When buying coffee in Vietnam, you may sometimes find yourself surrounded by complicated coffee terms that are hard to fully grasp. As with any field of industry, there is a technical vocabulary of terminology or jargon associated specifically with it, and the coffee industry is obviously no different. To help you along, we have compiled a list of key coffee terminology as a “coffee dictionary”. Here are some of the most common coffee terms and definitions you might come across when researching and sourcing coffee from Vietnam. This coffee glossary will help you to feel like someone who’s “in the know.” We will continue to update the list periodically, so if you have any suggestions or questions, your help is welcomed and necessary.

In order to provide a deeper insight on Vietnam’s Coffee Market, we’ve created this series along with tips on how to select the best beans from Vietnam for your business. Jump to: 

• A start-to-finish guide to coffee beans market in Vietnam
• Best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam
• How to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam
• Essential guide to checking the quality of Vietnam’s green coffee beans
• 4 Most common mistakes when sourcing green coffee beans from Vietnam

A

• Acidy (Acid): Vị chua

A desirable flavour that is sharp and pleasing, but not biting. The term ‘acid’ as used by the coffee trade refers to coffee that is smooth and rich, and has verve, snap and life as against heavy, old and mellow taste notes. 

• Acrid: Vị chát

A burnt flavour that is sharp, bitter and perhaps irritating. 

• Ambers: Hạt màu vàng 

Smooth yellowish beans caused by soil conditions.

• Astringent: Vị hơi đắng 

A taste that causes puckering and a bitter impression. 

• Aftertaste: Hậu vị

A taste that remains in the mouth longer than usual after eating or drinking. 

• Aroma: Mùi thơm

Usually, pleasant-smelling substances with the characteristic odour of coffee. Chemically, they are aldehydes, ketones, esters, volatile acids, phenols, etc. 

• Aged Coffee: Hạt cà phê lâu năm 

Coffee beans that have remained in the warehouses for several years, which, at best, have reduced the acidity and increased the body.

B 

• Baggy

An undesirable taint, resembling the smell of a bag made from jute. Often observed in coffees that have been stored for long periods under unsuitable conditions. 

• Baked

Generally unpleasant characteristic. Sign of coffee having been over-roasted or roasted too slowly. 

• Balanced or round

Acidity and body are both present to the right extent. 

• Bitter: Đắng

When strong, an unpleasant, sharp taste; biting like quinine. Similar to acidity, but lacking smoothness. 

• Body: Thể trạng

Body is the perceived thickness of brewed coffee on the tongue. Descriptions can range from “watery”, “thin”, or “light”; to “medium”; to “full”, “heavy”, “thick”, or “syrupy

• Black beans: Hạt đen

Caused by harvesting immature beans or gathering them after they have dropped to the ground. Blacks are often taken as the yardstick for rating a defect count. 

• Bland or neutral: nhạt 

Tasting smooth and flavourless, lacking coffee flavour and characteristics. However, this is not necessarily always a negative comment.

• Bleached beans: Hạt mất màu

Colorless beans, often caused by drying too rapidly or over-drying. Also known as soapy and faded beans, usually associated with mechanical drying. 

• Blotchy beans

The result of uneven drying. 

• Brown beans: Hạt nâu

Brown in colour. May be caused by faulty fermentation, improper washing or over drying – see also ‘foxy’. 

C 

• Coated beans

Beans to which the silverskin adheres. Caused by drought, over-bearing or harvesting of unripe cherries.

• Crushed beans: Hạt nát, dập

Pulper-damaged beans, which often split and fade. Also caused by manual pounding of dry cherry to separate beans from husk.

• Carbolic, chemical

Self-explanatory. Workers who have had wounds on legs treated with disinfectant and have then worked in tanks can cause this type of flavour. Certain emulsions in the manufacture of sacks are also a problem. 

• Carmelized

Burnt-like flavour; carmelized sugar flavour. Usually associated with spray-dried instant coffee, but sometimes found in roasted coffee. 

• Common, commonish

Poor liquor, lacking acidity but with full body. Usually associated with coated raw beans and softs and pales in roast. 

D 

• Decaffeinated: Khử caffeine

Coffee with more than 97% of its caffeine removed in order to avoid as much as possible the damages that caffeine could produce to the people who did not tolerate it. Decaffeinated beans have a much darker appearance and give off little chaff when roasting. Decafs will roast differently than regular coffees because of their altered state; in most roasting methods, they will roast faster than regular beans.

• Defect: Lỗi

A defect refers to specific preparation problems with the green coffee, or a flavor problem found in the cupping process. Bad seeds in the green coffee sample are termed defects, and scored against the coffee to determine it’s grade. Also, defect flavors are those found in cupping the coffee, and described by a host of unfavorable terms, such as Skunky, Dirty, Cappy, Soapy, Animal-like, Sour, etc. Roast problems can produce defect flavors, as well as poor sorting or preparation of the coffee, mistakes in transportation and storage, problems at the wet mill, bad picking of the fruit or problems going back to the tree itself.

• Discoloured beans: Hạt mất màu

Often pulper-damaged. Other causes are contact with earth, metal and foul water as well as damage after drying and beans left over in fermenting tanks (see also ‘stinkers’). 

• Drought-affected beans

Either coated or misshapen, pale and light in weight. 

• Dull, unnatural coloured beans

Due to faulty drying, often associated with metal contamination. 

E 

• Ears

Part of a broken elephant bean.

• Earthy beans: Hạt có mùi đất, đá

Smell of earth, caused by collecting beans fallen on bare ground. 

• Elephant beans 

A generic aberration resulting in two beans being joined together – usually deformed and likely to break up during processing/roasting (see also ‘ears’, above). 

• Extraction: chiết tách

It is the time of coffee drop to the cup. The time of extraction of an espresso must be between 25 and 30 seconds.

F 

• Faded beans

Beans from old crop or dried too rapidly.

• Fermented: Lên men

Chemical flavour caused by enzymes on the green coffee sugars. Very unpleasant odour and taste. In its strongest form sometimes referred to as ‘hidey’ referring to smell of untreated animal hides.

• Flaky beans: hạt nhỏ

Usually very thin, light and ragged (see also ‘drought-affected’, ‘lights’ and ‘ragged’). 

• Floats or floaters/lights

Under-developed, hollow beans – the fruit will float in water and is ‘floated off’ during wet processing. In washed coffee a sign of inadequate grading during wet processing. 

• Foul

Objectionable liquor often similar to rotten coffee pulp. Sometimes the most advanced stage of fruity and sour coffees. Causes are mostly bad factory preparation or the use of polluted water. It must be noted that one badly discoloured bean is sufficient to give a foul cup to an otherwise good liquor. 

• Foxy beans

Rust or reddish coloured, a result either of harvesting overripe, sometimes yellow, cherries, delays in pulping, improper fermentation or faulty washing.

• Freeze-dried coffee

Soluble coffee, product of freeze drying, which is the ideal process to preserve the attributes of flavor, aroma and perfect balance of coffee, and which consists in freezing the liquid extract of coffee. Once frozen, it is introduced into a vacuum chamber to separate the water by sublimation. In this way the water is removed from the solid state to the ambient gas without passing through the liquid state.

