“It’s not just about exporting containers of Robusta coffee to the world, but it’s about bringing the people and culture of Vietnam closer to international customers. We want to be able to tell the story of Vietnam and accompany the process of affirming the position of Vietnamese coffee on the world map,” shared Le Thai Anh, Vietnam’s Executive Director of Highlands Coffee, who has been attached to the brand since its early days.
ROBUSTA – THE CULTURAL “FINGERPRINT” OF THE VIETNAMESE
Vietnam is currently the world’s largest exporter of Robusta coffee. In just the first eight months of the 2024–2025 crop year, coffee exports reached over $6.3 billion, far surpassing the previous year’s record of $5.48 billion. Coffee prices also hit a historical high of over $5,700 per ton. This clearly demonstrates the potential for development, but Vietnamese coffee needs a deeper story and a strong ecosystem to affirm its true value.
Since its early days, Highlands Coffee has placed high-quality Robusta beans at the core of every cup of coffee, believing that they embody the vigorous, resilient, tenacious, and profound spirit of Vietnam. Now, as the company thinks about “exporting the essence of Vietnam,” these robust and flavorful coffee beans are considered a cultural “fingerprint.”
Highlands Coffee has never believed in copying anyone else’s model to become ‘premium.’ From a Vietnamese brand perspective, Highlands tells stories through every cup of coffee, transforming Robusta from a raw material into a symbol of culture and quality.
“We believe that Vietnamese coffee, with its inherent quality and value, when nurtured, refined, and processed with dedication, skill, attention to detail, and creativity, will surely become part of the world’s coffee elite,” shared Thai Anh, affirming that this is the “renaissance” of Robusta.
THE HIGHLANDS CAI MEP COFFEE ROASTING PLANT – A STRATEGIC STEP FORWARD FOR HIGHLANDS
In April 2025, Highlands officially inaugurated its roasting plant in Cai Mep Industrial Park, marking a strategic step forward in its journey towards global expansion. This facility combines modern technology with traditional philosophy: strict control from the coffee bean source, roasting process, tasting to operating standard cafes.
“Global standards are our commitment to delivering excellent and consistent experiences, a story that celebrates the coffee bean, the farmer, our staff, partners, and customers, whether you’re enjoying a Phin Su Da in Dalat, Danang, or Dubai,” shared Thai Anh.
“Each roast batch is supervised not only by our quality management system and data but also by our passion and love for the craft. We can assure large-scale quality stability while retaining the soul of Vietnamese Robusta,” he added.
For Thai Anh and his team, this plant is a key factor in their strategy. He calls it a “quantum leap” that enables the brand to create stable, globally-compliant quality while preserving the pure indigenous character of Vietnamese coffee.
VIETNAMESE PEOPLE – THE HEART OF THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
An interesting aspect of Highlands’ 25-year journey is its “maturity from practice” culture. “I used to wash dishes in the brand’s early days, and today I still maintain the habit of visiting our stores and listening to our staff share their experiences,” Thai Anh recalled. Highlands has a staff member who used to pick coffee beans at 18 and is now the Head of Product Development, responsible for the brand’s unique coffee beverages.
Currently, Highlands owns nearly 1,000 stores with over 10,000 employees in Vietnam and the Philippines. The company aims to have at least 15% of its office staff developed from its store team by 2026. “We will train and nurture our future leaders from this core group. They are the ones who understand our customers the most, and they will lead Highlands into the future,” he emphasized.
Whenever a new store opens, Thai Anh is usually present – not as an executive director but as a brother and teammate, listening and sharing difficulties to understand the situation and plan appropriate business strategies.
“We always put customers at the center and aim to provide them with the best experiences through dedicated service. But to have our store staff be dedicated to customers, the Board of Directors and managers must first be dedicated to them. That’s also my philosophy of living and running this business,” he expressed.
EXPORTING IS NOT JUST ABOUT PRODUCTS, BUT ALSO ABOUT CULTURE
With a long-term vision, Highlands aims to export coffee not just as an agricultural commodity. “We want to bring the stories, craftsmanship, and cultural essence of Vietnam to the world,” shared Thai Anh. This is evident in how Highlands standardizes even the smallest details while preserving its authenticity, from the iconic Phin Su Da to modern cold brew beverages that retain the ‘relaxed and deep’ character of traditional drip coffee.
According to Thai Anh, Highlands’ future lies not only in market expansion but also in preserving the essence and soul of Vietnam wherever Highlands Coffee has a presence. And that is also his most significant commitment as he devotes his love to the brand, to Vietnam, and to the journey of making Robusta a world coffee specialty.
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