Vietnam Green Coffee Beans: Grades, Specifications and Prices

Vietnam Green Coffee Beans: Grades, Specifications and Prices explains how Vietnamese green coffee is classified, prepared, specified and priced for international trade. Vietnam is best known for large-scale Robusta production, but the country also supplies Arabica, Fine Robusta, washed coffees, polished grades, specialty lots and customised preparations for roasters, soluble-coffee manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and private-label businesses. The commercial value of a shipment depends not only on species or origin, but also on screen size, defect tolerance, moisture, processing method, crop year, cup performance, packaging and contract terms.

Buyers frequently encounter product descriptions such as Robusta Grade 1, Grade 2, Screen 16, Screen 18, polished, wet-polished, washed or specialty. These terms can be useful, but they do not always provide a complete specification. Two suppliers may use similar commercial names while offering coffee with different defect levels, screen retention, moisture, crop age or sensory performance. A professional purchase therefore requires measurable limits rather than relying only on a grade name.

This guide presents Vietnam green coffee beans from a B2B sourcing perspective. It covers Robusta and Arabica categories, physical grades, screen sizes, defect specifications, processing methods, moisture, density, crop year, cup requirements, packaging, pricing structure, samples, inspection and the commercial information buyers should confirm before signing a contract.

Vietnam’s role in the global green coffee market

Vietnam is one of the world’s most important green-coffee origins and a central supplier to the international Robusta market. Its coffee is used in commercial roasting, espresso blends, soluble-coffee production, foodservice, retail products and industrial extraction.

The country’s competitive strengths include:

• Large Robusta production capacity
• Established collection and trading networks
• Access to several commercial grades
• Modern dry-milling and sorting equipment
• Experience with containerised exports
• Competitive preparation options
• Growing Fine Robusta production
• Arabica supply from highland regions

Buyers can review Vietnam’s main coffee-growing regions and origin characteristics when comparing products from Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Da Lat and other producing areas.

Main types of Vietnamese green coffee

Vietnam’s green-coffee supply can be divided into several broad commercial and quality categories.

Understanding Vietnamese coffee grades

A coffee grade is a commercial classification used to describe physical quality. It may consider defects, screen size, moisture, foreign matter and processing. However, grading terminology is not always identical between exporters, markets or contracts.

A grade name may refer to:

• Maximum black and broken beans
• Maximum foreign matter
• Minimum screen retention
• Moisture range
• Processing style
• Visual appearance
• Buyer-specific requirements

The buyer should request the numerical specification behind every grade. A description such as Grade 1 or premium grade should never replace measurable contract limits.

Common commercial Robusta grades

Commercial Vietnamese Robusta is often traded according to defect tolerance and screen distribution. Exact definitions can vary by supplier, so the following categories should be treated as commercial frameworks rather than universal standards.

Buyers should avoid assuming that Grade 1 from one exporter is automatically equivalent to Grade 1 from another.

What Screen 16 and Screen 18 mean

Screen size refers to the physical size of green-coffee beans as measured through perforated grading screens. Screen 16 and Screen 18 are common commercial references for selected Vietnamese Robusta.

Screen size can influence:

• Visual uniformity
• Roast consistency
• Density distribution
• Market positioning
• Available volume
• Price premium

A Screen 18 offer does not necessarily mean that every bean is Screen 18. The contract should state the minimum percentage retained on or above the agreed screen.

Screen-retention specifications

A professional screen specification should define the minimum retention percentage and the testing method.

Screen size should be evaluated together with density, defects, moisture and cup quality. Large beans are not automatically better-tasting beans.

Black and broken bean specifications

Black and broken beans are among the most common physical quality indicators in commercial Robusta contracts. They may affect appearance, roasting behaviour, flavour consistency and processing losses.

Contracts should clarify:

• Maximum percentage of black beans
• Maximum percentage of broken beans
• Whether black and broken are measured separately or together
• Sample size used for evaluation
• Whether partial defects are included
• Procedure if the limit is exceeded

A lower black-and-broken limit generally requires more intensive sorting and may increase the price.

Foreign matter and extraneous material

Foreign matter may include stones, sticks, husk, metal fragments, soil or other non-coffee materials. Export specifications should establish a clear maximum tolerance.

