Product Line
Robusta
This line is named after the Robusta coffee plant.
Robusta is typically grown in regions with altitudes ranging from 250-1,500 meters and temperatures around 22-26°C. While Robusta may have less aroma compared to Arabica, it is renowned for its high caffeine content (often double that of Arabica), bold flavor profile, and distinctive enticing bitterness.
Introducing
Honee Coffee’s Robusta Product Line
Our Robusta product line is focused solely on Robusta coffee. With the advantage of Vietnam’s high coffee production and vast cultivation areas, we can easily select high-quality Robusta beans for this line.
The purpose of this line is to allow customers to experience the flavor of a single variety or to explore when blended with other products.
Sourcing Region
Vietnam is renowned for its high Robusta coffee production and extensive cultivation areas. However, we still carefully select regions known for quality, such as Dak Lak, Lam Dong, or Gia Lai.
Selection
Our selection process goes beyond just choosing growing regions. We consider various quality factors such as seasons, harvesting and processing methods, storage conditions, etc., to ensure the quality and excellence of our coffee.
Original
Our products are always roasted in their purest form because we believe in Vietnamese coffee beans and our own selection.
Beautiful Bitterness
A Brief History of Vietnamese Robusta Coffee, Beginning in
1908
Fifty years after Arabica was introduced to Vietnam, the French brought Robusta coffee for experimental cultivation in the Central Highlands in 1908. However, amidst the turbulance of wars and upheavals, it wasn’t until the late 1980s, with changes and innovations in policies, that the coffee industry underwent a turning point. And after more than 30 years, Vietnam has become the world’s second-largest exporter of coffee by volume and the “holy land” of Robusta.
The climate and soil conditions in the Central Highlands are highly suitable for Robusta cultivation. With rich, reddish-brown Bazan soil, warm weather, and significant annual rainfall (1,700mm on average), the Central Highlands has become an ideal region for Robusta production.
Compared to Arabica, Robusta plants are easier to cultivate, less susceptible to pests and diseases, and have higher yields. However, Robusta is still a species vulnerable to environmental fluctuations such as temperature and insufficient water. With extensive experience in Robusta coffee cultivation, deep agricultural techniques, irrigation measures, and importantly, the creativity and diligence of farmers, Vietnamese Robusta coffee has made remarkable strides forward.
Vietnamese Coffee Culture & Robusta
A vibrant, sharp symbol representing Vietnamese coffee culture is the coffee filter (phin) and the image of the “drop of time” falling. Each drop, slowly dripping, embodies not only coffee but sometimes also the anticipation of people waiting. Savoring the moment with the crystallized flavor of a hundred years of culture, we are filled with a profound, beautifully bitter, and intense sensation, tinged with a gentle, enduring sweetness… Eventually, it seeps into our hearts through the taste of life in every sip of coffee. This enduring flavor profile is evoked through experiences brought by Robusta – the soul of Vietnamese coffee.
Vietnamese People & Coffee
Iced coffee with condensed milk is a culinary masterpiece of Vietnam, created by combining brewed coffee with condensed milk.
What makes Vietnamese Iced Coffee special is Robusta. With its distinctive bitterness, Robusta creates a perfect balance when combined with condensed milk.
For the Vietnamese, coffee is not just a beverage for alertness, it’s a way of life. Coffee is enjoyed slowly and leisurely, often accompanied by conversations with friends, pondering in thoughts, or simply observing the busy streets.
Sometimes, one becomes so engrossed in the present moment that they forget about the coffee they’re drinking. Perhaps the blend of everyday life and flavor has become so natural and familiar! Coffee is the most common way to start a conversation or meet up in Vietnam.
There are countless coffee shops in Vietnam, from roadside stalls to chain cafes, and Vietnamese people can visit them at any time of the day. Not everyone who goes to a coffee shop drinks coffee, but “coffee” has transcended its essence to become a cultural fold in Vietnamese life, representing a connection between people.
All of the above does not imply that Vietnamese people do not pay attention to the taste of coffee, and although each region has its own taste preferences, nothing replaces the impression of richness, the distinctive bitterness, the subtle sourness, the hidden sweetness, and the intense aroma.
Coffee came to the Vietnamese people during times of turmoil and war, but through the ups and downs of the years, the Vietnamese have created a deeply philosophical and poetic coffee culture in their own unique way!
As You May Already Know
Origin of Vietnamese Robusta Coffee?
Robusta coffee in Vietnam was brought from Congo by the French.
Coffea Canephora is the scientific name of this species, and it includes varieties such as Robusta, Coilon, Nganda… Researchers divide this species into two main genetic groups: Guinean and Congo. These two groups are further studied and subdivided into 8 subgroups as shown in the figure. Among them, the Guinean group only has D, and the Congo group includes all other subgroups.
According to the study by Vi et al. (2023), the majority of Robusta trees in Vietnam have a strong relationship with groups E & R, while a small portion is linked to groups A & G. Trees belonging to the E genetic group often share characteristics such as good aroma, low acidity, susceptibility to drought, and good resistance to rust…
The geographical distribution of eight genetic groups of C. Canephora in Africa, based on research by Mérot-L’Anthoene et al. 2019.
Information
About Product Classification
Honee Coffee’s Arabica product line is divided into two branches:
- Standard
- Premium
Products belonging to the latter branch will have higher quality than the former and typically have relatively limited production quantities.
Branching Criteria
The criteria used to branch this line is the quality of the raw materials. Determining the quality of the raw materials requires consideration of various factors such as variety, harvest time, degree of sorting, processing methods, growing regions, and evaluation through cupping…
Due to the rigorous selection and evaluation process, branches with higher-quality ingredients typically have lower production quantities.
So are Standard branch products not as good as others?
All Standard Robusta products have carefully selected ingredients, giving them a tendency to produce bold cups with the beautiful bitterness.
In this branch, while the quality of their ingredients may be inferior to other branches, leading to less diversity or depth in flavor, their flavor profile still possesses unique and interesting characteristics to explore.
The Standard branch always serves as the starting point for Honee Coffee’s product lines. These branch products are usually more accessible and are considered the benchmark for the line.
Depending on our fortunate encounters with hidden coffee flavors, new lines will be developed based on the foundation of Standard branch products.
INFORMATION
Product
Currently, products in the Arabica line are mainly divided into two main categories as below:
You can enjoy Robusta products simply in their original form or explore different flavor combinations by blending with other coffee varieties such arabica, moka…
Explore Flavours
Roasted Coffee Bean
Consists of coffee products that are pre-roasted and packaged in whole bean form to ensure the coffee flavor is preserved best until use.
Coffee Gift Box
This category focuses on the gift-giving needs of customers. Products must meet a range of criteria from aesthetics, packaging, coffee quality, to cultural elements and uniqueness depending on each product line.
The cards below introduce some typical products of the Robusta line.
Premium 150g
To view the full range of products, please click the button below.
Robust & Resilient
PRODUCT LINE
Robusta by Honee Coffee
Vietnam is renowned for the distinctiveness of Robusta coffee, which forms the foundation of the unique coffee culture of the Vietnamese people.
With its bold flavor, characteristic bitterness yet pleasantness, and predominant aroma of nutty & chocolate notes, this coffee variety offers a rich experience for the palate. Robusta is the soul that creates the flavor of Vietnamese phin coffee.
Nostalgia and anticipation!
As the coffee drips slowly,
Why does the heart swell with emotion?