Turning pests into purpose: How Bizia Surf & Coffee Shop transforms invasive albizia into local goods

News admin September 17, 2026 0 Comments

Turning pests into purpose: How Bizia Surf & Coffee Shop transforms invasive albizia into local goods

WAHIAWA (HawaiiNewsNow) – Tucked away in the Wahiawa Industrial Center, a local coffee shop is turning one of Hawaii’s most notorious environmental headaches into sustainable community treasures.

At Bizia Surf and Coffee Bar, the siding, door, and window framing, staircase, tables, and even handcrafted surfboards share an unexpected origin: albizia, considered by many to be the state’s most problematic invasive tree species.

Known for rapid growth, weak wood, and falling limbs that threaten roads and power lines, albizia trees often cost millions of taxpayer dollars to remove—only to be discarded or mulched. But co-founders Christine and Joey Valenti saw an opportunity where others saw waste.

“We started the Albizia Project back in 2016, after my husband wrote his dissertation on localizing building materials for our state,” said Christine Valenti.

The turning point came during an extensive removal project at Lyon Arboretum, where around 20 large albizia trees were slated to be thrown away.

“It was about 20 trees, a multi-million-dollar project, and the trees were just getting dumped,” Valenti said. “We have all this abundant resource. We’re so import-dependent, and our tax dollars are going towards the removal of these trees. How do we start to rethink this and create an economy and a workforce around this resource for our state?”

The couple used downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic to turn that vision into reality, launching Bizia Surf and Coffee Bar alongside a dedicated millwork facility right across the parking lot. Partnering early on with Bellows Millwork helped the team learn the nuances of wood manufacturing, market pricing, and supply chain logistics.

Sourcing the logs requires creativity and persistence.

While Joey Valenti occasionally fells trees directly on private land, the operation primarily partners with arborists during planned removals led by homeowners associations, the City and County of Honolulu, the State, OHA, and military installations like Schofield Barracks.

“A lot of the albizia can be pretty deep in, especially up behind where we are now in Wahiawa,” said Joey Valenti. “Depending on the site, sometimes we’ve got to get pretty far out there to get access to these trees.”

For customers, the result is a welcoming, educational space that connects coffee culture directly to local environmental stewardship.

“Rather than just chop the tree down and not give it any life somewhere else, they’re giving it a new home,” noted one customer, admiring the custom benches and tables.

After nearly a decade spent establishing the albizia supply chain and marketplace, the Valentis say the greatest reward is seeing their work take root across Central Oahu.

“To see Bizia really grow, see the boards in the water, and see Wahiawa and Mililani communities be able to come here and hang out… it means a lot,” Christine Valenti said. “That’s a big part of why we do our work—to impact our local communities.”

Bizia Surf and Coffee Bar is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon!

How to Visit: Bizia Surf and Coffee Shop is located in the Wahiawa Industrial Center off Cane Street, accessible via California Avenue or Kilani Avenue behind the Wahiawa DMV.