Few people know that Vietnam is the second-largest producer and exporter of coffee in the world, right behind Brazil, while it has 25 times smaller area. However, up to 97% of the coffee grown in this country belongs to robusta (canephora), in whose production this country even holds the undisputed first place. Vietnamese robusta is an integral part of global brands that produce instant coffee, such as Nescafé or Tchibo.
There are several reasons why robust coffee trees have such a large presence in Vietnam. they are much easier to grow at lower altitudes, produce more fruit and are more resistant to pests. Production for the 2017/2018 coffee season is estimated at 1.72 million tons, which represents a 10% increase compared to last season.
History of Vietnamese coffee
French colonists brought coffee to the country as early as 1857, but the real increase in production dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, when it became a very significant part of Vietnam's income. Production stopped completely during the war, and in 1975 after it ended, the Vietnamese government nationalized the entire industry.
After the reform in 1986, which brought with it the possibility of private ownership, the coffee industry in Vietnam really began to flourish. As recently as 1994, 60% of Vietnamese lived below the poverty line, while today it is only 10%. The export of coffee has a lot to do with it. Between 1996 and 1998, the two most famous brands, Trung Nguyen and Highlands Coffee, were founded, which are still operating very successfully today. Buon Ma Thuot in Dak Lak province, located in the central part of Vietnam, became the capital of coffee.
The ritual of drinking coffee in Vietnam
When I arrived in Vietnam more than 1.5 years ago, coffee was not part of my daily life. In more than 30 years, I may have taken a few sips from my parents or, on rare occasions, drank a whole cup at family celebrations. I became a temporary consumer of this delicious juice as a typical "responsible" student who leaves everything to the last minute before handing in the diploma thesis and national papers. But drinking coffee, its culture and sitting in cafes was foreign to me. All that changed when I came to Vietnam.
The method of preparing traditional Vietnamese coffee "phin" is unique. It is drunk dripped using a metal filter and in most cases with condensed milk and ice "cà phê sữa đá". I still remember ordering it more or less by accident (it was the only drink I could identify on the Vietnamese menu). My clumsiness in handling the filter caused me to be behind the attraction and accidentally spilled half of it, but the young Vietnamese waitress only smiled and helped in this difficult situation. I was really very pleasantly surprised and this experience marked the desire to experiment and learn more.
The most surprising thing to me was that Vietnamese people are able to enjoy their coffee on their miniature chairs really anywhere on the street, and the number of crowded cafes still takes my breath away.
The real horizons of truly exceptional coffee opened up to me only by complete accident. A young farm girl from one of the Vietnamese minority tribes located in the central Vietnamese highlands changed my life and view of coffee forever.
Cultivation of truly high-quality Arabica has experienced a real revolution here in the last few years. Farmers' awareness and education, processing techniques and infrastructure are being improved. The result is the first harvests that correspond to truly first-class world quality, evaluated by independent SCAA experts in the range of 85-89 points. We will provide you with the opportunity to enjoy the best coffee of this world giant among the first.
