UKVFTA Opens up New Opportunities for Vietnamese Coffee Exports
	Highlights of 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival 2025

On September 13, “20Minutes”, one of France’s major daily newspapers, ran an article titled “Is Vietnamese Coffee Overtaking Espresso?” The piece noted that “ca phe sua da” - a robusta brew made with a traditional filter and sweetened condensed milk, served over ice - has become a familiar choice in many French cafés. More than just a refreshing drink, Vietnamese coffee carries with it a story of culture and identity.

Vietnamese coffee shop in the heart of Paris (France). (Photo: Cong cafe)

Vietnam is currently the world’s second-largest coffee exporter and the leading producer of robusta beans - a variety with nearly twice the caffeine content of arabica. Yet for many years, Vietnamese robusta has remained “hidden” in industrial blends, rarely showcased on its own. This reality inspired co-founders Kim Nga and Martin to launch “PHIN MI” (3 Rue des Boulangers, in Paris’s Latin Quarter), a brand dedicated to presenting Vietnamese coffee as an authentic beverage with its own distinctive character.

What sets “PHIN MI” apart is its traditional drip filter method. Hot water is poured over medium-ground coffee, dripping slowly for five to seven minutes - a process described as “quiet, almost meditative.” The result is a cup that is bold, full-bodied, yet versatile enough to be adapted by the barista’s touch.

According to owner Kim Nga, coffee in Vietnam is typically brewed strong and bitter, in true robusta spirit. But to suit French palates, many Vietnamese cafés - including “PHIN MI” - have opted for a gentler approach. Sweetened condensed milk is added in moderation, creating iced or hot milk coffee with a creamy, chocolate-like flavor, easy to enjoy even for those unaccustomed to coffee.

Young French people line up to drink Vietnamese coffee. (Photo: Cong Caphe)

Beyond the classic iced milk coffee, Parisian customers are equally excited by inventive twists such as “ca phe trung” (egg coffee) - a silky egg-cream foam often described as “Vietnamese tiramisu” - or the refreshing, indulgent “Ca phe cot dua” (Coconut coffee) with coconut milk. Some cafés go further, experimenting with black sesame, salted cream, or plant-based milks, offering a rich and diverse spectrum of flavors.

According to “20Minutes”, what sets Vietnamese coffee apart is not only its taste but also the culture behind it. In Vietnam, drinking coffee has become an everyday ritual intertwined with the rhythm of urban life. Carried over to Paris, this habit has turned Vietnamese coffee into more than just a trendy drink - it is a cultural bridge that sparks curiosity and resonance among French customers.

At a time when cold-brew trends like espresso tonic are in vogue, Vietnamese coffee continues to prove its lasting appeal. With its blend of tradition and innovation, authenticity and adaptation, Vietnamese coffee is steadily carving out its place, standing shoulder to shoulder with espresso, the long-standing icon of Europe’s coffee culture.

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