• Fruity

First stage of sourness. Caused by overripe and yellow cherry or by fermentation with too many skins.

G 

• Grading

Classification of beans according to size and shape. The beans are sorted using sieves (screens) into the following categories: AA, plantation A, Screen 18/20, AB, screen 16, C, Brokens, E, Elephants, Peaberry. Check out the grading size chart we use in Vietnam

• Green, water-damaged

Self-explanatory – usually brought about by dry parchment or hulled coffee becoming wet. 

• Green, greenish

Flavour suggestive of hay. More common in early pickings. In some coffees this flavour is lost a few weeks after curing. Seldom found in coffees which have been thoroughly dried.

• Grassy

A very pronounced green flavour can be most unpleasant.

• Grounds: xay

The remains of the coffee after the extraction process.

H 

• Hail-damaged beans

Show blackish circular marks on the oval side of the bean.

• Harsh

A harshness of body. Coffee of immature raw appearance (but not necessarily from green cherry) frequently has a harsh taste. Drought-stricken or over-bearing trees producing mottled cherry frequently give this flavour. 

L 

• Light bean

Bean the specific weight of which is below normal – caused by drought or die-back. 

M 

• Mottled beans

Are blotched, spotty or stained. Usually due to uneven drying. 

• Musty (mouldy) beans

Partial or wholly discoloured, whitish fur-like colour and texture. Show mould growth visible by the naked eye or evidence of mould attack. 

• Musty or mouldy

Self-explanatory. Caused by piling or bagging very wet parchment or by dry parchment getting wet. (See ‘musty’, under Green or raw coffee, above.) 

N 

• Natural

Natural characteristic is the full body, slight bitterness indicative of natural processed coffee. It is a negative characteristic of a fully washed coffee. 

• Neutral: trung hoà

No predominant characteristics – can make a good base for blending.

O 

• Onion flavour

Often bordering on foul. Associated with the use of badly polluted and stagnant water.

• Origin: nguồn gốc

The name with which it is denominated to the place from where a coffee comes. One speaks of Origins when it is meant that it is a coffee of a single origin, that is not the fruit of a mixture with others.

• Overripe: chín quá

Brownish-yellow appearance; also known as foxy. 

P 

• Peaberry

A single oblong or ovaloid roundish bean – a result of only one bean developing in a cherry instead of the usual two. 

• Processing: sơ chế

Wet/washed/fully washed process: sơ chế ướt

Coffee beans are removed from their cherries by mechanical pulping, leaving intact just the muselage (a thin layer of sugars) and a small amount of fruit. They are then soaked in water (fermented) to break down the muselage before being flushed with clean water. The result is a clean, fresh taste (for example, mandarin rather than plum) that’s more acidic and more complex. Think fresh fruit, not stewed fruit flavours. Adam Marley, of Adelaide coffee roaster Monastery, sometimes describes processed coffees in terms of colours. In this case, green and yellow.

Dry/natural process: sơ chế khô 

Whole cherries are laid out in the sun and regularly turned, allowing the fruit to wither and dry naturally. Natural process coffees have a bigger body, lower acidity, more chocolate-y, less clean and a much fruitier profile. But more stewed or ripe fruit than fresh fruit flavours. They can be funky, potentially. Imagine colours such as blue and purple.

Semi washed/honey/pulped natural process: sơ chế mật ong 

This balance between wet and dry process sees the outer skin of the cherry removed by pulping, leaving some of the muselage intact. Fruit is then dried in the sun before milling. This produces chocolate-y, nutty, honey-like flavours, sometimes a little funky. In terms of colours: orange and red.

• Pulper-nipped

Bean damaged by incorrect setting of the pulping knives – can become discoloured through oxidation during fermentation and may produce off-flavours. 

• Pungent: hăng, cay 

A taste sensation of overall bitterness of brew. A prickly, stinging, or piercing sensation not necessarily unpleasant.

Q 

• Quakers: hạt lỗi

Blighted and undeveloped beans – show up as roast defects. 

R 

• Ragged: rời rạc, không đều 

This description often refers to drought-affected beans – harvesting a mixture of mature and immature cherries results in beans having a ragged appearance. 

• Rioy or Phenolic

A taste with medicinal odour and off notes, slightly iodized phenolic or carbolic. Cannot be hidden by blending – always returns. 

• Rubbery

Odour and taste of rubber. Usually present in fresh robustas.

S 

• Stinkers

Beans which are over-fermented owing to improper cleaning of pulpers, fermenting tanks and washing channels. 

• Sour, sourish: chua

Unpleasant flavour, suggestive of rotting coffee pulp. Caused by faulty factory work, improper fermentation resulting in a continuation of the fermentation process during early stages of drying, overripe and yellow cherry, or delayed drying causing a heating of the coffee, excess fermentation with many skins. Discoloured pulper- nipped beans are a frequent cause.

• Strong

Unbalanced liquor where body predominates to the point of being tainted.

T 

• Taint

A term used to denote the presence of flavours that are foreign to good clean liquor, but which cannot be clearly defined or placed in any category. It is often described as an offtaste or peculiar flavour for lack of a clear definition. Where the foreign flavour can be defined it is, of course, named accordingly. 

• Thin

Lacking body.

• Twisty

A liquor which, although not directly unclean, is suspect and may become unclean. 

• Three-cornered beans

Semi-peaberry in character. (see also ‘peaberry’)

U 

• Unclean 

Self-explanatory. A coffee which has an undefined unclean taste.

W 

• Withered

Light and shrivelled beans caused by drought or poor husbandry. 

• Winey

A fruity taste similar to fresh wine. Not necessarily unpleasant when the taste is in the background. 

• Woody

A coarse common flavour peculiar to old crop coffee. Coffee stored at low altitudes with high temperatures and humidity (as in many ports of shipment) tends to become woody rather quickly. Storage at higher altitudes where feasible or in temperate climates is therefore recommended for long-term warehousing. All coffees, however, become woody if stored for too long. 

In order to provide a deeper insight on Vietnam’s Coffee Market, we’ve created this series along with tips on how to select the best beans from Vietnam for your business. Jump to: 

• A start-to-finish guide to coffee beans market in Vietnam
• Best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam
• How to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam
• Essential guide to checking the quality of Vietnam’s green coffee beans
• 4 Most common mistakes when sourcing green coffee beans from Vietnam
• Everything you need to know about Vietnam’s specialty coffee

Viego Global – Your trusted sourcing partner in Vietnam

Are you sourcing coffee beans from Vietnam? Do you need a source of high quality coffee? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee producers in Vietnam that pay strict attention to their beans, please comment below so we could help you out easily. Being presence at the factory location, Viego Global has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about MUST-KNOW COFFEE GLOSSARY WHEN BUYING COFFEE IN VIETNAM, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

Being the world’s second-largest coffee producer, Vietnam is full of incredible business opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners all over the world to source coffee. And of course with in this global playground, you may probably find it a bit risky while embracing the opportunities that come with it.  Whatever the root cause for sourcing mistakes, leaving them unchecked can end up being very costly for your company. Here are 4 of the most common – and costly –  sourcing mistakes you’re likely to encounter when sourcing Vietnam coffee beans, along with steps you can take to avoid and correct them. Grind this guide before jumping into the this “golden” market.

