Kavasseur

Announcement from Kalm with Kava on 7 May 2020:

It is with great sadness that we regret to inform our Facebook community of the unexpected passing of Kalm with Kava founder and owner, Mike Munsell on May 1, 2020.

Mike was passionate about kava and had a deep respect for its’ sacred role in healing spirits and unifying relationships. After discovering kava and its benefits he wanted to share his passion for kava with the world. He quickly became a sought after expert on kava and was well known and respected in the kava community.

Mike founded Monsoon Beverages LLC and the Kalm with Kava brand in 2010. And in 2016, with the support of his close family, made the brave move to quit his full-time job in the energy industry to concentrate on the business full-time.

What he loved most about the business was frequent trips to the South Pacific to meet the family farmers and village communities growing kava. He helped villages on the islands install electrical and plumbing lines, construct schools, and aided in disaster relief following cyclones on numerous occasions. It is these long-standing, close relationships that allow us to source the high quality kava we sell.

Mike also greatly enjoyed connecting and mixing with like-minded individuals, others equally as passionate about kava, here in the U.S. He loved visiting with the many kava bar owners, and Kalm with Kava customers, across the country. Online he was an active participant on both Kava Forums and the Reddit Kava Forum where he was always willing to answer questions, provide guidance and share his vast knowledge of kava.

Mike also constantly looked for ways to partner with others to increase the supply of kava, to innovate and introduce new products, and to protect the reputation and market for kava, especially in the face of misinformation or inappropriate regulation.

Mike’s generosity of spirit, along with his belief in, and commitment to, fair and equitable business practices, where everyone succeeds, allowed him to take Kalm with Kava from being a just a hobby to a thriving global business. This success surprised many, including Mike himself!

While Mike will be missed by many in our kava community, let us celebrate his achievements as a kava entrepreneur, his amazing life and the difference he made in the lives of others, in his home town of Billings, Montana, throughout the country and around the world.

Mike’s wife and business partner, Tiffani, and all of us at Kalm with Kava, are committed to building upon Mike’s legacy in the months and years ahead and continuing to serve our suppliers, customers, and all of you in the kava community, near and far.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Mike’s closest friends and families at this time. Please join us in sending them your love. To learn more about Mike’s life, express your sympathies to his family or know where to make a donation in his memory please click here.