Vietnam's Buon Ma Thuot town aims high as global coffee destination

Long hailed as Vietnam’s “Coffee Capital,” Buon Ma Thuot in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak is now brewing a bigger ambition: to establish itself as a global coffee hub.

The bold aspiration was unveiled by Permanent Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tuan Ha at a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday to provide information about the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival slated for March 2025.

Bringing local flavors to the global stage

Ha noted that the province has actively engaged in diverse trade promotion activities domestically and internationally to showcase local products. These initiatives aim to strengthen ties between production and export, expand markets, and attract investment, thereby unlocking local potential and accelerating economic growth.

Themed “Buon Ma Thuot – Destination of World Coffee”, the festival will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Buon Ma Thuot’s liberation (March 10, 1975-2025) while honoring coffee growers, processors, and traders. The event will also highlight the region’s rich cultural heritage, featuring the UNESCO-recognized Central Highlands Gong Cultural Space.

Taking place from March 9-13, the festival promises a packed schedule with 17 key activities, including technology-infused coffee showcases, traditional and modern brewing demonstrations, and organic coffee tourism experiences.

The festival's highlights include a specialty coffee roasting competition, a coffee and OCOP (One Commune One Product) exhibition, an international trade conference, and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Trung Nguyen Legend Energy Coffee Factory.

Dak Lak leads Vietnam in coffee cultivation, boasting 210,000 ha that yield over 520,000 tons annually, more than 30% of the nation’s total output. Its coffee reaches markets in hundreds of countries and territories, bolstering the province’s economy and raising Vietnam’s profile in the global coffee industry.

The province’s commitment to sustainable coffee farming began years ago. Notably, Dak Lak is the world’s first locality to achieve EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation) certification for 40,000 ha of coffee cultivation, underlining its leadership in green and transparent production practices.

Building stronger producer-exporter partnerships

With its rich soil, favourable climate, and diverse ethnic makeup, Dak Lak not only produces premium coffee but also ensures that farmers benefit directly from sustainable agricultural practices, resulting in rising incomes and living standards.

Hoang Danh Huu, founder of MISS EDE, a rising coffee brand from Dak Lak, said in just five years, the company became the province’s second brand to export finished coffee containers to the US. MISS EDE plans to export additional containers to the US and Sweden by March 2025, including its first EUDR-certified batch featuring QR-code traceability.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-Vietnam International Group (MVG) is ramping up partnerships with farmers, investing in sustainable coffee production technologies, and pursuing carbon credit opportunities to align with green growth strategies. MVG’s sustainable farming models ensure compliance with international standards, particularly for demanding markets like the EU, where deforestation-linked products have been banned since December 31, 2024.

Vietnam’s coffee sector faces mounting challenges, including stricter international requirements on product origin, quality, and environmental standards. The impact of climate change further complicates cultivation, threatening yields and quality.

To address these issues, enterprises emphasize farmer partnerships as crucial to stabilising prices and shielding producers from market volatility. By providing technological support for sustainable farming practices, Vietnamese coffee can better access premium markets such as the EU, US and Japan, bolstering consumer confidence in high-quality, environmentally responsible products.