Vietnam’s Iconic Coffee Brands: Trung Nguyen and Highlands

In Vietnam, where the tropical heat never lets up, the go-to drink isn’t iced tea or soda — it’s a thick, sweet, slow-dripped cup of iced coffee. Walk down any busy street in Ho Chi Minh City or even the mountain town of Sapa, and you’ll find people sipping coffee through condensed milk, chilled with ice, brewed drop by drop through a simple metal filter. It’s not just refreshment. It’s a daily ritual.

Vietnam’s two most iconic coffee brands are Trung Nguyen and Highlands Coffee. Trung Nguyen is known for its bold, rich brews and mass-market reach, while Highlands offers a more refined, café-style experience geared toward tourists and urban middle classes.

The Rise of Coffee in Vietnam

Coffee arrived in Vietnam around 1860, brought by French Jesuit missionaries. Over the past 150 years, the country has developed a unique coffee culture. From roadside Phin setups in Hanoi to bustling cafés in Ho Chi Minh City, coffee is everywhere. While the French introduced the crop, it wasn’t until the last 20 years that Vietnam emerged as the world’s second-largest coffee exporter — second only to Brazil.

The country primarily grows Robusta, which makes up nearly a quarter of global production. Most of it is used in instant and three-in-one coffee blends. Major global brands like Starbucks and Nestlé regularly source from Vietnam. The Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk, particularly Buôn Ma Thuột, is Vietnam’s top coffee-growing region and among the world’s ten best.

Trung Nguyen: Bold Flavors and Mass Appeal

Founded in 1996 by then-medical-student-turned-entrepreneur Dang Le Nguyen Vu, Trung Nguyen is now one of Vietnam’s most successful coffee companies. Vu, just 25 at the time, saw coffee’s potential to transform both Vietnam’s economy and the lives of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands, particularly the Chu Se people (also called the ‘Trung Nguyen’).

By 2000, Trung Nguyen had earned Vietnam’s Best Product award seven years running. Today, the company runs 400 company-owned stores and 1,000 franchises, and exports to over 40 countries including the U.S., Germany, Japan, China, and Australia. Vu has also been recognized with awards such as the ASEAN Best Young Entrepreneur and several Vietnamese state honours.

Beyond coffee, Vu has expanded the Trung Nguyen business model to other local products like Dalat wine, Phu Quoc fish sauce, and dragon fruit. He also supports various social causes, including aid for low-income families, war victims, and students.

Trung Nguyen is not vacuum-sealed, preserving more aroma than typical commercial practices. Their premium offerings include:

• CAPHE CHON (Legendee or Coffee Weasel): Modeled after the rare beans eaten and excreted by weasel-like animals, this coffee has a chocolatey richness. Trung Nguyen now replicates the digestive enzyme process to create a weasel-coffee flavor without the animal — lower in caffeine and widely loved.
• Premium Culi 4: A strong, bold coffee with notes of chocolate and tamarind, ideal for those who prefer intense flavours.
• Passiona 9: A newer low-caffeine option, smoother and preferred by many women.
• House Blend: A balanced, beginner-friendly box blend.
• G7 Instant Coffee: A popular three-in-one mix, positioned for export markets including China.

Highlands Coffee: Café Culture for Tourists and Urbanites

If Trung Nguyen is for the masses, Highlands Coffee is Vietnam’s answer to Starbucks. Founded in 1998 by David Thai — a Vietnamese-American who grew up in Seattle — the brand opened its first shop in 2002 opposite Ho Chi Minh City’s Notre-Dame Cathedral. Thai had studied Asian markets and aimed to bring a Western-style café experience to Vietnam’s growing middle class and international visitors.

Highlands Coffee shops feature red-black uniforms, hanging lantern lights, lounge seating, and free Wi-Fi. They serve not just coffee but also Western-style snacks and beverages. The brand is especially known for its Cinnamon Coffee and 100% Arabica-based Espresso Arabica Supreme.