1. Don’t know where your coffee beans come from in Vietnam

The most important thing you should bear in mind is the location of the coffee factories. In most case, the factories are located in provinces that cultivate coffee plants because right after picking up ripe cherries, producers need to process their coffee cherries promptly for the best quality. Therefore, knowing where Arabica, Robusta and Liberica are grown in Vietnam is the key to get the best Vietnam coffee beans. Check out this map of coffee-production area in Vietnam:

 

Click to enlarge map (.jpeg 1.4 MB, opens resizable window) >>

Furthermore, coffee beans from each region in Vietnam have their own personalities and taste profiles due to different soil, altitude and climate conditions. In general, coffee from Dalat is known for their flavor from ripe fruits with sour taste and sweet aftertaste; Khe Sanh coffee has sour flavor with light body and honeyed aftertaste; coffee from Son La has slightly sour and pure taste, wild orange aroma and honeyed aftertaste. For that reason, choosing types of coffee from Vietnam that meet your customer needs require considerable market research. Getting through all of our guide on the series “Vietnam’s Coffee Market” to strike the right chord before making a decision.

2. Fail to inspect your coffee sample when buying Vietnam coffee beans

In coffee farming, it is vital that each and every step, from seed to cup be strictly controlled in order to ensure quality. There are dozens of variables that can affect the quality of coffee from the altitude, the soil quality, to the type of bean, processing techniques and much more. Therefore, to control the quality of your purchases from Vietnam, you must always get a representative green coffee bean sample for your first-hand evaluation. The cost of samples will always be a more worthwhile investment over taking the chance on a full order you have not had the opportunity to inspect. If you do the latter, you may be stuck with a large number of products that lack the right level of quality. This might be called “probation period.” Once you are satisfied with the samples, you can then place a series of increasingly larger orders from the same supplier. 

When ordering coffee samples from Vietnam, one thing worth bearing in mind is that you should always purchase a coffee sample from more than one supplier. When you start your search for the perfect Vietnam coffee suppliers, make a list of the top five that meet your needs and order samples from each of them. Once you’ve received your samples, you’ll then be able to make a make a well-calculated decision for which supplier you should use for that types of coffee.

Following these steps to evaluate the quality of your green coffee beans sample from Vietnam and make sure you are getting the best green coffee beans from Vietnam.

3. Lack of well-defined criteria for Vietnamese coffee suppliers

When it comes to wholesale coffee suppliers, there is a huge number of them in Vietnamese marketplaces. However, finding quality suppliers is a big deal. You may need to vet them as much as possible before you decide to work with them. Therefore, before searching for suppliers, setting up a list of must-have criteria for choosing suppliers is of great importance. A great way to begin this research is by asking them about their standards pertaining to product quality, logistics, certification, and client satisfaction. They all go around these invaluable questions:

        Are you dealing with manufacturing or a trading company?

This can help you negotiate the best deal. Consider asking them directly about their credentials or take a look at their catalog.

       How long have they been in business and which countries have they exported their coffee to?

The longer they’ve been around, the higher the chance they’re running a reputable operation.

       What is the minimum grade of coffee beans and the minimum order quantity they accept?

Figuring out whether they can afford large quantities supply. The wider choice of different coffee materials they offer, the higher likelihood of that supplier securing their supply ability.

       Do they obtain any quality certifications for coffee beans? 

In Vietnam, coffee suppliers providing good-quality coffee beans should conform to the following quality standards: ISO 9001: 2015, HACCP, GMP certification. Besides, in terms of coffee cultivation technology for sustainable development, the best quality coffee beans should obtain national and international certifications, such as 4C; VietGAP; UTZ; RFA.

        All about the logistics process

The logistics process shows if the supplier is a well-run business and can ship their product to you consistently. Following up with questions about shipping times, guarantees, or what happens if there are delays in shipping, lead time, payment method and deliver terms accepted.

Read the full detailed guide for the above questions on how to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam.

4. No Vietnamese speakers on the team

Sourcing coffee beans from Vietnam can improve your productivity, efficiency and bottom line, but sometimes language barriers can get in the way. From simple miscommunications to cultural gap, language barriers can cause international business relationships to grind to a halt. In cross-border transactions, you cannot afford to settle for “maybe” or “probably” by saying that you and your supplier kind of understand each other’s expectations, which can lead to failure, to say the least. Especially in coffee sourcing industry in Vietnam, you will need to communicate and negotiate a lot with the farmers, suppliers or factories to get the best deal. If they speak fluent English and can understand your English well, you may get away without a Vietnamese speaker’s help. Otherwise, you should consider engaging a Vietnamese speaker, preferably a native speaker who also knows the business culture to help make sure your suppliers understand your expectations clearly and completely.

One of the most effective strategies for overcoming language barriers is to partner with local sourcing agents that have language capabilities. When you’re selecting your global sourcing partner, choose a firm that has language and translation capabilities. The right partner will be able to navigate your sourcing market with conversational fluency, but also be able to translate written documents as part of the process. At Viego Vietnam, we have a sourcing team with high level of competence in English and intimate knowledge of Vietnam’s coffee market. If you’re contemplating launching a coffee sourcing initiative in Vietnam, Viego Global can help.

Viego Global – Your Trusted Sourcing Partner in Vietnam

At Viego Global, we know it’s more than just finding the right coffee supplier since every step of the supply chain requires proper implementation in order to ensure Vietnam quality coffee beans are well delivered to clients. We always try our best to determine the best suppliers, including coffee farms and coffee collectors based on customers’ needs. During research on potential suppliers, discussion and factory visits, we inspect every single thing from business license, capacity, to past orders as well as the equipment and the workers’ competence. This is why Viego Global makes sure that you can reach the best coffee suppliers at the most competitive price from Vietnam.

Are you sourcing coffee beans from Vietnam? Do you need a source of high quality coffee? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee producers in Vietnam that pay strict attention to their beans, please leave your contact HERE so we could help you out easily. 

For further information about 4 MOST COMMON MISTAKES WHEN SOURCING VIETNAM COFFEE BEANS, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

The COVID-19 epidemic is causing unprecedented turmoil in coffee farms, coffee processing plants and also fundamentally changing coffee-consumption needs. Watch the video below to learn more about how this pandemic has affected the global coffee market and Vietnam coffee market in particular. 

Note: Turning on the CC for English subtitle.

Source: VTV.vn; Translated by Viego Research Team

In the global raw material market, coffee bean prices have risen sharply over the past several weeks. The average price of coffee in March traded on the London market increased by 6.9% compared to the previous month. Merchants are increasing their stockpiling of coffee beans.

Die Presse newspaper in Austria is concerned about the worrying situation in the second-largest coffee exporting country in the world, Vietnam. This newspaper wrote: “Robusta coffee traders are investigating how social distancing restrictions affect coffee production in Vietnam. According to the official announcement, the preventive measures only last for 2 weeks, but the market is afraid that exports of Robusta coffee beans from Vietnam will be disturbed for many months.

