Grinders in Vietnam
There’s an art to producing freshly-ground coffee, and grinders have mastered it.
Capturing flavours straight from the bean
Grinders play an important role, maintaining the quality of our products. We value their precision and commitment to flavour.
Nguyen Ngoc Tu Anh
Discover how Anh maintains our coffee’s flavour.
Nguyen Ngoc Tu Anh shares what it takes to be a grinder
Integral skills
Nguyen Ngoc Tu Anh takes great pride in being a coffee grinder. He has worked at our Tri An roastery in Đồng Nai, Vietnam for over a decade. He ensures that the grinder produces the right particles size which means the correct coffee flavour can be extracted at the next stage of the process. This stage requires intense concentration and attention to detail. Over the years he has honed his skills, mastering this integral part of the coffee-making process. “Grinding is one of the steps to create the best coffee flavour,” he says.
A passion for flavour
Anh is inspired by a pioneering spirit that prevails at the roastery. “I believe NESCAFÉ® Roastery has the best technologies,” he says. “These make the coffee flavour more delicious and give it a fresh taste.” He is also committed to ongoing growth and development. “I am trained in coffee grinding technology and techniques every year,” he explains. All this stems from a deep passion for his job, and his love for a good cup of coffee. “Coffee gives me creativity and excitement,” he says.
The main stages in the NESCAFÉ® pure soluble coffee creation process include: Growing, harvesting, roasting, grinding, extraction, drying and filling.
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Roasters in Vietnam
Having mastered their craft, roasters know exactly how to enhance flavour and aroma.
Coffee roasting to unlock the senses
Roasters help determine our flavour profiles by monitoring roasting time, temperature and airflow, this helps maintain our coffee’s quality and consistency. These highly trained individuals are integral to our production process and passionate about producing world-class products.
La Mihn Quang
Learn about how Quang has mastered the art of roasting
La Mihn Quang explains how to roast to perfection
Capturing quality
Roaster La Mihn Quang is committed to quality. “The roasting process changes the aroma and taste of coffee beans,” he says. “It is the moment that most fully reveals a coffee bean’s flavours and characteristics.” It takes intense focus to oversee and control temperature and time during the roasting process, but it’s all worth it in the end. “This is what brings out the full flavour in each coffee bean, and contributes to the unique characteristics of NESCAFÉ®,” he says.
Making sense of the senses
Quang knows that coffee lovers employ many different senses when enjoying a cup, and that his
role is to help enhance this experience. “What I am most passionate about is evaluating the sensory quality of coffee,” he says. “The taste, the smell, the feel.” By taking great care to roast at the right time, at the right temperature, he’s contributing to greater quality and consistency. “Coffee needs balance. Coffee needs harmony,” he concludes.
Now that you've discovered the Roaster, why not meet more people behind every cup of Nescafe you enjoy.
Explore the dedication and skill of our NESCAFÉ® coffee artisans.
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Producers in Vietnam
Coffee producers enhance our product quality by being careful and considerate
Knowing when’s best to harvest
Because it involves selecting ripe coffee cherries, harvesting is essential to producing high-quality coffee and ensuring a truly exceptional cup.
Mai Thi Nhung
Find out how Nhung knows when’s the best time to pick the perfect coffee bean.
Mai Thi Nhung explains how to pick productively
The perfect pick
Farmer Mai Thi Nhung knows her farm inside out. She keeps a close eye on her coffee cherries, watching as they change colour, grow and ripen. “If we pick ripe beans, the taste of coffee will be more delicious,” she says. She picks with great care, preserving the branches so that they bear fruit the following year.
A sense of place
Being outdoors makes Nhung happy. “What I like best is the sunny weather,” she smiles. But coffee isn't just her family’s major source of income, it's also her passion so she invests time and effort to stay abreast of new developments, innovations and techniques. She’s constantly looking to grow her knowledge, and her potential around coffee, “I am learning more about the taste and flavour of coffee all over the world,” she says, “Because maybe someday I will become the very best coffee blender.”
