Establishing a new position for Robusta coffee.

Buon Ma Thuot has been honored by National Geographic in its list of the 15 most worthwhile food and beverage destinations in the world for 2026.

A multi-billion dollar industry and a standards gap.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that Vietnam currently holds a firm position as the world's largest producer of Robusta coffee, contributing over 40% of global production with exports reaching approximately US$8.92 billion annually. Dak Lak province alone accounts for over 40% of the country's total exports, sending its products to more than 70 countries and territories.

As of May 2026, the average export price of Vietnamese coffee reached US$4,471 per ton. In particular, the Buon Ma Thuot Robusta variety has long been recognized by international experts as having world-class quality, characterized by a strong body, high caffeine content, low acidity, intense aroma, and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

Tourists learn about the process of drying and processing high-quality coffee at a coffee farm in Dak Lak .

However, a paradox that has persisted for decades is that Vietnamese coffee, strong in production volume, is weak in commercial value. On the London exchange, the price of Robusta coffee for July 2026 delivery fluctuates around $3,354 per ton, but the power to determine the price largely remains in the hands of roasting corporations and international buyers. Approximately 70% of domestic coffee production is still carried out using traditional methods, lacking complete traceability data.

The root of this problem is that Vietnamese Robusta coffee lacks a unified, commercially viable set of technical standards recognized internationally. Current domestic evaluation frameworks still focus on basic physical indicators such as moisture content, sieve size, and impurities, while the world has shifted to the Fine Robusta segment – ​​where value is determined by sensory structure and transparency.

Mr. Trinh Duc Minh, Chairman of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association, analyzed: We have good coffee, but we lack a system to prove and communicate its quality. Specifically, Vietnam does not yet have its own sensory dictionary (Lexicon) and a flavor wheel that accurately reflects the actual structure of native Robusta beans. As a result, the value of our quality is being defined externally and has no voice in international standards. Furthermore, previous research models often adopted a top-down, administrative approach, far removed from the practical realities of businesses and the needs of roasters.

Tourists experience sorting green coffee beans at a coffee farm.

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Urban development along strategic transportation routes.Opened in late 2023, Vo Nguyen Giap Road has created a new development space in the southeastern part of Buon Ma Thuot.

Growth potential from industrial park and cluster projects.Many infrastructure investment projects for industrial parks and clusters in the province have been started.

The lack of a common language has created significant gaps from farm to cup, leaving fragmented and small-scale supply chains vulnerable and susceptible to price manipulation in the international market. Senior coffee expert, Dr. Manuel Diaz, frankly warns: Vietnam's Robusta coffee industry is on the verge of saturation. Over-focusing on quantity has led to serious land degradation in growing regions. Even more worrying, the uncoordinated, mass harvesting methods are wasting over 30% of the yield due to errors and low quality, depriving producers of the opportunity to add value right from the farm. Without radical changes, Vietnam will face a significant decline in profitability.

Standardization through knowledge and value chain integration.

To establish a new position, the Robusta XXI Innovation Project was built to create a high-quality knowledge infrastructure based on empirical scientific data, establishing a unique, high-quality language system for Vietnamese Robusta. The core solution is to shift the standard-setting method from "bottom-up," with businesses and farmers as the main stakeholders. The Robusta XXI Project sifted through historical data from eight seasons of the Vietnam Amazing Cup competition and researched 24 Robusta coffee varieties to issue a voluntary standard integrating standardized sensory tools (Sensory Dictionary - Lexicon and Standardized Flavor Wheel). Instead of rigid thresholds, new indicators such as bean density were incorporated into a practical verification process at commercial factories. This is the scientific "weapon" that helps Vietnam define what constitutes high-quality Robusta, thereby building "soft power" for its sales alliance in the international market.

The intensive coffee training courses organized by the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association contribute to improving the skills of human resources serving the experiential and advanced processing activities.

Ms. Nguyen Hoai Thu, representative of Ea Pok Coffee Import-Export Joint Stock Company, expressed strong agreement with this strategic direction: Coffee beans, when leaving the farm, are not simply raw agricultural products; they carry within them the story of local culture and national heritage. Establishing the Robusta XXI standard is an opportunity for farmers to change old farming habits, learn to master technology and sensory language to bring coffee beans deeper into high-end markets.

According to the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association, along with the Robusta XXI Innovation Project, the fact that National Geographic magazine selected Buon Ma Thuot as one of the 15 most worthwhile food and beverage destinations in the world in 2026 has also opened a door to international media for Buon Ma Thuot. But to pass through that door, Buon Ma Thuot needs to quickly transform from a region famous for coffee into a coffee and culinary experience destination with genuine products, routes, stories, and quality service.

To pass this "test," the People's Committee of Dak Lak province quickly issued an Action Program on the Strategy "Buon Ma Thuot - The World's Best Coffee Capital" for the period 2026-2030, aiming to bring the locality into the Top 5 most attractive coffee destinations in the world. In particular, the construction of high-end experiential spaces such as "Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Street," the "Coffee Innovation Hub," and the application of the "Buon Ma Thuot Authentic Coffee" certification are steps to transform coffee beans from a raw agricultural product into a "coffee gastronomy" product deeply rooted in national cultural heritage.

When quality is defined by knowledge, local culture, and international recognition, Vietnamese Robusta can confidently break free from its position as a cheap raw material, successfully making a historic transformation from a "major supplier" to a "value-setting nation" globally.

Minh Thuan

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202606/xac-lap-vi-the-moi-cho-ca-phe-robusta-128080b/