In the New York futures market, Arabica coffee prices also increased by 13%, as the situation in countries exporting Arabica coffee is no different. The newspaper El Colombiano wrote: “The coffee harvest season lasts from March to June in Colombia, with an output of about 6.5 million bags of coffee requiring 135,000 workers”. Due to the travel restriction, this amount of workers might not be sufficient. Furthermore, if there are enough workers, then arranging accommodation for them is a matter when everyone has to be 2 meter away according to the social distancing restriction. The Lapatria newspaper wrote that some farm owners were trying to have neighbors and friends pick coffee cherries. Obviously, this is just a temporary solution.

The coffee market is also changing strongly and is not necessarily unfavorable. The French Newspaper L’Echo wrote: “The COVID-19 epidemic leads to the closure of all restaurants and cafes. A decline in out-of-store coffee consumption and increasing unemployment will reduce coffee demand in 2020”. However, as many people have to stay at home, their consumption of home-brewed coffee increases. “If the uptrend in home consumption is maintained, the demand for Robusta coffee will increase. This type of coffee is sour and cheaper than Arabica, which usually accounts for a greater proportion in powdered coffee sold  in supermarket. When at home, people also drink more instant coffee. And Robusta is used in instant coffee more than coffee made by coffeemakers in the coffee shops”, the paper analyzed. Robusta is a type of coffee grown in Vietnam.

In order to provide a deeper insight on Vietnam’s Coffee Market, we’ve created this series along with tips on how to select the best beans from Vietnam for your business. Jump to: 

• A start-to-finish guide to coffee beans market in Vietnam
• Best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam
• How to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam
• Essential guide to checking the quality of Vietnam’s green coffee beans

Viego Global – Your trusted sourcing partner in Vietnam

Are you sourcing coffee beans from Vietnam? Do you need a source of high quality coffee? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee producers in Vietnam that pay strict attention to their beans, please comment below so we could help you out easily. Being presence at the factory location, Viego Global has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about COVID-19 AND ITS IMPACT ON VIETNAM COFFEE MARKET, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

Among Asian countries, Vietnam has long been one of the most popular choices in the field of sourcing. Being the world’s second-largest coffee producer, the country has gained so much popularity in global coffee market. For its export sales, and its vibrant local coffee culture, Vietnam has established a good reputation as a source of mass commercial Robusta coffee. How about Vietnam’s specialty coffee? Are high-quality Robusta and Arabica coffee produced in Vietnam? Read on to find out more about Vietnam’s specialty coffee and fine Robusta.

In order to provide a deeper insight on Vietnam’s Coffee Market, we’ve created this series along with tips on how to select the best beans from Vietnam for your business. Jump to: 

• A start-to-finish guide to coffee beans market in Vietnam
• Best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam
• How to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam

1. How do Vietnam define its specialty coffee?

The words “specialty coffee” often refers to the arabica, while robusta coffee connoisseurs use the synonymous words “fine robusta.” They all refer to coffee that are high-quality, typically single origin, and meticulously mindful of every phase of the supply chain – from equitable relationships with the coffee farmers, to extraordinary flavors for the consumer. Accordingly, the arabica is promoted for its delicate flavor while the robusta is advertised for its fine taste. To be assessed as Specialty and Fine Ro, the beans must have no first-grade error, which affects its flavor and quality, and less than five second-grade errors, which affect its appearance, such as color.

In general, the Vietnam’s specialty and fine robusta coffee must have no defect in appearance and flavor, and especially keep the particular feature of the place where it is grown. Hence, such high-quality coffee require exceptional effort to produce:

The coffee material must be properly ripe coffee beans from a specific farm or region. There is no universal specialty  coffee. It’s no specialty coffee when all coffee shops in a city serve the same coffee. The coffee shop owner and the coffee farmer must cooperate closely in the coffee farming process, such as fertilization and weather observation for abnormal phenomena. The farmer must cooperate with the coffee processor for proper coffee drying and processing. In general, the coffee bean must be perfect and have no defect. Therefore, coffee bean tendering, picking and processing make up a large part of the coffee price.

Coffee farming is closely monitored, but the quality control of coffee beans at specialty coffee enterprises is even more stringent. All coffee beans must go through careful examination and initial tasting. The warehouse keeper must arrange coffee bags carefully by origin, note the time of stocking the bags and the volume of coffee, and the time of putting the coffee bean into the coffee roaster. The roasted coffee must be preserved carefully to prevent humidity and oiling. Therefore, all specialty coffee shops have the menus stated with the coffee origin, the date of coffee roasting and the dominant coffee flavor. The shop owners may be found to have flouted the business ethics if they serve customers coffee roasted around a fortnight ago! (Nguyen Quang Binh, The Saigon Times)

2. Specialty coffee production expanding in Vietnam

As a giant in coffee industry, Vietnam has long been dominated by Robusta, which makes up more than 96% of the coffee crops. As Robusta coffee is less aroma and contains higher caffeine than Arabica, it is often used for instant coffee and low-quality blends. However these days, the growth of specialty coffee industry, combined with low prices for commercial robusta coffee, has encouraged Vietnamese coffee farmers to grow higher quality Robusta coffee and cultivate the more-difficult-to-grow Arabica.

More than Catimor variety

The main variety planted in Vietnam is Catimor, a hybrid of Caturra and Timor (itself an Arabica-Robusta hybrid). While Catimor is a high-yield and high disease-resilient variety, it’s not typically prized for its cup quality. So, many producers are turning to other varieties to produce more dynamic and higher-paying coffees. These new varieties include Yellow Bourbon, Typica, and even the delicate and highly prized Geisha (perfectdailygrind).

For other coffee farmers with effort to improve coffee quality, instead of cultivating more and more varieties besides predominantly Robusta or Catimor, they focus on develop better quality for Catimor by cultivating and processing.

Improving production method for the best specialty coffee in Vietnam

Vietnamese producers are also working on improving their selection and processing techniques. This focus on improvement begins at harvest time. They have begun to employ more careful harvesting techniques, and better post-harvest quality controls are increasingly being implemented. The traditional picking technique, which means that ripe and unripe coffee is strip picked before being spread, unsorted for defects, on tarps to dry in the sun, is gradually replaced by a much selective procedure.

Other producers are even venturing into advanced processing to increase harvest quality and, ultimately, sale price. Some producers are controlling fermentation with on yeast or enzymes, others are using anaerobic fermentation. Although these efforts are being made on small lots, these producers are looking for ways to improve the entire coffee crop. New processing methods are always risky and costly – but with the positive encouragement of the Vietnamese government, the future of Vietnamese coffee is sure to be a high-quality coffee market.