Effective removal may require:

• Pre-cleaning
• Destoning
• Magnetic separation
• Air classification
• Hand sorting

Foreign material can damage roasting or processing equipment, so industrial buyers should define strict limits and verify the supplier’s cleaning capability.

Moisture content in Vietnamese green coffee

Moisture is one of the most important green-coffee specifications. Excessive moisture increases the risk of mould, instability and transport damage, while very low moisture may contribute to weight loss, brittleness and flavour deterioration.

Moisture specifications should define:

• Acceptable minimum
• Acceptable maximum
• Testing equipment
• Sampling method
• Permitted measurement tolerance

Moisture can vary within a lot if drying or warehouse conditions are inconsistent. Multiple samples from different bags or sections of the lot provide a more reliable result than a single measurement.

Water activity and storage stability

Water activity measures the availability of water for microbial activity and chemical reactions. It is different from total moisture content and can provide useful information about storage stability.

Water-activity testing is especially valuable for:

• Specialty lots
• Long-distance ocean shipment
• Hermetic packaging
• Coffee processed shortly before export
• Premium contracts with strict stability requirements

A buyer may include both moisture and water-activity limits when the value or sensitivity of the coffee justifies additional control.

Bean density

Density can influence roasting behaviour, heat transfer and product consistency. It is affected by altitude, variety, maturity, processing and moisture.

Density information may help buyers:

• Compare similar lots
• Develop roast profiles
• Identify physical inconsistency
• Evaluate highland coffee
• Monitor repeat shipments

Density should not be used as an isolated quality guarantee. A dense coffee may still contain defects or produce an unsuitable cup profile.

Crop year and freshness

Crop year identifies the harvest season from which the coffee originates. It is commercially important because green coffee can change during storage.

Crop age may affect:

• Colour
• Aroma
• Moisture behaviour
• Roasting response
• Cup liveliness
• Market price

The contract should identify the crop year or maximum age of the coffee. Buyers should also ask whether the lot contains only one crop or a blend of new crop and carryover stock.

New crop and carryover coffee

Carryover coffee is not automatically unsuitable. Its value depends on storage conditions, cup performance and transparent disclosure.

Natural-process Robusta

Natural processing is widely used for Vietnamese Robusta. The coffee cherries are dried before the dried fruit layers are removed.

Natural Robusta can offer:

• Strong body
• High flavour intensity
• Cocoa and nut characteristics
• Commercial processing efficiency
• Large available volume

Poorly controlled natural processing can create mould, overfermentation, uneven moisture or harsh flavours. Buyers should evaluate both physical quality and cup cleanliness.

Washed Robusta

Washed Robusta is produced by removing the fruit and managing fermentation or mechanical mucilage removal before drying. It generally represents a smaller segment than natural Robusta.

Potential advantages include:

• Cleaner cup character
• Reduced heavy fermentation
• Improved clarity
• Suitability for premium espresso blends
• Stronger differentiation from standard commodity coffee

Washed Robusta often carries a premium because of additional processing, water management, lower available volume and greater quality control.

Polished and wet-polished Robusta

Polishing improves the surface appearance of green coffee by removing portions of the silver skin and external residue. Wet polishing may create a smoother and more visually uniform appearance.

Buyers should understand that polishing primarily affects appearance. It does not automatically improve:

• Cup quality
• Bean maturity
• Internal defects
• Crop freshness
• Traceability

The contract should specify whether the coffee is polished, wet-polished or unpolished and whether additional sorting standards apply.

Fine Robusta specifications

Fine Robusta requires more than large screen size or polished appearance. It should be supported by controlled harvesting, processing, physical analysis and sensory evaluation.

A Fine Robusta specification may include:

• Traceable origin
• Selective ripe-cherry harvesting
• Defined processing method
• Low defect count
• Controlled moisture and water activity
• Clean and distinctive cup profile
• Protective packaging
• Separated lot identity

The term Fine Robusta should not be accepted without representative samples and measurable acceptance criteria.

Vietnamese Arabica grades

Vietnamese Arabica is produced mainly in cooler highland areas such as Da Lat and other parts of Lam Dong, with smaller production in northern regions. Arabica grading may consider screen size, defects, processing, origin, variety and cup quality.

