'Robusta Origin Passport' needed to boost recognition for Vietnam: experts

Vietnam's coffee exports reached a record US$8.92 billion in 2025, but in the first eight months of 2026, the country exported more coffee while earning less from it, highlighting the industry's vulnerability to global price fluctuations, according to figures released at the event organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper.

Tran Manh Hao, a board member of Golden Coffee, a Vietnamese coffee producer and exporter, and general director of SK Connect, a Hanoi-based coffee trading and distribution company, said Vietnam needed to retain more value from each kilogram of coffee exported rather than simply increase volumes.

Building brand recognition and value for Vietnamese Robusta

Tran Minh Thang, head of the Trade Promotion Policy Division under the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency, said that although roughly two out of every five Robusta beans produced worldwide came from Vietnam, international consumers rarely associated the coffee they drank with the country.

Much of Vietnam's coffee is used as an ingredient by international roasting companies and sold under their brands, leaving its Vietnamese origin largely unrecognized.

Thang said promotional efforts tended to focus on technical characteristics such as high caffeine content and strong flavor, without adequately communicating the coffee's origins, quality and distinctive identity.

Changing consumer preferences, including growing interest in coffee origins and processing methods, along with the popularity of espresso, latte, premium instant coffee and ready-to-drink beverages, offer opportunities for Vietnamese Robusta.

China illustrates this potential: Vietnamese coffee exports to the market rose 76.9 percent in the first five months of 2026, bringing Vietnam's market share to around 20.4 percent, Thang said.

However, he stressed that expanding market share alone would not build a strong brand.

Vietnamese localities and businesses need a clearer, more consistent message about what distinguishes their Robusta, whether through quality, flavor, growing regions or coffee culture.

Hao said that with annual coffee exports of around 1.5 million metric tons, a US$0.50-per-kilogram increase in the average selling price could generate an additional $750 million in revenue.

Such gains could begin at the farm level through harvesting cherries at the right degree of ripeness, improving processing and sorting beans by quality to meet different customer requirements.

Vietnam also needs to expand beyond green coffee beans into higher-value products, including roasted and ground coffee, instant coffee and ready-to-drink beverages, while developing domestic brands and manufacturing products for foreign partners.

Hao added that businesses must understand consumer preferences, price segments and competitive requirements in each market to move into higher-value segments of the supply chain.

A proposed identity system for Vietnamese Robusta

Hao proposed a shared identification system called the 'Robusta Origin Passport' to link Vietnamese Robusta products to standards for quality, origin and traceability.

The system would give qualifying products a common identity in international markets while allowing businesses to retain their own brands.

Its success would depend on clear standards, quality control and participation across the supply chain, rather than simply creating a logo or name.

Hao also called for government policies to support the industry from raw-material production and processing to trade and brand development, along with closer coordination among government agencies, industry associations, businesses, media organizations and international partners.

A more integrated value chain spanning cultivation, processing, logistics, trade, finance and distribution would also help Vietnam retain a greater share of the value generated by its coffee industry, he said.

The seminar was part of the 'Affirming the Position of Vietnamese Robusta' project, jointly implemented by Tuoi Tre and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Golden Robusta, a brand of Golden Coffee, and Ca Mau Petroleum Fertilizer Joint Stock Company are supporting the initiative, which aims to improve the quality, value and international recognition of Vietnamese Robusta.