Viego Global – Your trusted sourcing partner in Vietnam

Are you sourcing coffee beans from Vietnam? Do you need a source of high quality coffee? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee producers in Vietnam that pay strict attention to their beans, please comment below so we could help you out easily. Being presence at the factory location, Viego Global has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VIETNAM’S SPECIALTY COFFEE, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

Products are the lifeline when it comes to doing business. You require to source goods at wholesale rates to your local clients. Pricing, condition and transportation are essential factors. Furthermore, the country to source from also matters to a great extent. And among all other countries, sourcing green coffee beans from Vietnam gives you a new edge. However, knowing the origin of the coffee beans, is only the beginning of a long list of properties needed to be known about the coffee beans being considered for purchase. Grinding this ultimate guide for a better understanding on the green coffee beans quality from Vietnam. 

We’ve created this series to provide a deeper insight on Vietnam’s Coffee Market, along with tips on how to select the best beans from Vietnam for your business. Jump to: 

• A start-to-finish guide to coffee beans market in Vietnam
• Best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam
• How to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam

1. Overview of green coffee beans processing technique in Vietnam

 

                         

                                Processing Vietnam’s Green Coffee Beans Summary

Assembled & designed by Viego Reseach Team

After harvesting, the beans are sorted and cleaned by flotation to separate unripe, overripe, and damaged cherries and remove dirt and leaves. In Vietnam, coffee beans are most commonly processed using one of three methods: natural, washed or honey processing. They are then processed and dried to a moisture level of about 11% by either of three methods. Read the details of each processing method on how Vietnam’s coffee beans are processed. After being processed, the beans are sent to a mill for hulling, where the outer layers of the beans, including the parchment, are mechanically removed. To separate impurities, black and broken beans, the producers use color sorting machine to shoot the odd ones out. The beans are then sorted by size and weight, examined to remove any unacceptable beans, and graded on the basis of size, processing methods and taste. The beans may be also wet polished to remove any silver skin remaining on the beans. As a result, the so-called green coffee beans are bagged, stored and shipped to importing countries for roasting and grinding. Therefore, a number of factors affect the green bean quality, starting at cultivation, continued by picking, drying, processing, milling, storing and transporting. 

2. Are you getting the best green coffee beans from Vietnam?

Look at the appearance of the green coffee beans

To control the quality of your purchases, you must always get a representative green coffee bean sample for your first-hand evaluation. When receiving the sample, it is necessary to visually inspect the spread of beans for color, color variation, bean size, bean shapes, and general uniformity. A non-uniform bean appearance indicates poor preparation or blending of different types of coffee beans. If this happens, it will reveal itself even more after the beans are roasted. Various bean sizes and shapes in one sample show a lack of proper preparation. Presence of many defects, definitely means that the beans have not been well produced. Note the number and type of defects refer to the grading chart. If there are many defects, sort out the defects and weigh for wt% content.

Also remember to pay close attention to the beans’ color. Faded green to gray color mean that some deterioration has occurred in the shipment. A gray color means serious quality deterioration, such as over heated and prolonged storage. Many black beans will give a “dirty” taste while white beans could weaken the flavor, hence resulting in a low grade coffee.

Know your bean’s processing method

You should always inquire about the coffee processing.  Since coffee begins fermenting immediately upon picking, make sure that your green coffee beans are processed upon harvesting without delay. Processing damage can occur from the time the ripe fruit is picked until it is processed. For instance, fermentation, rotting, mold growth, over-heating or improper storage. Therefore, ask the Vietnamese supplier as much as possible about the processing procedure they apply for the green coffee beans. Do they separate out coffees that float to the top of the tanks during process?  After pulping, do they separate coffees by density before adding them to the tanks?  If coffee pulp is present in the tanks during processing, it can result in brownish tinges on the green coffee beans.  This is also indicative of harvesting over-ripe coffee cherries.

Natural processed coffees will often be covered in brown silver skin which has attached itself to the bean.  Green (under ripe) coffee also has a silver skin attached to it, but this cannot be removed by simple rubbing. Notice the under-ripe green coffee beans with this tip. Wash-processed Arabica coffees beans should be even and bright.  The beans should not have an uneven or dull color.  Otherwise, there is a high likelihood that they have been dried or processed incorrectly. 

Have a smell at the green coffee beans

Before buying any green coffee beans from Vietnam, remember to smell the green beans to determine if there are any “off” odors, like mold, ferment, smoke or foreign matters. These signs could be easily detected at this point. Fresh coffee beans should have an intense aroma. If you can not easily smell your beans, then they are likely to well past their prime. You could notice the beans have gone stale when they lose pretty much all coffee aroma. They just smell bitter now. If you detect an especially sour smell, it a sign the bean’s gone bad. This can be because the beans were exposed to moisture and have fermented in the meantime, or possibly they’ve gone rancid

Find reputable Vietnamese suppliers with a good-quality source of green coffee beans

In most cases, the buying process is a trade of trust. The trust in those who will follow-up at origin with producers, farmers and suppliers to ensure that all good-quality coffee practices are met before the coffee is being shipped. When you are seeking for a trustworthy coffee supplier from Vietnam, look for these must-know elements. Ideally, you want to have the opportunity to evaluate the coffee from the start of the buying process to lower the potential risks and meet your standards. However, if you are a foreigner exporter sourcing coffee from Vietnam, you had better have someone accompany you on the way.  At Viego, we do all of that and much more.

Check out our complete list of green coffee bean suppliers in Vietnam that pay strict attention to their beans

Viego Global – Your trusted sourcing partner in Vietnam

Are you sourcing coffee green beans from Vietnam? Do you need a supply of good quality and at good price? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee manufacturers in Vietnam, please comment below so we could help you out easily. Being presence at the factory location, Viego Global has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CHECKING THE QUALITY OF VIETNAM GREEN COFFEE BEANS, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

For most people in the coffee industry, robusta is viewed as an inferior coffee. The general belief is that robusta beans produce a worse cup of coffee with a less desirable flavour profile. It is cheaper to grow for farmers, more productive, naturally higher in caffeine, and resistant to drought and disease. As a result, robusta is viewed as a “filler” coffee, used in blends and instant coffee.

Although this isn’t totally incorrect, there are a lot of misconceptions about robusta. One of the biggest is that robusta technically isn’t a different species of coffee at all, but instead one of the most common commercial names for the Coffea canephora plant.

This article explores what canephora is, what the differences are between conilon and robusta coffee, and how canephora could evolve in the future.

WHAT IS CANEPHORA COFFEE?

According to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), canephora accounts for approximately 35% of the world’s total coffee production. It was only cultivated outside of Africa in the 19th century, almost 300 years after arabica plants left the continent. As a result, little is known about its history, botanical background, varieties, and cultivars in comparison to arabica.

Vietnam is the world’s largest canephora producer, followed by Brazil. Mexico is the only other Latin American country that produces robusta at any kind of significant rate. Other notable canephora producing countries are the Ivory Coast, Indonesia, India, and Uganda.

In comparison with arabica plants, canephora is generally hardier, more productive as a crop, and its cherries achieve more uniform ripening. It also has a naturally higher caffeine content. While they thrive in high temperatures or tropical climates at a lower altitude, canephora plants can be farmed at altitudes as low as 100 m.a.s.l.

