Premium Vietnam Robusta Coffee Beans for Sale

We sell premium Vietnam Robusta coffee beans by the ton to roasters, instant coffee makers, importers and wholesalers worldwide. These are clean, sorted Screen 16/18 green beans, dry processed and ready for export.

Vietnam grows more Robusta than any other country, and it is the second-biggest coffee producer in the world after Brazil. Most of that coffee comes from the Central Highlands, where the red volcanic soil and the long dry season suit the plant very well. There is a lot more background on coffee production in Vietnam if you are interested. For buyers, it means supply is huge and prices are usually competitive.

What Vietnam Robusta coffee beans taste like

Strong and bold, with a sweet edge. Expect dark chocolate, roasted nuts, a bit of spice and sometimes a faint tobacco note. Acidity is mild and the body is full. Properly sorted Vietnam Robusta coffee beans, like the ones we sell, taste much cleaner than the cheap, unsorted grades that gave Robusta a bad name.

In Vietnam itself this is the coffee behind cà phê sữa đá, the famous iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk. That tells you a lot: it is made to stand up to milk and sugar and still taste like coffee.

Where it is grown

The Central Highlands produce the bulk of the crop, mainly in Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Gia Lai and Dak Nong provinces. Buon Ma Thuot, in Dak Lak, is often called the coffee capital of Vietnam. Farms sit at around 500 to 1,200 metres. Most are family farms of a few hectares, many with their own irrigation for the dry season.

Vietnam Robusta coffee beans specifications

• Species: Coffea canephora (Robusta)
• Origin: Vietnam (Central Highlands)
• Altitude: about 500 to 1,200 m above sea level
• Processing: unwashed / dry / natural
• Screen size: 16/18
• Moisture: max 12.5%
• Black beans: max 0.1%
• Broken beans: max 0.5%
• Foreign matter: max 0.1%
• Density: 700 to 720 g/l
• Caffeine: 2.2% to 2.7% by weight
• Cup notes: dark chocolate, nuts, light spice, sweet finish
• Acidity: mild
• Form: green (unroasted) beans
• Packing: 60 kg jute bags as standard, other packing on request

What “Robusta Clean” means

A lot of Vietnamese coffee is sold with a few percent of black and broken beans, and that is fine for some instant coffee. Our Vietnam Robusta coffee beans are the cleaned grade. Black beans are kept to 0.1%, broken beans to 0.5% and foreign matter to 0.1%. The density of 700 to 720 grams per litre also tells you the beans are solid and well dried, not light or hollow. In practice this means a more even roast and fewer off flavours in the cup.

How the coffee is processed

Our standard lots are unwashed, also called natural or dry processed. Farmers spread the whole ripe cherries in the sun until they are fully dry, then the coffee is hulled to remove the dried skin and fruit. After that it is cleaned, polished, sorted by screen size and density, and colour-sorted to pull out black and damaged beans. Dry processing gives the full body and sweet taste Vietnam Robusta coffee beans are known for.

A note on Vietnamese grades

Vietnamese Robusta is usually sold as Grade 1 or Grade 2, followed by a screen size. Grade 1 Screen 18 is the biggest, cleanest bean. Grade 1 Screen 16 is a touch smaller and very popular for espresso blends. Grade 2 Screen 13 is smaller again, with more defects allowed, and mostly goes to instant coffee. Our standard Vietnam Robusta coffee beans are the cleaned Screen 16/18 grade, which sits at the top end of that scale. If you only need coffee for soluble production, ask us about a lower grade to save money.

Robusta and Arabica compared

New to green coffee? This is how Vietnam Robusta coffee beans compare with Arabica.

What it is good for

Instant coffee. Vietnam supplies a huge share of the world’s soluble coffee, and for good reason: high yield, strong flavour and a fair price.

Espresso blends. Add it to an Arabica base for thick crema and a heavier shot that cuts through milk.

Vietnamese-style coffee. If you sell phin-filter coffee or iced coffee with condensed milk, this is the bean to use.

Blending ideas

• Italian-style espresso: 70% Arabica and 30% Vietnam Robusta coffee beans, roasted dark.
• Sweet milk blend: 60/40 Arabica to Robusta, medium-dark, with our African Arabica for fruit and sweetness.
• Vietnamese iced coffee: 100% Robusta, dark roast, brewed strong.

Roast small batches first and taste them side by side before you scale up.

Roasting tips

Medium-dark to dark is the usual range. Vietnamese roasters often go very dark, sometimes with butter or other additions, but for Western-style espresso a medium-dark roast keeps the chocolate and sweetness without too much bitterness. The beans are dense and even in size, so they roast evenly. Give them good heat at the start.

