As Meal Zense introduced before, Vietnamese coffee was brought from France by French colonists during their occupation of the country.
Coffee cultivation began in the late 19th century in the region of Tonkin (present-day North Vietnam) under French rule. The French established large coffee plantations, primarily in the highland regions of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha, Quang Tri, and Quang Binh, those regions had favorable climate and soil conditions for Arabica coffee.
In 1908, the French brought 2 more species into Vietnam which were Robusta and Liberica. Therefore, three coffee species were existed in Vietnam in history.
During the Vietnam War (1955-1975), coffee production faced significant challenges due to the conflict and political instability in the country. Many coffee plantations were abandoned or destroyed during this period. After the war, the Vietnamese government focused on revitalizing the coffee industry, and they found Robusta coffee is easy to grow and Vietnamese loves Robusta coffee at stronger taste and higher caffeine. This is how Robusta being the major coffee in Vietnam.
In the 1990s, the Vietnamese government implemented agricultural reforms, allowing farmers to freely cultivate Robusta coffee and engage in trade. This led to a rapid expansion of coffee cultivation in Vietnam. Small-scale farmers started growing coffee on their land, and coffee production boomed.
