los Angeles. Burchell purchased the business from her mother in 2011 and the couple transformed it into a third wave roastery with multiple locations across the island. The beans are hand roasted in small batches on Diedrich roasters, including an original unit hand built for Java Kai in Sandpoint, Idaho, and a larger machine custom built in the Netherlands when the operation outgrew its first space. The roastery, called the Kauai Jungle Roastery, sources many ingredients from local farmers, embedding the company in the island's agricultural community. Java Kai's lineup reflects a family style approach to specialty coffee where sourcing and craft serve the same relaxed, island rooted identity.