Common Arabica categories include:

• Commercial washed Arabica
• Selected highland Arabica
• Natural Arabica
• Honey-process Arabica
• Specialty single-origin Arabica

Arabica prices are typically more sensitive to origin, altitude, processing, cup profile and lot size than standard commercial Robusta prices.

Physical specifications for Arabica

A Vietnamese Arabica contract may define:

• Exact origin
• Variety
• Altitude range
• Crop year
• Processing method
• Screen distribution
• Defect limits
• Moisture
• Density
• Cup profile

Specialty buyers should also verify farm, cooperative or processing-station identity and the ability to repeat the lot in future seasons.

Cup specifications

Physical preparation alone does not determine whether coffee is suitable for the buyer’s final product. The contract may include sensory requirements.

Cup specifications can address:

• Clean cup
• Absence of mould or phenolic taint
• Maximum harshness
• Body
• Bitterness
• Acidity
• Sweetness
• Required flavour direction
• Acceptable uniformity between cups

Commercial buyers may use pass-or-fail acceptance, while specialty buyers may require a descriptive profile or minimum cup score.

Why sample roasting matters

Green coffee should be roasted under a consistent protocol before sensory evaluation. Differences in sample-roast development can significantly change perceived quality.

A controlled sample-roasting process should record:

• Sample weight
• Roaster type
• Charge temperature
• Roast time
• Development level
• Resting period
• Cupping protocol

For commercial contracts, buyers should also test the coffee using their actual production roast and brewing application.

Green-coffee defect analysis

Defect analysis identifies physical problems that may affect flavour, appearance, roasting or processing. Defects can include black beans, sour beans, insect damage, broken beans, shells, immature beans and foreign matter.

A professional defect analysis should define:

• Sample weight
• Defect categories
• Counting method
• Full and partial defect rules
• Maximum acceptance level

Buyers and suppliers should use the same defect standard to avoid disputes.

Typical specification framework for commercial Robusta

Typical specification framework for specialty coffee

How Vietnamese green-coffee prices are formed

Vietnamese green-coffee prices are influenced by international markets, domestic physical conditions and the cost of preparing the required grade. A quotation is not based only on the raw coffee value.

The export price may include:

• Farm-gate or domestic coffee value
• Collector and trader margins
• Inland transportation
• Warehouse handling
• Drying or reconditioning
• Hulling and cleaning
• Screen grading
• Defect removal
• Polishing or colour sorting
• Packaging
• Financing
• Export documentation
• Port handling
• Supplier margin

The more demanding the preparation, the higher the processing loss and cost may be.

Key factors affecting Robusta prices

Robusta prices can change rapidly according to both global and domestic conditions.

Important price factors include:

• International Robusta futures
• Vietnamese domestic prices
• Harvest expectations
• Farmer selling behaviour
• Warehouse stocks
• Currency movements
• Export demand
• Freight conditions
• Grade availability
• Processing costs

Selected Screen 18 or low-defect coffee may move differently from standard commercial Robusta because its available volume is smaller.

Price premiums by preparation

Premiums should be evaluated against actual quality improvement rather than the product name alone.

FOB, CFR and CIF pricing

The quoted price depends on the Incoterm and named location.

Buyers should compare landed cost rather than product price alone.

Why prices vary between suppliers

Two suppliers may quote different prices for apparently similar coffee because their stock position, financing, processing system and specification interpretation differ.

Price differences may reflect:

• Different crop years
• Different screen retention
• Different defect tolerance
• Different moisture limits
• Owned stock versus future sourcing
• Different packaging
• Different Incoterms
• Different shipment periods
• Different payment terms

A buyer should compare written specifications line by line before concluding that one supplier is cheaper.

Warning signs in price quotations

• The product is described only as premium quality.
• The crop year is missing.
• The screen-retention percentage is not stated.
• Defect limits are unclear.
• The offer has no validity period.
• The shipment window is unrealistic.
• The supplier cannot confirm actual stock.
• The price is far below comparable market offers without explanation.
• Packaging and Incoterm are omitted.

Packaging options for Vietnamese green coffee

Packaging should protect the coffee, support handling and meet buyer requirements.

Common options include:

• Jute bags
• Woven polypropylene bags
• Jute bags with polyethylene liners
• Jute bags with hermetic liners
• Vacuum-packed small specialty lots
• Flexible bulk containers when suitable

The contract should define bag material, net weight, markings, liner type, palletisation and weight tolerance.

