Sourcing from Vietnam · Vietnam → World
Sourcing Coffee from Vietnam: Verified Robusta and Arabica Exporters
Vietnam is the world's largest producer of Robusta and a major supplier of green, roasted and instant coffee. GLG helps roasters and importers find verified exporters and processors, checks quality against your contract and ships from the main southern ports.
Key products
- Robusta Grade 1, screen 18 and 16, natural or wet polished
- Robusta Grade 2, screen 13, for blends and soluble coffee
- Fine Robusta and specialty Robusta (honey, natural, washed micro-lots)
- Arabica washed and semi-washed (Catimor, Typica and Bourbon lots)
- Certified green coffee: 4C, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, organic
- Roasted coffee, whole bean or ground, private label
- Instant coffee, freeze-dried and spray-dried, and 3-in-1 mixes
- Coffee extract and concentrate for food and beverage manufacturers
Sourcing regions
- Central Highlands (Đắk Lắk, Gia Lai, Lâm Đồng) – the core Robusta belt, with processing hubs around Buôn Ma Thuột
- Lâm Đồng highlands around Đà Lạt and Cầu Đất – Arabica and higher-altitude specialty lots
- Sơn La and the Northwest – washed Arabica, mainly Catimor
- Quảng Trị (Khe Sanh area) – smaller Arabica and Robusta volumes
- TP.HCM and Đông Nam Bộ – export warehouses, roasting and instant coffee factories near Cát Lái and Cái Mép
Common HS codes
| HS code | Description |
|---|---|
| 09 | Coffee, tea, maté and spices |
| 0901 | Coffee, green or roasted, decaffeinated or not |
| 2101 | Extracts, essences and concentrates of coffee, instant coffee |
HS codes are indicative. Confirm the exact classification of your product before you declare it.
Certifications buyers ask for
- 4C, Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade for sustainable coffee programmes
- EU, USDA NOP or JAS organic certification
- Geolocation and deforestation-free due diligence data for the EU market (EUDR)
- FDA food facility registration for shipments to the United States
- HACCP, ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000 for roasting and instant coffee plants
- Halal or kosher certification for some instant coffee buyers
Logistics notes
- Green coffee usually ships in 60 kg jute bags in 20-foot dry containers lined with kraft paper, or in bulk liner bags.
- Use desiccants and well-dried, odour-free containers to prevent condensation on long voyages through temperature changes.
- Most export lots move through Cát Lái and Cái Mép; Buôn Ma Thuột exporters truck to the port in about a day.
- The Robusta harvest runs roughly from November to January, so plan new-crop shipments from the first quarter.
- Instant and roasted coffee travel as general cargo in cartons; protect them from heat and moisture during storage.
Sourcing tips
- Specify moisture, black and broken beans, foreign matter and screen size in the contract, not just the grade name.
- Approve a pre-shipment sample and keep a sealed counter-sample for arbitration.
- Check that sustainability certificates are valid and that the certified volume covers your order.
- For the EU, confirm the supplier can provide plot geolocation and traceability data before contracting.
- Assess whether the exporter has the financial capacity to honour fixed-price contracts when market prices move sharply.
Vietnam in the global coffee market
Vietnam is the largest Robusta producer in the world and one of the largest coffee exporters overall. Production is concentrated in the Central Highlands, where smallholders supply collectors, cooperatives and export processors. Alongside green beans, Vietnam has a substantial roasting and instant coffee industry, which makes it a one-stop origin for buyers who need both commodity volume and finished products.
Quality has improved steadily. Besides standard Grade 1 and Grade 2 Robusta, many processors now offer wet polished, honey and natural fine Robusta, and Arabica from Lâm Đồng and Sơn La is increasingly sold as washed specialty lots.
Common grades and specifications
| Grade | Typical screen | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Robusta Grade 1, S18 | Above screen 18 | Premium blends, espresso |
| Robusta Grade 1, S16 | Above screen 16 | Mainstream roasting |
| Robusta Grade 2, S13 | Above screen 13 | Blends, soluble coffee |
| Fine Robusta | Per contract | Specialty and single-origin |
| Arabica washed | Screen 16 and above | Specialty, retail blends |
Exact moisture, defect and foreign matter limits should always be written into the contract. Many buyers refer to the terms commonly used in London Robusta trading and add their own cup quality requirements.
How GLG sources and verifies coffee suppliers
We start from your grade, volume, certification and delivery window, then shortlist exporters and processors with the right capacity and quality systems. Verification covers business registration, export history, warehouses and processing lines, validity of 4C, Rainforest Alliance or organic certificates, and the ability to provide traceability data. We coordinate type samples, pre-shipment samples and independent quality and weight inspection at loading.
Buying process, pricing and Incoterms
Green coffee is often priced as a differential to the London Robusta futures market, either fixed at contract or fixed later by the buyer. FOB Ho Chi Minh City is the most common term, letting the buyer control freight; CIF or CFR is used when the buyer prefers a delivered price. Payment is usually cash against documents, a letter of credit, or a deposit with balance against shipping documents for repeat business.
Documents and shipment preparation
A typical green coffee shipment file includes the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, quality and weight certificates from an independent inspection company and, where relevant, fumigation and sustainability certificates. For the EU, buyers also need the traceability information that supports their due diligence statement. GLG checks that these documents are consistent with each other and with the letter of credit before they are presented to the bank, which avoids discrepancies and delays in releasing the cargo.
Risks to manage
- Moisture above the agreed limit, leading to mould or weight loss during transit.
- Mixed or substituted lots that do not match the approved sample.
- Sellers delaying or defaulting on fixed-price contracts when prices rise sharply.
- Missing traceability data that blocks entry to the EU market.
- Odour contamination from poorly cleaned containers.
Independent sampling and weighing at stuffing, plus clear contract terms on quality claims, are the most effective protections for coffee buyers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Vietnamese coffee grade for export?
Robusta Grade 1 screen 16 and screen 18 are the most widely traded, with Grade 2 screen 13 used in blends and soluble coffee.
Can I buy specialty or Arabica coffee from Vietnam?
Yes. Arabica from Lâm Đồng and Sơn La and fine Robusta micro-lots are available, usually in smaller volumes and at a premium to commodity grades.
When is the best time to buy new-crop Robusta?
The main harvest runs from about November to January, so new-crop shipments are typically available from the first quarter of the year.
Can GLG help with EU deforestation regulation data?
We can check during verification whether a supplier can provide plot geolocation and traceability records, and include these documents in the shipment file.
GLG connects, verifies and coordinates, but is not a party to the sales contract: the purchase agreement, price and performance obligations are between buyer and seller. Verification and inspection results reflect conditions at the time of the check and do not guarantee future performance.