Generally, the world’s biggest canephora/robusta buyers are major roasters and manufacturers. They use it in a variety of caffeinated products, including capsules, blends, and energy drinks. Demand for robusta is also on the rise. The ICO reports that in the 12 months leading up to May 2020, arabica exports decreased, while robusta exports increased.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROBUSTA AND CONILON?

Coffea canephora is the scientific name of the coffee plant that produces beans that are commercially referred to as robusta in general. However, much of the canephora coffee produced in Brazil, is instead referred to as conilon. While the plants are of the same species, they are considered to be of different genetic “groups”.

Christophe Montagnon, CEO of RD2 Vision, tells me that conilon plants come from a genetic group called “SG1”, while the broader genetic group of robusta plants is referred to as “SG2”.

“The Coffea canephora species is made of different genetic groups,” Christophe explains. “One of two Congolese groups encompasses coffees from Central Africa, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.” The first group is broadly recognised as robusta, Christophe tells me.

“The other one of these two Congolese groups is referred to either as ‘SG1’ or as ‘conilon’,” he says.

Conilon plants, farmed in Brazil today, were originally found along the river Kouilou in the Democratic Republic of Congo. When written down, the “Kouilou” was misspelt, and became “Konilon”, later becoming “conilon”.

As a result, conilon plants do have a genetic origin that differs from “typical” robusta plants, but are still the same species and possess many of the same traits. There are however slight differences between the conilon “line” and others.

For example, conilon plants do not grow as tall, and have a larger canopy than typical robustas. They also mature more early, have smaller leaves, and are often more resistant to drought.

Often, plants from both genetic groups are farmed together. Christophe explains that conilon plants mature later in the season. So, for example, in Brazil, some producers instead plant both conilon and robusta plants which will mature at different times. This allows them to effectively plant for a number of consecutive harvests.

CANEPHORA HYBRIDS

Dr Aymbiré Francisco Almeida is a scientist who used to work with two coffee research institutes in Brazil: the Brazilian National Coffee Research Consortium Center (Embrapa), and Incaper. He has studied canephora for three decades.

He tells me that one of the challenges with canephora hybrids and cultivars is that “the canephora species has open fertilisation,” meaning that “there’s no pure line as is the case with arabica”. This makes it difficult to trace the genetic history of a certain hybrid variety.

However, some arabica varieties contain genes from the canephora species. This is the case with Icatu, Sarchimos and Catimor, among others.

AN INCREASE IN QUALITY?

Canephora coffees are typically used to add strength and caffeine to arabica coffee blends and beverages. Aymbiré says that “mixing arabica with high-quality canephora brings desirable advantages: the body and the crema capacity are increased, both typical characteristics of a canephora cup”.

He also notes that consumer choices today aren’t driven by the traits of certain species or varieties. Instead, people choose coffees according to taste and personal preferences.

“Unfortunately… research has not been carried out on [canephora’s] individual sensory attributes”, say Ted Lingle and Sunalini Menon, authors of The Craft and Science of Coffee.

Quality robusta is becoming more prevalent in the coffee sector. Requirements for all coffees have increased, regardless of species, and quality standards are as high as they have ever been. “In addition to genetics, much has evolved in the past 30 years, such as crop management, harvesting, and processing,” Aymbiré says. He tells me that, these days, even the least careful canephora producer “washes, peels, and pulps their coffee” because farming without minimum quality standards is not practical.

However, this increased focus on quality comes with its own challenges. For example, higher quality canephoras usually require manual harvesting. Mechanised harvesting can damage the cherries, and many canephora plants have multiple stems, which means that using machines isn’t always the best option.

THE GROWTH OF SPECIALTY CANEPHORA COFFEE

Some producers find that when robustas are farmed and processed with the same care taken with specialty arabica, they can produce an intense and flavoursome cup. These coffees can have high acidity, medium sweetness, and low bitterness. The potential cup profile of a carefully produced and roasted canephora is a full-bodied coffee with a long aftertaste, low-medium acidity and bitterness. Some have even described the coffee as having notes of spices, flowers, and fruits including melon, walnut, nutmeg, and cacao.

Canephora can be processed, dried, and fermented in the same way as arabica, but the timings of each step will be different as the fruit has different characteristics. It also needs to be roasted differently, as canephora cherries have a much lower sugar content, fewer acids, and a rigid, “meatier” structure.

In 2010, the Coffee Quality Institute launched the official Q Robusta program, which focuses on quality robusta grading. It is adapted from the Specialty Coffee Association’s methodology for arabica. Brazil’s Specialty Coffee Association has also accepted canephora producers as members since 2018, and hosts an annual Canephora Cup of Excellence award.

Specialty robustas produced in the Amazon area of Rondônia, Brazil, will be the first in the world to receive a geographical indication (GI). This means that the coffee has been officially recognised as possessing certain qualities that are unique to its origin. Alongside Brazil, high-quality canephoras are also produced in other countries, including Ghana, Ecuador, the Philippines, India, and Thailand.

THE FUTURE OF CANEPHORA

World Coffee Research and the ICO have been developing research programs and studies to determine the quality potential of canephora. These initiatives aim to “change the underlying assumption that robusta coffees are necessarily lower quality”. Climate change and its impact on arabica plants mean the future could be brighter for robusta, which is a naturally stronger plant.

Recent trials and researches conducted by Embrapa also suggest that specific canephora cultivars could thrive at different altitudes and climates. This would expand the areas in which it could be grown. Canephora genetic material can be adapted to be viable at altitudes ranging from 500 to around 1,500 m.a.s.l.; colder climates at certain heights have also been shown to improve fruit quality, creating sweeter and bigger cherries. Similar programs conducted in India have also had successful results.

There could also be an increase in demand for canephora from outside the coffee industry. The natural high caffeine content of canephora varieties makes them suitable for use in cosmetics, diet supplements, isotonics, and energy drinks.

The canephora and arabica plants produce incredibly different coffees with varied cup attributes and flavour profiles. Many people in the specialty robusta world believe this is the biggest barrier to its success.

There are a wide range of researchers and producers investigating the quality potential of the different canephora subspecies. Some are already experimenting with them to improve their arabica crops’ yield or resistance to disease and pests.

However, if the species is to be accepted in the specialty coffee arena, buyers, traders, and roasters will also need to work alongside the researchers and producers investigating the potential of quality canephora.

Source: Perfectdailygrind.com 

Viego Global – Your trusted sourcing partner in Vietnam

Finding these kinds of article interesting? Check out more on how to import coffee beans from Vietnam with our Sourcing Blog on “Vietnam’s Coffee Market” series. 

Are you sourcing coffee green beans from Vietnam? Do you need a supply of good quality and at good price? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee manufacturers in Vietnam, please comment below so we could help you out easily. Being presence at the factory location, Viego Global has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about EXPLORING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CANEPHORA & ROBUSTA, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

Products is the life-blood when it comes to doing business. You require to source goods to market at wholesale rates to your local clients. After going through the product analysis, finding the right suppliers may ask for sufficient time and effort. Particularly, when seeking for suppliers in Vietnam, keep the huge cultural and language gap between you and the Vietnamese suppliers in mind. Before diving into this guide, read our previous blog on the “Vietnam’s Coffee Market” series to know the best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam. Outlined below are some solid tips to nail the method of finding wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam.

