Vietnam
Vietnam is a coffee giant – the second largest coffee producer after Brazil and the largest producer of Canephora coffees worldwide. Less well known, however, is the history of coffee in Vietnam – a history full of politics and business interests.
It began in 1857 with a single plant brought by a French priest to the then French colony of Tonkin in northern Vietnam (bordering the Chinese province of Yunnan). The first plantations stretched across the central areas of Quang Tri and Bo Trach. At that time, the coffee was exported entirely to France under the name ‘Arabica from Tonkin’. Yields per hectare were initially mediocre (400–500 kg/ha) and then declined sharply (100–150 kg/ha). This was probably due, among other things, to an increased caffeine content in the soil, which could be broken down again, in particular by caffeine-consuming shade plants. The varieties originally cultivated included various Arabica varieties such as Bourbon Pointu (Laurina) and other Bourbon coffees from Réunion Island. There were also certainly various old Tipica coffees, which were cultivated worldwide by French settlers at that time. There are also references to Bonifieur coffees (originating from Guadeloupe), the ancestors of the Blue Mountain variety. In 1908, yields increased slightly again thanks to the introduction of new coffee plants. Under French administration, numerous large-scale coffee plantations were established in various Vietnamese provinces, particularly in Ha Tinh (1910), Thanh Hoa (1911) and Nghe An (1915).
In 1925, large coffee plantations were established in Tay Nguyen, which later developed into Vietnam's largest coffee-growing region. The total area under cultivation in the country now amounted to around 20,000 hectares. After 1945, the northern growing areas fell into the hands of the North Vietnamese government. As a result, the coffee plantations were nationalised, abandoned and used for other purposes. With the renewed threat of war (the Indochina War) and the associated high financial requirements, the northern plantations, formerly founded by French settlers, were revived under the full control of the Vietnamese government with the aim of bringing money into the regime's coffers. In the meantime, other provinces had recognised that coffee plantations guaranteed the livelihoods of many people and represented a profitable business for the state. Coffee cultivation reached its heyday in the years 1946–1966, when coffee was produced on around 13,000 hectares of land. In 1980, the area under cultivation reached 23,000 hectares. The Vietnam War (1955–1975) completely reduced coffee production in the Buôn Ma Thuot region. It was not until 1994 that the country began its rise to become the world's second-largest coffee producer, partly as a result of the ‘salt fog’ (1994) in Brazil. A coastal fog with a high salt content destroyed the vast majority of Brazilian coffee plants. A drought followed immediately after the salt fog in Brazil and lasted until 1997, reducing global coffee production by around half. As a result, coffee prices exploded on the stock markets. Not least because of this, Vietnamese coffee production received a lot of attention nationally and internationally, and the coffee industry received massive state subsidies.
In cooperation with the GDR, which was looking for ways to prevent unrest among the population due to a shortage of coffee, two government agreements were concluded between the GDR and Vietnam in 1981 and 1986. The GDR was to supply equipment, know-how and machinery for the establishment of a coffee industry, which the Vietnamese side was to repay with coffee. The first plants came from the Leipzig Tropical Institute. The first relevant harvest was expected in 1990 – a time when the GDR no longer existed as a buyer. Today, 90 per cent of the coffee grown in Vietnam is Canephora and around 10 per cent is Arabica. The types and varieties of coffee grown in Vietnam are Canephora, Arabica (SE), HdT lines (Catimor) and Excelsea (Chari).
Coffee is mainly grown in three areas with different regions: 1. Central Highlands (DakLak, Gia Lai, Kontum, Lam Dong, Buôn Ma Thuột), 2. Southeast (Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc) and 3. Central Coastal. The growing areas in the north have long since ceased to be relevant for large production volumes. Five provinces are now responsible for approximately 90 percent of national coffee production, and the capital of the most productive of these – Buôn Ma Thuot City – is the centre of the country's coffee industry and coffee culture. Vietnam now produces around 1,650,000 tonnes of coffee (27.5 million 60 kg bags) annually on an area of approximately 670,000 hectares. By comparison, Brazil produced 2,592,000 tonnes of coffee (43.2 million 60 kg bags) and Colombia 840,000 tonnes (14 million 60 kg bags). The top three places are thus clearly defined and also significantly different. The rapid increase in production and the predominant variety grown (Canephora) have contributed to the poor image of Vietnamese coffee.
As always in life, this is of course only half the truth, and there are excellent small to micro producers in Vietnam who produce the rarest and most exquisite coffees. However, these do not feature prominently in comparison to the cheap mass-produced goods that the large coffee industry seeks and demands. This is where the most exciting coffees can be discovered – you just have to know where to look. A curious speciality from Vietnam, alongside these old, rare varieties, is ‘cà phê chon’ or ‘weasel coffee’ – which, like its well-known counterpart, ‘Kopie Luvak’, is an ‘animal crop’, i.e. coffee harvested by animals, whose special flavour characteristics are not the result of digestion, but of the animal's selection of only the perfectly ripe cherries to eat. Per capita coffee consumption in Vietnam is now 1.34 kg, which, with a population of 90 million, corresponds to a total consumption of around 126,000 tonnes (2.1 million 60 kg bags) of coffee. This is a not inconsiderable amount of coffee and a further sign of rising coffee consumption in coffee-producing countries. There are therefore many indications that coffee prices will have to rise in the near future – growing global coffee consumption and declining production figures are not reasons for low prices.
