For Vietnamese coffee, the United Kingdom is one of the top ten key markets. On average, the UK imports about 29,000 tons of coffee from Vietnam each year, with peak years reaching up to 40,000 tons.
Today, as consumers increasingly demand high-quality products, distribution groups and suppliers—especially in the food sector—are becoming more stringent about product quality to ensure their sustainable growth. They are willing to pay higher prices if we can meet their high-quality standards.
Through a meeting with Nestlé UK, the Vietnam Trade Office identified several important issues:
1. Quality Complaints Even After Inspection
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Even when coffee exports have passed quality checks, there can still be complaints about quality. Although the Nestlé Quality Control Center (NQCC)—in Vietnam this is NQCC Đồng Nai—has tested the coffee’s moisture and issued certification, shipments may still face quality claims. In such cases, the seller often bears the loss, as buyers can pressure for lower prices.
Nestlé’s quality control follows a strict, cyclical process:
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The factory checks the coffee quality and reports to the Central Purchasing and Control Center (CPCC) / Nestlé Central Purchasing System (NCPS).
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CPCC then inspects and reports to the intermediate buyers (Traders).
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Traders contact the NQCC for verification and feedback to both the factory and the CPCC.
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The factory works with the Green Coffee Classification System (GCCS) and the Green Coffee Quality Control Center (GCQC) to classify the products before processing, production, and distribution.
According to Mr. David, Head of the Quality Control Center at Nestlé UK, the factory makes the final decision on whether the coffee meets the standards for processing and production. Therefore, even if a shipment has been tested by NQCC in Vietnam, when it arrives at the factory, if the moisture level exceeds the required standard, they may still issue a complaint.
2. “Non-Soapy” Requirement
Mr. David highlighted a newly important issue regarding coffee products: the “non-soapy” requirement. Recently, some batches of green coffee beans imported by Nestlé were found to have a soapy odor. Upon investigation, NQCC discovered that this odor originated from the jute bags used for packing coffee for export. The cause could be machine oil or another type of oil contaminating the jute bags during their production.
According to Mr. David, the acceptable level of soapiness is 1,250 mg/kg. Nestlé considers the “non-soapy” criterion one of the quality standards that coffee producers and exporters must meet.
3. Standard Indices: Moisture, Breakage, Impurities, and Bean Size
According to the standards set by Nestlé, Vietnamese coffee quality indicators are generally lower than those required by Nestlé and the LIFFE (London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange). As a result, if Vietnamese coffee is sold directly on the LIFFE exchange, its price may be reduced by 30–60 USD per ton.
Regarding moisture content, Mr. David advised Vietnamese coffee producers to reduce moisture to below 12%. This is because during shipping, moisture can rise due to weather conditions, which can lead to rejection of the shipment upon arrival at the warehouse.
4. Recommendations for Vietnamese Coffee Exporters
From the above issues, Vietnamese coffee producers and exporters should:
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Coordinate with jute bag manufacturers to address the soapy odor issue, and take preventive action.
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Be prepared for the possibility that importers may soon set “non-soapy” as a standard quality criterion, not only for coffee but for all food and agricultural products packed in jute bags.
These proactive steps will help maintain competitiveness and ensure compliance with the high-quality standards of major importers such as the United Kingdom.