Many people are curious and ask whether it’s possible to find Specialty Coffee from Vietnam and how we think about the local coffee culture. Here is what we do and why we do it. Plus, our take on the Vietnamese coffee market.
What does Coffee mean for the Vietnamese People and how is it Part of the Local Culture?
The saigonese street culture & lifestyle- but also the energy of the highlands has shaped our understanding for coffee and the value it provides. Many people in Vietnam make a living from agriculture and a large part of it is coffee. ‘Cà phê’ is the pride of Vietnam. Even though the world-market does not really recognize Vietnamese coffee as a specialty-grade yet, Vietnam loves and embraces its coffee-culture and we are all the way in as we see the shift in the mindset of both farmers and consumers. Away from ‘quantity-only’ and toward quality. Ideally, we will have both in the future.
We are happy and proud that we were able to connect a befriended specialty coffee importer from Germany to both our partners in Langbiang and Bao Lam in 2019. Through this cooperation with Cumpa, we contribute to bringing the Vietnamese Bean to Europe and into the people’s cups. So far – our people are loving it and the demand for Specialty Coffee from Vietnam is growing. Therefore, coffee means for me personally, as a Co-Founder and the Roaster of Bộ Lạc, that I am able to build an even stronger connection and bond between my home country and the new home I found in Vietnam. This is very precious for me.
Coffee is life. Coffee changes the flow of our day and is the spark of change and innovation.
_______
Instead of bigger and more familiar Brands, why should the Everyday Coffee-Drinker look to Local Coffee Brands?
Healthy living and product awareness are a big topic for the people in Vietnam. Buying vegetables fresh from the market, meat from the local butcher and getting home-made pickles sent from relatives in the countryside are the beauty that we found in the awareness of local consumption in Vietnam. We believe that coffee falls into the same frame.
If we can support our local smallholder farms we can support the living and independence of those who produce the fuel for our daily life with so much dedication and love for the details. Moreover, often a lot more aligned with nature compared to big commercial companies. Buying freshly roasted coffee from a Local Roaster also means that you have really fresh coffee that has not been sitting pre-ground on a supermarket shelf or in storage for a long time. It’s made with love and passion and if you are curious to learn more, a local roaster will be more than happy to answer all the questions you can think of.
How did the Taste and Preferences in Coffee change over the Years in the Vietnamese People? And how has the Emergence of Imported Brands affected the taste of the Everyday-Local?
When I arrived in Vietnam four years ago I basically saw everyone sipping on condensed milk with a little coffee infusion or black iced-coffee that tasted quite burnt. In my neighbourhood there was this lady selling pre-made “coffee” from a large plastic bottle. It was a thick liquid that only remotely reminded me of coffee. Nowadays, I see loads of pop up coffee stands next to the road with an actual Espresso machine and a coffee grinder next to it. This is probably the most sophisticated way to get your coffee to go by the side of the road that I have ever seen. The changes are massive and very obvious. People want to get freshness and flavour in their daily cup. And it goes beyond that. The number of specialty coffee shops around town has exploded.
It’s just amazing to see how people embrace this culture and how coffee stays the center of social interaction – but now with a bigger focus on quality. And – another trend is coming: For us, as we focus on distributing freshly roasted coffee online, we can see a rising demand too! Especially with this huge challenge that the world is facing with Covid-19 around and the frequent lock downs we go through. We can provide a safe solution for anyone who likes to keep drinking coffee! The amount of passionate Home-Baristas is growing as people realize how affordable it is to brew great quality coffee at home or even at their office.
We are very happy that we can provide all of our customers with this great opportunity to drink delicious and High Quality Coffee for such an affordable price and to get to know the people who produce it at the same time. We can not take for granted what an amazing job the people in the highlands do. They are the true Heroes behind the coffee and we want to keep putting the spotlight on their work.
Follow us on Facebook and learn about New & Exciting Coffee Topics!
Find our selection of Vietnamese Coffees sourced in Direct Trade in our Store.
Thanks for the lovely article and great insight into your story and motivations! I agree, farmers are the true heroes!
Thank you for your interest in our story and your comment, Timen!
Let’s raise our cups to the great farmers and producers, hai ba… 😉