Hanoi: counterfeit coffee on the domestic market, while exports grow
An investigation has been launched into a warehouse accused of producing powder mixed with soybeans in Lam Dong province. The product is destined for the domestic market. Vietnam is a leader in exports of the Robusta variety, which is experiencing a boom in sales on international markets: in the first 15 days of 2026 alone, there was an increase of over 20% in sales volumes.
Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Vietnamese police have launched an investigation into a warehouse accused of producing counterfeit coffee made from soybeans. At the beginning of the week, 4.1 tonnes of adulterated coffee and 3 tonnes of raw materials were confiscated in a raid in Lam Dong province. This is in the central highlands, the heart of coffee cultivation in Vietnam, where the harvest is currently underway.
The country is the world's largest producer of the bitter-tasting Robusta variety, which is mainly used in instant beverages. Kiem, the warehouse owner, told police that his company mixed soybeans and flavourings with coffee beans to produce ground coffee for the local market. The raid followed the search of a lorry carrying over a thousand bags of ground coffee without documentation.
The phenomenon is believed to be more widespread than previously thought, with coffee being adulterated with soybeans and corn, which cost a third of the price of coffee, while exports reached a record high in 2025, at £8.92 billion, an increase of 58.8%.
The destination of counterfeit coffee on the domestic market is also a consequence of the incredible export figures, which continue to grow, and in the first 15 days of 2026 alone, brought in £300 million. According to data from the General Department of Customs, 89,000 tonnes of coffee have been exported since the beginning of the year. Compared to the same period last year, the volume of exports has increased by 20.6%, while the value has increased by 8.6%. This situation encourages producers to favour exports and promotes fraud in the local market.
Coffee surpassed seafood exports (7 million) to become Vietnam's second most profitable agricultural product in early 2026, second only to wood and wood products (7 million). The country maintains its leadership in Robusta exports, accounting for 43% of global shipments and generating huge profits of around £1.50-£2 per kilogram of coffee sold.
According to the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association (VICOFA), Vietnam's coffee production in 2025-2026 is expected to increase by 5-10% from the 1.8 million tonnes (approximately 30 million bags) recorded in 2024-2025. Global coffee production is also recovering, with global production forecast to grow from 175.4 million bags in 2024-2025 to 179 million bags in the following season.
As global markets move from recent price increases to a phase of adjustment and rebalancing, the Vietnamese coffee sector remains resilient. Production is not immune to fraud, driven by increased profits. And this is not limited to the addition of soy or corn. In 2018, police arrested five people suspected of using chemicals to dye waste coffee beans and sell the mixture as black pepper.
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