1. Criteria for choosing the best wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam

When it comes to Vietnam wholesale coffee suppliers, there is a huge number of them in Vietnamese marketplaces. However, finding quality suppliers is a big deal. You may need to vet them as much as possible before you decide to work with them. A great way to begin this research is by asking them about their standards pertaining to product quality, logistics, certification, and client satisfaction. The web is preferably the best platform to look for. Here are some invaluable questions you should keep in mind.

Are you dealing with manufacturing or a trading company?

This can help you negotiate the best deal. The manufacturer and the supplier can be the same person if the goods belong to the same niche. For instance, a supplier supplying coffee products sells everything related to coffee. Alternatively, if multiple products of different niches are being sold by one supplier then the likelihood of that supplier being a trading company is obvious. Hence, consider asking them directly about their credentials or take a look at their catalog.

How long have they been in business and which countries have they exported their coffee to?

While choosing the coffee beans suppliers in Vietnam, you can quickly identify the best producers who are generally producing various countries. The longer they’ve been around, the higher the chance they’re running a reputable operation. This can provide you with an idea of the quality of the products. Make sure to always request the pre-production sample to assess the entire production quality before you make a deal with the suppliers.

What is the minimum grade of coffee beans and the minimum order quantity they accept?

When buying coffee beans from a Vietnamese wholesaler, you also need to ensure that they shall be able to continue to provide you with the best possible beans far into the future. Figuring out whether they can afford large quantities supply. The wider choice of different coffee materials they offer, the higher likelihood of that supplier securing their supply ability. Also, the grade of coffee beans can immediately reveal what type of supplier you’re working with.

Do they obtain any quality certifications for coffee beans?

Checking whether the coffee beans are certified with the essential certifications for coffee quality guarantee. In Vietnam, coffee suppliers providing good-quality coffee beans should conform to the following quality standards: ISO 9001: 2015, HACCP certification, and Good Manufacturing Practice GMP certification. Besides, in terms of coffee cultivation technology for sustainable development, the best quality coffee beans should obtain national and international certifications, such as 4C (Common Code for the Coffee Community); VietGAP (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices); UTZ (UTZ Certified); and RFA (Rainforest Alliance). For instance, in Middle East market, customers highly prefer goods certified with HALAL certification showing that the products are processed and produced according to the requirements of the Qur’an and the Shari’ah law of Muslims. Therefore, when importing coffee from Vietnam to such regions, remember check whether those certifications are available to the coffee.

All about the logistics process

It is of great importance to understand how they monitor their shipments and keep you in-the-know about where your coffee beans are in the shipping process. It would be wise to follow up with questions about shipping times, guarantees, or what happens if there are delays in shipping, lead time, payment method and deliver terms accepted. The more options they offer you, the more flexible their distribution systems are. The logistics process shows if they’re a well-run business and can ship their product to you consistently.

Jute bags of Vietnam high-quality green coffee beans are stuffed into container before shipment. Source: Viego Global Team.

2. What coffee products can be produced in Vietnam?

 Whole green/roasted beans from Vietnam

• Robusta/Arabica coffee washed/unwashed grade 1 on screen No. 18 from Vietnam
• Robusta/Arabica coffee washed/unwashed grade 1 on screen No. 16 from Vietnam
• Robusta/Arabica coffee washed/unwashed grade 2 on screen No. 13+ from Vietnam
• Specialty green/roasted coffee beans from Vietnam
• Private-Label roasted coffees from Vietnam

Instant coffee from Vietnam

• Spray dried instant coffee powder from Vietnam
• Freeze dried instant coffee powder from Vietnam
• Agglomerated Instant Coffee from Vietnam
• 3in1 instant coffee mix from Vietnam
• Weasel 3 in 1 instant coffee mix from Vietnam
• Weight-loss instant coffee mix from Vietnam
• Instant coffee can/bottle from Vietnam
• Private-Label Instant Coffee from Vietnam

 Ground coffee from Vietnam

• Drip coffee bag from Vietnam
• Whole ground bean from Vietnam
• Specialty ground coffee from Vietnam
• Private-Label ground coffees from Vietnam

3. Where to find Vietnam wholesale coffee suppliers

The following are reliable websites where you can find largest coffee manufacturers in Vietnam:

 Alibaba and Amazon 

Alibaba and Amazon are unquestionably the most popular global platform for finding Vietnam coffee bean suppliers. There are thousands of coffee producers on these marketplaces selling coffee products from raw beans to instant coffee powder. Be aware of the company verification on these platforms to make sure they are real enterprises with real coffee factories in Vietnam.

Yellow Pages VN

This platform serves the needs of searching and connecting business between Vietnamese enterprises and foreign enterprises (with the activities of exporting goods, importing goods or providing services for processing of goods according to the orders, etc.). You can find top coffee manufacturers and exporters here and reach out to them directly.  They have a dedicated “Coffee – Manufacturers And Exporters” category with over 400 suppliers.

International coffee trade fairs in Vietnam: 

In Vietnam, a lot of business is conducted the old-fashioned way. If you want to meet most large coffee suppliers in the country, you can visit trade shows. Some of the biggest trade shows in Vietnam is “Coffee Expo Vietnam”, a leading exhibition in Vietnam for the coffee & dessert industry and “The Cafe Show Vietnam”, an event that virtually many notable manufacturer attend. These trade fairs are only held once a year in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. “The cafe show Vietnam 2020” will be canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak or postponed to a later date. The next “Coffee Expo Vietnam” will take place on 3 days from 16-18. December 2020 in Ho Chi Minh City.

CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE LIST OF MUST-KNOW COFFEE SUPPLIER IN VIETNAM

Viego Global – Your Trusted Sourcing Partner in Vietnam

The method of sourcing goods can be time-consuming if you do not carry it out properly. Furthermore, you might sometimes end up with high-priced and low-quality products that can take all your profit. Therefore, choosing a sourcing agent for sourcing products in Vietnam can additionally help you manage the maximum of these problems and provide you with peace of mind. Being presence at the factory location, Viego has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about HOW TO FIND WHOLESALE COFFEE BEAN SUPPLIERS IN VIETNAM?, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
• Instagram: instagram.com/vietnam__quality__coffee
• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com

Vietnam is arguably a premier hotspot for coffee buyers who seek for a variety of coffee beans at a cheaper rate. To have an overview of the coffee industry in Vietnam, you can read our previous blog in the “Vietnam coffee market” series. Coming up next, this guide will help you find out the best types of coffee beans to buy in Vietnam. Read these tips to strike the right chord before making a decision.

1. Vietnam is the paradise for Robusta green coffee beans

Coffee beans to buy in Vietnam vary in their size, shape, color, and flavor depending on the region and conditions in which they were cultivated. The range of unique flavors and aromas between regional varietals is as expansive as the variety of wine available from different vineyards. Most regional varietals will fall into two main categories, Robusta or Arabica. Here in Vietnam, there are 3 types of coffee grown: Arabica, Robusta and Liberica.

