How Vietnam Became a Coffee Superpower

Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer on earth and the biggest producer of Robusta by a long way. None of that was inevitable. It took a French missionary, a war, and one very good government decision.

1857: coffee arrives

French missionaries brought the first Arabica plants to Vietnam in 1857, planting them at Catholic churches in the northern provinces of Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh. From there coffee moved south through Quang Tri and Quang Binh and eventually into the Central Highlands.

That last stop changed everything. The Central Highlands had the altitude, the rich basalt soil and the climate coffee loves. Growers noticed. The crop stuck.

1908: Robusta enters

The French introduced two more varieties in 1908: Robusta and Excelsa. Robusta turned out to be the perfect match for Vietnamese conditions. It's hardier than Arabica, thrives at lower altitudes, shrugs off pests, and produces a bold, high-caffeine bean. The Central Highlands and Robusta were made for each other, and the region grew into the coffee heartland it remains today.

War years: survival mode

Through decades of conflict, coffee farming carried on but barely grew. By 1986 Vietnam had only around 50,000 hectares in coffee, producing about 18,400 tonnes a year. Just over 300,000 bags. A rounding error in global terms.

1986: the decision that changed everything

In 1986 the Vietnamese government made coffee a national priority as part of its Doi Moi economic reforms. It backed state farms and, crucially, encouraged ordinary households to plant coffee. Millions did.

What followed was one of the fastest agricultural expansions in modern history. Within two decades Vietnam went from a minor producer to the world's number two, and to number one in Robusta. The Central Highlands became globally famous for it, home to legendary growing areas like Buon Ma Thuot, plus Da Lat and Son La, each now recognised for the distinct character its soil gives the beans.

Where we fit in

May Coffee Crew sources direct from this story. Our Buffalo Robusta comes from a single farm in the Central Highlands, the region that built Vietnam's coffee reputation. Our Sunshine Arabica comes from the IWCA women's cooperative in Son La, one of those celebrated growing regions in the north. We roast both in small batches in Auckland.

A hundred and seventy years after the first plants went into the ground, Vietnamese coffee culture runs deeper than almost anywhere on earth. If you want to taste why, start with The Triplet Sampler and drink your way through the story.