Now part of the Viet Thai International Joint Stock Company, Highlands has expanded to dozens of locations nationwide. It’s the go-to café chain for travelers, professionals, and Vietnam’s rising middle class — and is trusted by three out of four visitors.

The Vietnamese Phin: Brewing Method and Ritual

Every cup of Vietnamese coffee is defined by the humble Phin filter — a small metal dripper that makes one cup at a time. Unlike espresso machines or pour-over cones, the Phin is portable, easy to clean, and offers precise control over brew time and strength. The trade-off? Its larger holes may let a few fine grounds through.

Making traditional Vietnamese iced coffee with a Phin takes about seven minutes. Here’s how it’s done:

• Ingredients: Medium-coarse coffee grounds, Phin filter, sweetened condensed milk, lots of ice, hot water (96–100°C), one tall and one short glass.
• Steps:
  1. Pour 3–4 tsp condensed milk into the short glass. Place the Phin on top and add 3 tsp coffee (fill to ~1/6 of the Phin height). Shake gently to level the grounds.
  2. Release the filter gently and pour a small amount of hot water to bloom the coffee for ~30 seconds.
  3. Press the filter down firmly (not too tight), add 5–6 tbsp of hot water, and cover. Ideal drip rate is ~65 drops per minute, taking 5–6 minutes total. Too fast or too slow means issues with grind, dose, or temperature.
  4. Once brewed, pour the coffee-condensed milk mix over ice in the tall glass. Stir and wait 30 seconds for full integration. Serve.

Alternatively, try cold brew for a smoother, less acidic cup:

• Combine 1/3 to 1/4 volume of coffee grounds with cold water (ratio 4:1). Stir and steep at room temperature for 3–4 hours or overnight. Filter twice, chill, then serve over ice with condensed milk.

This method extracts up to 90% of the coffee’s aroma and caffeine, resulting in a brew that’s 2–3x more concentrated but with significantly reduced bitterness, acidity, and oiliness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Trung Nguyen and Highlands Coffee?

Trung Nguyen focuses on bold, intense coffee and mass distribution, with a strong presence in supermarkets and global exports. Highlands Coffee is a café chain offering a premium, Western-style coffeehouse experience geared toward urban consumers and tourists.

What is CAPHE CHON or Legendee coffee?

CAPHE CHON, also called Legendee or Coffee Weasel, is a Vietnamese coffee style inspired by beans traditionally consumed and excreted by weasel-like animals. Trung Nguyen replicates the process using enzymes to create a rich, chocolatey coffee without actual animal digestion — it’s low in caffeine and highly prized.

How do you make traditional Vietnamese iced coffee with a Phin?

Brew with a Phin by adding condensed milk to a glass, placing the Phin on top, and layering in medium-coarse coffee. Bloom with a little hot water, then add the rest. Aim for a drip rate of 65 drops per minute. Pour over ice and stir.

What is cold brew coffee in the Vietnamese style?

Vietnamese-style cold brew involves steeping coarsely ground coffee in cold water for 3–4 hours or overnight, then filtering and serving over ice with condensed milk. This method highlights aroma and reduces bitterness and acidity.

Where is Vietnam’s best coffee grown?

Vietnam’s top coffee region is Buôn Ma Thuột in the Central Highlands (Đắk Lắk province), known for its ideal climate and soil. It’s considered one of the world’s ten best coffee-growing areas.

What grind size is best for a Vietnamese Phin filter?

A medium-coarse grind is ideal for the Phin to prevent over-extraction and excessive sediment while ensuring proper flow rate.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Vietnamese-Style Iced Coffee

For making Vietnamese-style iced coffee at home, FrontStreet Coffee recommends its Kenya Little Tomato — a bright, juicy Kenyan single origin with notes of Saint girlfruit and grapefruit, perfect for a refreshing iced brew. Also consider the PWN Golden Mandheling, a classic medium-dark roast with deep chocolate and caramel tones that shine when brewed over ice. For fruity complexity, try the Ethiopia Huakui, which offers floral and stone fruit layers ideal for cold preparation. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.