It is unclear exactly when coffee consumption began in Vietnam or when coffee became the national drink, replacing Chinese tea. What is certain is that coffee has long since become an integral part of Vietnamese culture and is not just an export commodity. It is believed that French influences in the north of the country are the origin of this coffee culture, in which wealthy and educated Vietnamese locals and French immigrants adopted each other's cultures and customs.
Coffee is mainly drunk in two ways in Vietnam: as filter coffee, known as ‘cà phêphin’, and as instant coffee, known as ‘cà phê gói’. The coffee is usually prepared in a single-cup metal filter called a ‘phin cà phê’. The coffee is usually prepared directly at the table. The coffee is brewed through the metal filter directly into a glass and then drunk from it. If the coffee is drunk with milk, it is called ‘cà phê sua nóng’. The coffee is brewed through the filter directly onto a layer of condensed milk (2–3 spoonfuls) previously added to the glass. For reasons of hygiene and shelf life, sweetened condensed milk is mainly used in Vietnam instead of fresh milk. Sweetened condensed milk now corresponds to the customary taste preference throughout the country. The coffee is then stirred and drunk hot. A variation of Vietnamese filter coffee is iced coffee. The coffee is brewed hot and then immediately poured over ice. It is called ‘cà phê dá’ (iced coffee) or ‘cafe da’. It is also popular with condensed milk, which is called cà phê sua dá or cafe sua da. Here, the coffee brewed on the condensed milk is stirred while still hot with the condensed milk and then poured through a tall glass with ice cubes.All over Vietnam, you will find tiny traditional coffee shops, complemented by ultra-modern coffee shops, roasteries and coffee houses. Tea houses or tea rooms are now far outnumbered by the countless cafés and coffee shops.
Whether as filter coffee – usually with condensed milk – or instant coffee, coffee is an integral part of Vietnamese life and plays an important economic and cultural role. In the end, the international intrigues and political manoeuvring had a positive effect on the Vietnamese population, which had long been at the mercy of other, mostly foreign coffee interests and still is in many ways. Why not see for yourself when you visit the country?
#VietnamCoffee #CoffeeCulture #CàPhêPhin #CoffeeHistory #SpecialtyCoffee #VietnamTravel #CoffeeLovers #WeaselCoffee #CoffeeKnowledge #CoffeeFromVietnam #CoffeeEnjoyment #ThirdWaveCoffee
It began in 1857 with a single plant brought by a French priest to the then French colony of Tonkin in northern Vietnam (bordering the Chinese province of Yunnan). The first plantations stretched across the central areas of Quang Tri and Bo Trach. At that time, the coffee was exported entirely to France under the name ‘Arabica from Tonkin’. Yields per hectare were initially mediocre (400–500 kg/ha) and then declined sharply (100–150 kg/ha). This was probably due, among other things, to an increased caffeine content in the soil, which could be broken down again, in particular by caffeine-consuming shade plants. The varieties originally cultivated included various Arabica varieties such as Bourbon Pointu (Laurina) and other Bourbon coffees from Réunion Island. There were also certainly various old Tipica coffees, which were cultivated worldwide by French settlers at that time. There are also references to Bonifieur coffees (originating from Guadeloupe), the ancestors of the Blue Mountain variety. In 1908, yields increased slightly again thanks to the introduction of new coffee plants. Under French administration, numerous large-scale coffee plantations were established in various Vietnamese provinces, particularly in Ha Tinh (1910), Thanh Hoa (1911) and Nghe An (1915).
In 1925, large coffee plantations were established in Tay Nguyen, which later developed into Vietnam's largest coffee-growing region. The total area under cultivation in the country now amounted to around 20,000 hectares. After 1945, the northern growing areas fell into the hands of the North Vietnamese government. As a result, the coffee plantations were nationalised, abandoned and used for other purposes. With the renewed threat of war (the Indochina War) and the associated high financial requirements, the northern plantations, formerly founded by French settlers, were revived under the full control of the Vietnamese government with the aim of bringing money into the regime's coffers. In the meantime, other provinces had recognised that coffee plantations guaranteed the livelihoods of many people and represented a profitable business for the state. Coffee cultivation reached its heyday in the years 1946–1966, when coffee was produced on around 13,000 hectares of land. In 1980, the area under cultivation reached 23,000 hectares. The Vietnam War (1955–1975) completely reduced coffee production in the Buôn Ma Thuot region. It was not until 1994 that the country began its rise to become the world's second-largest coffee producer, partly as a result of the ‘salt fog’ (1994) in Brazil. A coastal fog with a high salt content destroyed the vast majority of Brazilian coffee plants. A drought followed immediately after the salt fog in Brazil and lasted until 1997, reducing global coffee production by around half. As a result, coffee prices exploded on the stock markets. Not least because of this, Vietnamese coffee production received a lot of attention nationally and internationally, and the coffee industry received massive state subsidies.
