Vietnamese coffee wins over Amazon shoppers, eyes premium prices

On Amazon, searches for Vietnamese coffee, particularly Robusta, have increased by nearly 200 percent.

U.S. consumers are not only drawn to bold flavors and high caffeine content but are increasingly willing to pay more for products with a clear origin, cultural story and distinctive brand.

US market beckons Vietnamese coffee

Vietnamese Robusta, once mainly known for its bold bitterness and high caffeine content, is increasingly attracting attention from U.S. consumers.

Notably, data shared by an Amazon representative showed that searches related to Vietnamese coffee, particularly Robusta, had increased by nearly 200 percent.

The figures were shared by Nguyen Le Gia Khanh, an Amazon account manager, at a seminar on building a brand for Vietnamese Robusta coffee organized by Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper on Friday.

According to Khanh, the U.S. market is opening significant opportunities for Vietnamese coffee.

However, to sell their products at higher values, businesses cannot simply promote Vietnam as one of the world’s major coffee-producing countries.

Through her work directly with coffee businesses selling on Amazon, Khanh has observed a notable shift in U.S. consumer behavior.

Coffee is currently the leading beverage category on Amazon’s U.S. marketplace, ahead of categories such as energy drinks and tea, according to Khanh.

Interest in Vietnamese coffee has also been growing. Search terms related to Vietnamese coffee and Robusta began gaining traction in 2019.

Initially, demand was concentrated in areas with large Vietnamese communities. In recent years, however, Vietnamese coffee has gradually reached a broader base of U.S. consumers.

What draws US consumers to Vietnamese coffee?

According to Khanh, product origin is one of the first factors U.S. consumers consider.

They want to know where the coffee is grown, whether its origin can be traced, whether it is produced sustainably, and whether the product retains its original qualities.

Flavor also matters. Boldness, bitterness, and distinctive notes such as caramel can help a coffee stand out.

Khanh said many notable coffee buyers on Amazon are aged 25 to 45, with stable jobs and busy lifestyles. They want coffee to stay alert but also value the taste and experience behind it.

This shift is creating room for higher-value products. While many coffee products on Amazon once sold for less than US$15, more products are now priced at $19 or above.

The trend could benefit Vietnamese Robusta, which has long been associated more with production volume and competitive prices than brand stories.

Khanh said buyers may first search generic terms such as 'Robusta Coffee' or 'Vietnamese Coffee,' but once they trust a product, they increasingly search directly for brands.

About 45 percent of the searches cited at the seminar were related to brands.

Khanh pointed to 'Nguyen Coffee Supply' and 'Copper Cow Coffee' as examples of Vietnamese coffee brands with a notable presence on Amazon.

She said Vietnam has plenty of stories to tell, from coffee-growing regions and bean origins to distinctive flavors and cultural traditions.

The challenge, however, is turning those stories into brands that international consumers want to buy.

How can consumers remember Vietnamese coffee brands?

A product may first be discovered through keywords such as 'Vietnamese Robusta.' But to bring customers back, search directly for the brand and pay a higher price, businesses need to build a distinct identity.

Based on her experience advising businesses selling on Amazon, Khanh said brand building should be a key part of their strategy for entering the U.S. market.

Rather than simply highlighting a product’s Vietnamese origin, businesses need to show what sets it apart, from quality and flavor to its growing region and cultural story.

For Vietnamese Robusta, the challenge is therefore not simply getting more coffee products onto international e-commerce platforms, but getting consumers to search for them by brand name.

This can help businesses move beyond price-based competition and into higher-value segments.

Vietnam already has strong advantages in its coffee-growing regions and cultural identity.

According to Khanh, the missing piece is not necessarily a story to tell, but how to tell it in a way that connects with international consumers.

Taking Vietnamese Robusta up the value chain

Robusta is known for its stronger, more bitter flavor and higher caffeine content than Arabica. In Vietnam, it is grown mainly in the Central Highlands, particularly in the red basalt soils of Dak Lak, Lam Dong and Gia Lai.

Every year, millions of bags of Vietnamese coffee leave the country's red basalt soils for markets around the world.

But much of it is still exported as green coffee beans in plain sacks, without a brand name or the value that reflects where it comes from.

For Vietnamese Robusta to move beyond its image as a low-cost coffee, raising quality and creating more value will require efforts across the coffee ecosystem.