Paper packaging expands opportunities for the instant coffee industry in Vietnam

From October 30 to November 1, the Coffee Expo Vietnam 2025 exhibition took place in Ho Chi Minh City, gathering more than 150 enterprises with 300 domestic and foreign booths to introduce processing, packaging and raw materials technology for the coffee industry. In particular, sterilized paper packaging solutions emerged as a new trend, considered an important factor, helping the Vietnamese RTD coffee industry develop sustainably and increase international competitiveness.

Paper packaging expands opportunities for the instant coffee industry in Vietnam. Photo: TK

According to industry reports, Vietnam is currently the world's second largest coffee exporter and is also among the fastest growing instant coffee markets in the region, with an average growth rate of 12-18% per year. Notably, instant coffee is no longer a mere convenience product but has become part of the modern lifestyle, especially among young people.

At the exhibition, businesses emphasized three factors that are shaping the future of the industry: Convenience, premium experience and sustainable development. This shows that Vietnamese consumers are increasingly health-conscious and favor environmentally friendly and recyclable packaging. According to Vietnam Report 2024, 57.4% of consumers are willing to choose products with “green” packaging if the price is equivalent and 41.1% are willing to pay more for sustainable products.

Enterprises introduce paper packaging samples to visitors at the exhibition. Photo: TK

In this context, aseptic carton packaging is becoming the optimal solution to ensure food safety while minimizing emissions and plastic waste. This type of packaging allows products to be stored at room temperature without preservatives, extending shelf life while saving energy in transportation and storage.

It can be seen at the exhibition that businesses such as Tetra Pak, Trung Nguyen, Nestlé, Boncafé, Highlands Coffee, Annam Group... brought different solutions in production, processing and packaging, aiming at a closed and environmentally friendly supply chain.

Specifically, the booth of Tetra Pak, a food and beverage processing and packaging solutions company, introduced the End-to-End (E2E) model, an integrated solution from processing to packaging, along with packaging lines such as Tetra Prisma® Aseptic or Tetra Brik® that aim to reduce emissions throughout the entire product lifecycle. The pillars of the solution include product innovation, efficient production and sustainable packaging.

Booth displaying Tetra Pak's coffee paper packaging samples. Photo: TK

The three pillars aim to support businesses in developing ready-to-drink coffee lines that focus on health, convenience and premium taste; applying advanced processing technology from Sweden to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and increase operating efficiency; and developing packaging from renewable, recyclable materials to meet green consumption trends and environmental regulations.

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Marketing Director of Tetra Pak Vietnam, said: “The Vietnamese instant coffee market is growing strongly, led by a new generation of consumers who love convenience and a variety of flavors. This is a great opportunity for businesses to develop sustainably, with paper packaging as the starting point for the green journey.”

At the exhibition areas, visitors can directly experience the Barista Show, try instant coffee products packaged in new paper packaging and participate in the discussion "Instant coffee business trends" with expert, businessman and artist Dinh Tien Dat (Mr. Dee).

Businesses visit to learn about paper packaging samples at the exhibition. Photo: TK

The organizing committee representative said that Coffee Expo Vietnam 2025 is not only a trade promotion event for the coffee industry but also a forum for sharing new technology and consumption trends, especially in the context of the Vietnamese beverage industry strongly shifting to a green production model.

Focusing on investing in sustainable packaging is also considered a necessary step for the Vietnamese instant coffee industry to expand its domestic market share, increase export value, and meet increasingly stringent global environmental standards.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/bao-bi-giay-mo-rong-co-hoi-cho-nganh-ca-phe-uong-lien-tai-viet-nam-20251030184011278.htm