'Vietnam Robusta Origin Passport' proposed to elevate national coffee brand

Building a strong brand for Vietnamese Robusta requires verifiable origin, consistent quality standards and transparent production processes to earn international buyers' trust and create greater commercial value, an expert said at a seminar organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper and its partners on Friday.

Tran Manh Hao, a board member of Golden Coffee, a Vietnamese coffee producer and exporter, said Vietnam must shift its coffee industry's focus from production volume and selling prices to quality, traceability, processing capabilities and the ability to meet increasingly demanding requirements from international buyers.

A passport for Vietnamese Robusta origin

To strengthen international recognition of Vietnamese Robusta, Hao proposed the 'Vietnam Robusta Origin Passport' initiative as a common marker for coffee originating in Vietnam, which accounts for nearly 40 percent of global Robusta production.

He said the proposed 'Vietnam Robusta Origin' label could appear on packaging, coffee sacks and exported products that meet the relevant criteria, helping buyers identify their origin and associate Vietnamese Robusta with quality and transparency.

Hao cited Colombia as an example of a coffee-producing country that has built international recognition by developing coffee brands and protecting the value of its growing regions.

Colombia has established the Juan Valdez brand, uses the '100% Colombian Coffee' logo and has developed the 'Café de Colombia' geographical indication.

However, Hao stressed that a shared name or label alone would not be enough to build a credible national brand.

The proposed origin passport would need clear criteria covering product origin, quality, production processes and traceability, along with mechanisms to inspect and monitor the label's use.

These safeguards would give buyers a stronger basis for verifying product information and help businesses maintain consistent standards.

As importing markets place increasing emphasis on supply-chain transparency and compliance with product regulations, effective traceability would also help Vietnamese exporters provide reliable information, manage risks and meet international buyers' requirements.

Quality standards and OEM strategy

“Building a brand for Vietnamese Robusta is not simply about creating a name or a common visual identity,” said Hao, who is also general director of SK Connect, a Hanoi-based coffee trading and distribution company.

Hao stressed that it must be backed by product quality, transparent production processes and a stable supply.

He said quality improvement should begin in growing areas, with standardized harvesting, sorting, preliminary processing and storage procedures to reduce variations between coffee batches.

Traceability is equally important, allowing buyers to verify coffee origins and check product information.

Together, these measures would help Vietnamese Robusta compete on quality and distinctive value rather than being treated primarily as a commodity bought on price, Hao said.

He also proposed that Vietnamese businesses develop products through original equipment manufacturing (OEM) or private-label arrangements to leverage international partners' existing distribution networks.

Such arrangements could help local businesses gain experience in meeting product standards and market requirements while creating more opportunities to add value through domestic processing.

Developing consumer brands under Vietnamese names for international markets should remain a long-term goal, he added.