The journey of a man who sold corn on the street for a living, to become one of the most famous producers of Fine Robusta from Vietnam. In this blog post we are introducing you to the Artist behind the coffee which you may already enjoy every morning in your breakfast cup. Fine Robusta from Vietnam & The Future Coffee Farm.
We had the great pleasure to meet Mr. Tới for the first time in person after we had worked on his coffee for a few months already. He warmly welcomed us at his processing station in Bảo Lâm, a small town in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The town is a 30 minute motorbike ride away from the city of Bảo Lộc, famous for its tea-hills that the French colonists started cultivating during their time of rule. Today it is a romantic town with a central lake, many charming coffee shops and bars.
Mr. Tới is a truly passionate man with a great sense of humor. He welcomed us with a wide smile on his face when me and my girlfriend arrived at the station. We could see that the house had recently been renovated which gave a hint of Mr. Tới’s success story. Five flags over the entrance, showing the international cooperations that had thrived during the past years.
‘Coffee time!’ My friend Kiyo, a Coffee Roaster from Japan and his wife had already arrived and were several cups deep into trying the latest crops. Time to catch up. I brewed the different Robustas that Mr. Toi had just produced and we talked about the creamy and rich, yet fruity cups of coffee.
Today, Mr. Tới’s coffee is an outstanding example for Fine Robusta from Vietnam. A decade ago his situation was dramatically different. Starting as a poor man selling corn on the street, he wasn’t gifted with great education or capital to start his coffee journey. He started working for a local coffee farm and he was eager to learn. His will-power, determination and curiosity led him to absorb all the information about the plants, the cherries and the various techniques of processing and he started experimenting by himself. Eventually he dedicated his future to the crop and to his community in Bảo Lâm as he opened his own processing station. Strongly believing in his vision to bring Vietnamese Specialty Coffee on the map, he worked hard to build what is known today as the Future Coffee Farm.
Beyond his processing, he is working in close relationship with the farmers in the region and rewards their hard work with a price that is multiple times higher than the local coffee-traders pay. By doing so, he can ensure a long term- and sustainable quality that supports the life-improvement of the farmers and their families. Currently, he is starting an Organic Farm project which he introduced us to on our visit. The young tree you can see in the title picture of this blog post will take another 3 years before the first cherries can be harvested. Organic Robusta – the future of coffee?
After the first day at the Organic Farm, Mr. Tới took us to the coffee valley where our Fine Robusta is grown. What we saw was beyond our expectations. From what I have known in Robusta production until this point were large farms which replaced nature almost entirely – Monoculture. This farm was something else. To get to the valley we crossed a patch of jungle and found ourselves overlooking the farm, once we stepped out of it. The harmony between forest, fruit trees and coffee plants was incredible. Along the way we snacked on fresh vú sữa (vietnam’s milk fruit) which we picked right of the trees and found pineapple bushes, banana trees and other fuit trees along the path, looking lush and healthy.
The whole valley was filled with a Jasmine-like scent. The season of the coffee flower blossom had just begun.
The yield of this Robusta farm is around 20 tons per year and Mr.Toi is a ‘hands-on man’ who truly loves to be in nature, he says, so he helps to carry the harvested cherries back to his processing station every year. While walking between coffee plants and shade trees Mr. Tới shared more about his vision and future projects with us. By building Tree-Houses near the little forest waterfall at the end of the path in order to host coffee-eco-tourism, he will be able to welcome fellow coffee enthusiasts from around the world on his farm. Enganging the local community into the project as well as building a future in coffee for his own children.
“One day, I want to leave behind a heritage and a legacy, when I go.”
Mr. Tới’s processing station in Bảo Lâm currently employs 13 staff who earn a stable income for them and their families. Producing a total of 50 tons per year allows the Future Coffee Farm to sell coffee not only in Vietnam, but around the world. Currently, our friends at Cumpa Germany are importing 3 tons per year to supply to european craft roasters with Fine Robusta from Vietnam. We are very happy to be a part of this story and are looking forward to grow and nurture this relationship over time. It is rare to find a Robusta production of this high quality standard. The drying & processing techniques applied, are house made and Mr. Tới’s signature is vivid in the cup. His specialty are the ‘Winey Honey’ and ‘Winey Natural’ processed coffees, which we are purchasing this year for the first time to present you a real treat! (Coming soon) Creamy, Winey and Chocolaty. Almost like a German Black Forest Cake -Yummy!
It is a pleasure to work with Mr. Tới and his products, as we share the same vision and values. Supporting the local community and building a sustainable future together with them, is the only way to maintain quality coffee production in the long term and to create the taste of friendship in every cup.
We are glad to be part of this journey with the wonderful people from Bảo Lâm and present you this lovely Fine Robusta coffee. Please leave your thoughts and questions down in the comment section bellow. We are happy to share the most tranparent info possible with you.
“The taste of friendship in every cup”