Common bag weights

Green coffee can be packed in different net weights depending on buyer preference, supplier practice and destination handling requirements. The exact weight should be written in the contract and packing list.

Buyers should verify:

• Net weight per bag
• Number of bags
• Total net weight
• Total gross weight
• Permitted weight tolerance
• Whether bags are palletised

Container capacity should be calculated using the actual bag, liner and pallet configuration.

Container preparation

Green coffee is sensitive to moisture and odours during ocean transport. The exporter should inspect the container before loading.

The inspection should confirm:

• Clean and dry interior
• No visible holes
• No water entry
• No chemical odour
• No pest contamination
• Functional door seals
• Correct desiccant placement
• Protective lining when required

Companies can review Vietnam coffee packaging, container and export solutions when planning an international shipment.

Sampling before purchase

The buyer should identify whether the sample represents a general type, a specific offer, current stock or the prepared shipment.

The buyer should retain approved samples until the contract and any claim period are completed.

Pre-shipment inspection

A pre-shipment inspection can confirm whether the prepared cargo meets the agreed specification before loading.

The inspection may include:

• Lot identification
• Bag count
• Weight
• Moisture
• Screen distribution
• Defect analysis
• Cupping
• Packaging
• Container condition
• Loading supervision

Companies can review green-coffee quality control, inspection and compliance practices when preparing an approval protocol.

Contract requirements for green coffee

A green-coffee sales contract should connect product specification with commercial and shipment obligations.

The contract should include:

• Legal names of buyer and seller
• Product and grade
• Origin
• Crop year
• Processing method
• Physical specification
• Cup requirement
• Quantity and tolerance
• Price and currency
• Incoterm
• Packaging
• Shipment window
• Payment terms
• Required documents
• Inspection procedure
• Claim procedure

Chat messages and general product brochures should not replace a detailed signed contract.

Documents used in Vietnamese green-coffee exports

Document requirements vary by destination and contract, but a shipment may include:

• Commercial invoice
• Packing list
• Bill of lading
• Certificate of origin
• Phytosanitary certificate where required
• Fumigation certificate where required
• Quality certificate
• Weight certificate
• Insurance certificate under applicable terms

Document instructions should be agreed before loading to reduce corrections and customs delays.

Common buyer mistakes

• Buying by grade name without numerical specifications
• Assuming all Screen 18 coffee has the same quality
• Ignoring crop year
• Not checking sample representativeness
• Comparing prices under different Incoterms
• Failing to define moisture limits
• Accepting vague cup descriptions
• Not confirming actual stock
• Skipping pre-shipment approval
• Choosing the supplier only by the lowest price

How to choose the right grade

Step-by-step buying process

1. Define the final product application.
2. Select the coffee species and origin.
3. Prepare measurable physical and sensory specifications.
4. Request quotations under the same Incoterm.
5. Confirm crop year and actual stock.
6. Evaluate a representative sample.
7. Compare total landed cost.
8. Agree on contract and payment terms.
9. Approve a pre-shipment sample.
10. Inspect packaging and container preparation.
11. Review shipping documents.
12. Test the coffee after arrival.

Final assessment

Vietnam green coffee beans offer international buyers a broad range of commercial and specialty options, from high-volume Robusta and selected Screen 16 or Screen 18 grades to washed Robusta, Fine Robusta and highland Arabica. The most suitable product depends on the buyer’s application, quality target, price position and required volume.

Grade names are useful as an initial reference, but they should always be supported by measurable specifications. Screen retention, black and broken limits, foreign matter, moisture, crop year, processing, cup requirements and packaging should be written clearly in the contract.

Prices depend on international markets, Vietnamese domestic conditions, grade availability, processing losses, packaging, financing, shipment timing and Incoterm. The lowest quotation is not necessarily the best commercial option if it involves weaker quality, older crop, unavailable stock or incomplete preparation.

Importers, roasters, distributors, soluble-coffee manufacturers and brands seeking Vietnamese green coffee can submit a wholesale coffee inquiry with the required species, grade, screen size, processing method, crop year, estimated quantity, packaging, destination and preferred shipment period.