In cooperation with the GDR, which was looking for ways to prevent unrest among the population due to a shortage of coffee, two government agreements were concluded between the GDR and Vietnam in 1981 and 1986. The GDR was to supply equipment, know-how and machinery for the establishment of a coffee industry, which the Vietnamese side was to repay with coffee. The first plants came from the Leipzig Tropical Institute. The first relevant harvest was expected in 1990 – a time when the GDR no longer existed as a buyer. Today, 90 per cent of the coffee grown in Vietnam is Canephora and around 10 per cent is Arabica. The types and varieties of coffee grown in Vietnam are Canephora, Arabica (SE), HdT lines (Catimor) and Excelsea (Chari).
Coffee is mainly grown in three areas with different regions: 1. Central Highlands (DakLak, Gia Lai, Kontum, Lam Dong, Buôn Ma Thuột), 2. Southeast (Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc) and 3. Central Coastal. The growing areas in the north have long since ceased to be relevant for large production volumes. Five provinces are now responsible for approximately 90 percent of national coffee production, and the capital of the most productive of these – Buôn Ma Thuot City – is the centre of the country's coffee industry and coffee culture. Vietnam now produces around 1,650,000 tonnes of coffee (27.5 million 60 kg bags) annually on an area of approximately 670,000 hectares. By comparison, Brazil produced 2,592,000 tonnes of coffee (43.2 million 60 kg bags) and Colombia 840,000 tonnes (14 million 60 kg bags). The top three places are thus clearly defined and also significantly different. The rapid increase in production and the predominant variety grown (Canephora) have contributed to the poor image of Vietnamese coffee.
As always in life, this is of course only half the truth, and there are excellent small to micro producers in Vietnam who produce the rarest and most exquisite coffees. However, these do not feature prominently in comparison to the cheap mass-produced goods that the large coffee industry seeks and demands. This is where the most exciting coffees can be discovered – you just have to know where to look. A curious speciality from Vietnam, alongside these old, rare varieties, is ‘cà phê chon’ or ‘weasel coffee’ – which, like its well-known counterpart, ‘Kopie Luvak’, is an ‘animal crop’, i.e. coffee harvested by animals, whose special flavour characteristics are not the result of digestion, but of the animal's selection of only the perfectly ripe cherries to eat. Per capita coffee consumption in Vietnam is now 1.34 kg, which, with a population of 90 million, corresponds to a total consumption of around 126,000 tonnes (2.1 million 60 kg bags) of coffee. This is a not inconsiderable amount of coffee and a further sign of rising coffee consumption in coffee-producing countries. There are therefore many indications that coffee prices will have to rise in the near future – growing global coffee consumption and declining production figures are not reasons for low prices.
It is unclear exactly when coffee consumption began in Vietnam or when coffee became the national drink, replacing Chinese tea. What is certain is that coffee has long since become an integral part of Vietnamese culture and is not just an export commodity. It is believed that French influences in the north of the country are the origin of this coffee culture, in which wealthy and educated Vietnamese locals and French immigrants adopted each other's cultures and customs.
Coffee is mainly drunk in two ways in Vietnam: as filter coffee, known as ‘cà phêphin’, and as instant coffee, known as ‘cà phê gói’. The coffee is usually prepared in a single-cup metal filter called a ‘phin cà phê’. The coffee is usually prepared directly at the table. The coffee is brewed through the metal filter directly into a glass and then drunk from it. If the coffee is drunk with milk, it is called ‘cà phê sua nóng’. The coffee is brewed through the filter directly onto a layer of condensed milk (2–3 spoonfuls) previously added to the glass. For reasons of hygiene and shelf life, sweetened condensed milk is mainly used in Vietnam instead of fresh milk. Sweetened condensed milk now corresponds to the customary taste preference throughout the country. The coffee is then stirred and drunk hot. A variation of Vietnamese filter coffee is iced coffee. The coffee is brewed hot and then immediately poured over ice. It is called ‘cà phê dá’ (iced coffee) or ‘cafe da’. It is also popular with condensed milk, which is called cà phê sua dá or cafe sua da. Here, the coffee brewed on the condensed milk is stirred while still hot with the condensed milk and then poured through a tall glass with ice cubes.All over Vietnam, you will find tiny traditional coffee shops, complemented by ultra-modern coffee shops, roasteries and coffee houses. Tea houses or tea rooms are now far outnumbered by the countless cafés and coffee shops.
Whether as filter coffee – usually with condensed milk – or instant coffee, coffee is an integral part of Vietnamese life and plays an important economic and cultural role. In the end, the international intrigues and political manoeuvring had a positive effect on the Vietnamese population, which had long been at the mercy of other, mostly foreign coffee interests and still is in many ways. Why not see for yourself when you visit the country?
#VietnamCoffee #CoffeeCulture #CàPhêPhin #CoffeeHistory #SpecialtyCoffee #VietnamTravel #CoffeeLovers #WeaselCoffee #CoffeeKnowledge #CoffeeFromVietnam #CoffeeEnjoyment #ThirdWaveCoffee