From a country strong in raw material supply, Vietnam is facing the need to transform itself into a valuable partner in the global coffee chain – where branding, sustainability, and soft power increasingly determine position.
Vietnam's coffee export turnover exceeded US$8.6 billion last year for the first time, marking a significant milestone. As global consumers shift from "drinking a lot" to "drinking responsibly," from cheap to sustainable value, and from mass-produced to specialty coffee, the Central Highlands coffee region is entering a crucial phase: will it continue to be a source of raw materials or become a value space for the Vietnamese coffee industry in the new era?
Vietnam is making its mark on the global coffee market.
The global coffee market has officially named Vietnam as a major player. According to forecasts from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Vietnam's coffee production for the 2025-2026 crop year will reach 31 million bags (60 kg/bag), second only to the giant Brazil in production (approximately 65 million bags). These two countries account for more than 56% of the world's coffee production (18% and 38%), far surpassing the third-largest producer, Colombia (only 7%).
According to Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, 2025 marks a historic turning point as coffee exports are expected to reach approximately US$8.6 billion, a more than 52% increase compared to the previous year. These are not just record figures, but reflect a deeper shift in the global market's impact on Vietnam's coffee industry and, more importantly, a significant value shift within this sector of the Southeast Asian nation. From focusing on quantity, Vietnamese coffee has moved towards seeking quality and sustainability, from short-term transactions to long-term partnerships, and from low prices to responsible value.
For decades, the success of Vietnam's coffee industry has been measured by production volume. Millions of tons of green beans exported annually have placed Vietnam among the world's largest coffee producers. However, a persistent paradox exists: the large growing regions have retained very little value. The added value lies in roasting, branding, and distribution – areas where Vietnam has not yet deeply participated.
The Central Highlands have long been identified as a region particularly well-suited for coffee cultivation. Over 100 years ago, the French brought coffee to settle here, transforming this fertile red basalt soil into a "coffee land." However, throughout that period, the value of Central Highlands coffee has never truly lived up to its potential and quality. In the context of the current significant restructuring of the global market, Central Highlands coffee is facing a historic turning point, striving to become a center of value and brand for the region.
Dr. Pham S., an agricultural expert in the Central Highlands region and former Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, stated: "The ongoing shift in Vietnam's coffee value chain is forcing major growing regions like the Central Highlands to re-evaluate themselves. When the market no longer asks just 'how many tons,' but 'how much value per coffee bean,' then advantages in acreage and production alone are insufficient. The competition has shifted from production volume to position within the chain."
Vietnam's current coffee growing area is approximately 710,000 hectares. Dak Lak, Lam Dong, and Gia Lai provinces are the main coffee-growing regions, accounting for over 92.4% of the area and 95% of the country's production. Coffee market experts emphasize that, notably, in all coffee consumer markets, consumers are no longer just asking "how much does it cost?", but also "where it comes from," "how it's grown," and "is it sustainable." Concepts such as specialty coffee, fine robusta, traceability, and low emissions have transcended niche segments to become new benchmarks influencing consumer decision-making.
In this context, the Central Highlands is no longer seen as merely a supply region. The market is now looking to it as a partner with deeper potential, if production and value chains are reorganized.
From raw coffee growing region to value
At meetings between Central Highlands businesses and international importers in Buon Ma Thuot or at the Da Lat Coffee Festival, attendees are not just there to "look at the goods." They seek out raw material sources, discuss standards, and sign cooperation agreements along the supply chain. Coffee – from a raw agricultural product – is becoming a common language of quality and branding.
A new picture is emerging as China, a market of billions with a tea culture, is entering a strong wave of coffee consumption, with an increase of about 15% per year. In 2024, China imported more than 180,000 tons of green coffee beans; of which Vietnam was the most important source of supply - according to Mr. Tao Jian, a representative of a Chinese business that has been connecting Vietnamese coffee with this market for many years.
Tao Jian's assessment highlights an important fact: the Chinese and global markets are turning to the Central Highlands not only for quantity, but also for its ability to meet new demands regarding quality, taste, global coffee trends, and stability.
For decades, Robusta – Vietnam's staple coffee variety – was often ranked lower than Arabica on the world value map. Robusta was associated with instant coffee, primarily as an ingredient, and was rarely mentioned in discussions about flavor or coffee experience. However, that story has now changed.
While China is a rapidly expanding market, South Korea continues to be among the world's top ten coffee importers, Japan maintains its position as a stable market with high demands for quality and reliability, and Singapore has become the "trend laboratory" for Asian coffee, where specialty, cold brew, and single-origin coffee trends are tested before spreading throughout the region. Here, Vietnamese Robusta is being viewed through a different lens.
Mr. Ng Zhe Xi, founder of Lunzo Coffee (Singapore), analyzed: "Singapore's coffee culture is strongly influenced by Nanyang Coffee, which produces dark-roasted Robusta coffee with a chocolate aftertaste and low acidity. These characteristics are very suitable for Vietnamese Robusta. When processed correctly, Robusta can absolutely enter the high-value segment."
Those observations hit the nail on the head: it's not just the variety that creates value, but the way it's produced. When Robusta coffee is properly cultivated, harvested, processed, and roasted, and its brand story is told, it can move beyond its status as a raw material and into higher consumer segments.
In the context of a rapidly shifting international market value landscape, Dak Lak coffee in particular, and Central Highlands coffee in general, needs to be repositioned as a strategic commodity, where value is measured not only by production volume but also by its position in the supply chain and brand in the global market, with "soft power" in the form of quality and stability.
Lesson 2: Breakthroughs in Value
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/ca-phe-viet-trong-ky-nguyen-gia-tri-bai-1-nang-luc-dinh-vi-gia-tri-20260115091649318.htm
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