Lotus Da Lat

Vietnam is a special place. As the world’s largest producer of robusta, Vietnam isn’t generally considered an origin with high-quality coffee. But that is hardly the case. Cau Dat, in the province of Da Lat in the central to southeastern part of the country, grows significant amounts of great coffee, and we are one of the only specialty importers sourcing it who have quality controls in place over the entire process. Vietnam is a country of smallholder farms, averaging 1-3 hectares, and farmers do not process their coffee here but instead sell red cherry to wet mills, which process the coffee for export.

This quality is grown at an altitude of 1400-1600 masl, and the region is characterized by year-round cool weather and volcanic soil. Coffee has been growing in Cau Dat since the mid-1850s when it was introduced by the French. It has since been cultivated by Vietnamese farmers, and the region is known for being among the highest-quality arabica in the country. The coffee is picked ripe and pulped and separated in Colombian Penagos machinery, then fermented and washed with careful monitoring for quality.

After drying, Lotus is then stored in Da Lat, which has a lower average temperature than Ho Chi Minh, until it is ready for export, at which time it is hulled and sent to Ho Chi Minh for export. Once in Ho Chi Minh, the coffee is stored in a climate-controlled warehouse for up to two weeks before shipping.