Harvest season

The Vietnamese Robusta harvest normally runs from about October to January, with most picking in November and December. New-crop coffee starts shipping around the turn of the year. If you want the freshest coffee, plan your orders around that window, and ask us which crop year a lot comes from.

Storing your coffee

Keep the bags in a cool, dry place, off the floor on pallets and away from walls and sunlight. Green coffee soaks up smells, so keep it away from spices, fuel and chemicals. Humidity around 60% works well. Stored this way, green Vietnam Robusta coffee beans stay in good condition for up to a year.

Shipping and documents

We ship worldwide by sea container. Each shipment comes with the usual export papers: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and phytosanitary certificate. If your country needs anything else, tell us when you order. Once it ships, you can follow your coffee on our order tracking page.

What moves the price

Robusta is priced against the London futures market, and Vietnam’s harvest has a big effect on it, since it is the largest Robusta grower. A good crop there can bring prices down, a poor one pushes them up. Grade, sorting, quantity and freight come on top. That is why we quote Vietnam Robusta coffee beans for each order. Tell us your budget and we will find the grade that fits.

Who buys it from us

Our Vietnamese coffee mostly goes to instant and soluble coffee makers, espresso roasters who need a strong and affordable base, and importers who resell green coffee to roasters in their own markets. We also sell to café chains and brands that serve Vietnamese-style iced coffee and want the real thing.

Tell us your monthly volume, what you make and where the coffee needs to go. We will suggest the right lot of Vietnam Robusta coffee beans and send a sample from the actual lot we would ship.

Why buy from us

We only do bulk green coffee, so we know our lots well. We check every shipment before it leaves and we will tell you honestly what a coffee is good for. Our buyers range from small roasters placing a first order to distributors moving full containers. You can read more about us here.

How to order

We sell by the ton and ship worldwide. Send your quantity, grade and delivery port through our contact page and we will come back with a price and shipping options.

Want to compare? Our Robusta range also has Indonesia Robusta, Brazilian Robusta, Indian Robusta and African Robusta, or you can browse all our products.

New to roasting? Our step-by-step guide to roasting green coffee beans covers equipment, roast levels and profiles for every origin we sell.

Curious how Vietnam Robusta coffee beans are processed, and how washed, natural and honey coffee differ? Read our guide to coffee processing methods.

Before you order Vietnam Robusta coffee beans in bulk, cup a sample. Our guide to coffee cupping shows you how.

Wondering when fresh Vietnam Robusta coffee beans arrive? Our guide to the coffee harvest season has the timing.

Using Vietnam Robusta coffee beans in espresso? Our guide to coffee beans for espresso has blend ratios and roasting tips.

Wondering what Vietnam Robusta coffee beans cost right now? Our guide to green coffee prices explains current market levels and how we quote.

Our Vietnam Robusta coffee beans can be sold as a single origin. Our guide to single origin coffee beans explains how to present and sell them.

Comparing suppliers for Vietnam Robusta coffee beans? Our guide to choosing a green coffee supplier explains what to check before you buy.

Blending Vietnam Robusta coffee beans with Arabica? Our buyer’s guide to Arabica coffee beans explains origins, grades and prices.

We ship Vietnam Robusta coffee beans green, ready for you to roast. Our guide to unroasted coffee beans explains how to store, roast and buy them.

Common questions

Are your Vietnam Robusta coffee beans roasted?
No. We sell green beans so you can roast them to your own profile.

What does Screen 16/18 mean?
The beans are sorted so they stay on screens with holes 16/64 to 18/64 of an inch wide. That makes them medium to large and fairly even in size.

How long do green Vietnam Robusta coffee beans keep?
Up to about a year in cool, dry storage away from strong smells.

Can I order a sample first?
Yes. Ask for one when you request a quote.

Is Vietnamese Robusta good enough for espresso?
Yes, when it is the cleaned grade. Our Vietnam Robusta coffee beans have very few black or broken beans, so they work well as 20% to 40% of an espresso blend.

When is the freshest coffee available?
New-crop lots usually start shipping around December and January, after the main harvest.

Do you offer washed or honey-processed Vietnam Robusta coffee beans?
Our standard lots are natural. A small number of Vietnamese farms now make washed and honey-processed Robusta, which tastes cleaner and sweeter. Supply is limited and depends on the season, so ask us and we will check what is available.

Can I mix it with other Robustas?
Yes. Some roasters blend it with Indian or Brazilian Robusta for a smoother base. Roast each one separately first.