Arabica:

Most of the world drinkers opt for arabica beans, which contain less caffeine and higher acidity. It is considered superior to Robusta because of its delicate flavor. This variety is grown at higher altitudes and can be more difficult and costly to grow. In Vietnam, Arabica are grown mostly in Son La (Northwest), Nghe An, Quang Tri (Central), Lam Dong (Central Highlands). These labor-intensive, low-yield plants produce a high-demand bean that sells for a higher price.

Robusta:

The majority of Vietnam’s coffee beans – around 97% – are the robusta variety, International Coffee Council data shows. Known for their bold, harsh, bitter flavor, and high caffeine content, robusta beans are typically used to make cheap, mass-market commercial products, including instant coffee and supermarket blends. Robusta can be grown at lower altitudes, in hotter climates, and with less moisture. Main Robusta coffee growing provinces locate in the Central Highlands, including Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Gia Lai and Kon Tum. This area has many legends about coffee such as the Buon Ma Thuot brand. There are some geographic indications of the coffee regions (‘Buon Ma Thuot’, ‘Cau Dat – Da Lat’ and ‘Son La’) known for their quality, sweet aroma and strong flavor resulting from the soil characteristics. Since Robusta has fewer growing restrictions and has a generally less desirable flavor, it is usually sold for a lower price than Arabica beans.

Liberica:

Liberica is a low yield type of coffee compared to Arabica and Robusta. In Vietnam, it takes five years for a Liberica plant to begin to bear. The cherries’ large pulp makes processing complicated and costly, while the high sugar content (up to 30%) makes Liberica cherries a favourite target of ants and pests. Soon, Robusta and Arabica replaced Liberica as more sensible options.

Map of coffee-production area in Vietnam:

Click to enlarge map (.jpeg 1.4 MB, opens resizable window) >>

2. How Vietnam’s coffee beans are classified?

Based on processing method:

In Vietnam, there are three commonly used methods of coffee processing: dry processing, wet processing, honey processing. Accordingly, green coffee is divided into three main types:

• Wet / Washed Processed Coffee
• Natural / Unwashed Processed Coffee
• Honey / Pulped Natural Coffee

Based on grain size:

Sorting by grain size is becoming a common scale for the coffee industry. In Vietnam, the coffee beans are also classified with 3 main size: Screen no.18, screen no. 16, screen no. 13. In particular, the coffee beans after drying will be rayed through perforated metal sheets with diameters ranging from 8 to 20/64 inches. 18 sieves mean 18/64 inches, which translates to 7.1 mm units of measurement, likewise sieve 16 is 6.3mm. When you put a handful of coffee on the 18/64 inches sieve, the remaining beans on the sieve will be classified as 18 sieves, any beans that fall down and the remaining on the 16/64 sieve will be classified as 16 sieves. However, this classification is difficult to be 100% accurate. Therefore, in its classification system, SCA allows a 5% variance with sieve measurements.

Screen size	Inches	Industry Classification	Africa and India
20	20/64	Very large	Elephants
18	18/64	Large	AA
16	16/64	Large	AB
14	14/64	Medium	AC
13	13/64	Small

Green Coffee Beans Sizing Chart

These classifications have a considerable impact on price of Vietnam’s coffee beans. For more details, you should keep in mind these legitimate documents on Vietnam coffee bean grading standards.

SCA Standards: 

• Vietnam’s Coffee Standards
• Grading Coffee Beans
• SCAA Coffee Beans Classification

Vietnam Standard System:

• National standard TCVN 4193: 2012
• Vietnam Standard TCVN 4807

3. Main categories of coffee products to buy:

Vietnam offer a wide range of good-quality products at a cheaper rate. These are main types of coffee products to buy in Vietnam that you should take into consideration:

1. Whole green/roasted beans

• Robusta/Arabica coffee washed/unwashed grade 1 on screen No. 18
• Robusta/Arabica coffee washed/unwashed grade 1 on screen No. 16
• Robusta/Arabica coffee washed/unwashed grade 2 on screen No. 13

2. Instant coffee 

• Spray dried instant coffee powder
• Freeze dried instant coffee powder
• 3in1mix coffee
• Instant coffee can/bottle

3. Ground coffee

• Drip coffee bag
• Whole ground bean

Coffee beans to buy in Vietnam on screen no. 16 and no.18 are the main raw material for making roasted coffee and ground coffee. Smaller coffee beans such as screen no.13 are often used as mixing materials to reduce prices.

4. A general look at Vietnam’s coffee exports data

In terms of exporting structure, Vietnam’s coffee industry still focuses on raw Robusta coffee, accounting for 94% of total exports. During the last decade, green beans accounted for more than 90% of Vietnam’s exported volume. However, exports of highly processed coffee have increased in recent years. In 2016, nearly 63,000 tonnes of roasted and soluble coffee products were exported, customs data of Vietnam exports shows.

Vietnam’s coffee is been exported to 90 countries all over the world, coming in second after Brazil only. Germany and the US are two Vietnam’s largest coffee consumption market in the first 11 months of 2019 with 12.9% of Vietnam coffee exports by value delivered to Germany and 8.7% sold to the US, customs data of Vietnam exports reveals. Other main export destinations are Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, Spain, Belgium. Especially with Middle East, a rising amount of Vietnam’s coffee beans exported to this region has been recorded recently. Robusta green beans coffee is the key product, bringing Vietnam second position in the world for coffee exports and No. 1 for robusta coffee exports.

Viego Global – Your trusted sourcing partner in Vietnam

In order to provide a deeper insight on Vietnam’s Coffee Market, we’ve created this series along with tips on how to select the best beans from Vietnam for your business. Jump to: 

• A start-to-finish guide to coffee beans market in Vietnam
• Best types of coffee beans to source in Vietnam
• How to find wholesale coffee suppliers in Vietnam
• Essential guide to checking the quality of Vietnam’s green coffee beans
• 4 Most common mistakes when sourcing green coffee beans from Vietnam
• Everything you need to know about Vietnam’s specialty coffee

Are you seeking for coffee beans to buy in Vietnam? Do you need a supply of good quality and at good price? If you want to connect with any qualified coffee manufacturers in Vietnam, please comment below so we could help you out easily. Being presence at the factory location, Viego Global has the capability to professionally source, manufacture and execute order providing maximum benefit to our clients in terms of delivering a wide range of products at the best competitive pricing. Please contact us HERE for further support!

For further information about BEST TYPES OF COFFEE BEANS TO BUY IN VIETNAM: ROBUSTA, ARABICA & MORE, please refer to our other channels of Vietnam Coffee:

• Website: https://viegoglobal.com/category/vietnam-coffee-market/
• Facebook: facebook.com/vietnam.coffee.robusta.arabica.import.export
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• Tiktok: tiktok.com/@vietnamcoffeeexport
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/https://www.youtube.com/@VietnamCoffeebeansViegoGlobal
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/viego-global-green-coffee-beans/
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/ViegoCoffee

Or contact us directly at:

1. Whatsapp/Wechat: +84 90 827 90 98
2. Email: coffee@viegoglobal.com