Responsibly Sourced Coffee is traceable to the farms – like Mai Thi Nhung's farm – or groups of farms where it is harvested from. It is then produced in accordance with our Responsible Sourcing Standard.
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Agronomists in Vietnam
We work with agronomists to help find better ways to farm
Planting for the future
Our agronomists support farmers with their knowledge and innovation. This in-depth understanding helps shape ongoing efforts to implement regenerative agriculture farming practices.
Nguyễn Hữu Thông
Step inside Thông’s inspiring world, where innovation is improving farming practices
Nguyễn Hữu Thông explain his work as a coffee agronomist
Empowering farmers with knowledge
"Agronomist Nguyễn Hữu Thông is passionate about knowledge sharing. An agricultural expert, he has understanding of new and efficient regenerative farming techniques. These he shares with coffee farmers across Vietnam, helping them to farm with an approach that works with nature. “Agricultural officials play an important role because we are the ones with access to science and technology,” he says. “We learn from our studies and share our collective learnings with farmers, for them to apply effectively.”
Meaningful results
Thông is inspired by the many successes he has witnessed first-hand. Seeing farmers achieve positive impacts feeds his quest for knowledge. “As an agronomist, I am passionate about learning more about new techniques,” he says. “I'll impart and introduce these to other farmers, in order to support better farming practices, and help them improve their incomes.” This sense of purpose helps encourage farmers, contributing to improved harvests that culminate in great cups of coffee.
More than 800 agronomists and specialist staff worked with coffee farmers around the world, in NESCAFÉ® Plan field programmes.
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Healthy Soil
Farmers grow and thrive when their land is in good condition
Nourishing crops naturally
From the ground up
Soil is literally the foundation for great coffee. Its health can be improved by planting shade-giving trees on farms, tailoring fertiliser, increasing soil cover and reducing erosion. Farmer Dương Thanh Sâm knows this. “If soil is disturbed, polluted or not cared for, then plants find it difficult to survive,” he says. Sâm is a regular at our NESCAFÉ® training sessions, learning regenerative agricultural practices and techniques that help him ensure his soil stays healthy, productive and nourishing. “These sessions are extremely practical,” he affirms.
The benefits of healthy soil
Depleted soil can prevent plants from nourishing their stems and make them susceptible to pest attacks. “Coffee trees need certain conditions to grow well,” explains Sâm. “These include having healthy soil with adequate nutrients and moisture.” It’s all about getting the balance right, and if this is achieved, then productivity goes up. “The healthier the soil, the better the chance of a stronger coffee yield,” he says. This also helps farmers to cut down on the number of required resources.
Sharing knowledge
When it comes to the knowledge and skills he has acquired, Sâm plans to pay it forward. “I will educate the next generation on the importance of building a solid foundation from the very beginning,” he mentions. “And that foundation is healthy soil.” He’s very positive about what tomorrow holds. “I am grateful. Growing coffee binds me closer to this land,” he smiles. “It makes me feel optimistic about the future of the farm, my family and the community.”
Working with Nature
Working with Nature
Working with coffee farmers to boost incomes, strengthen communities and ensure the prosperity of the coffee industry.
Farming Smarter
Regenerative agriculture helps to restore and enhances the ecosystems while also improving the livelihoods of farmers.
Natural crop nourishing
Healthy soil ensures a brighter agricultural future through environmental economic viability.
Growing coffee in harmony
Biodiversity is the variety of species of plants, animals and insects in a habitat and how they interact together.
Diverse Crop Cultivation
Intercropping is growing more than one type of crop. It helps control pests and maintain moisture and nutrients.
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Biodiversity
The benefits are rich and rewarding
Growing coffee in harmony
A conscious coexistence
We are working alongside farmers across the globe, encouraging them to farm in ways that embrace the benefits of biodiversity. By harnessing the collective contribution made through integrating various plants, animals, insects and microorganisms as a by-product of regenerative agricultural practices, farmers can support in creating a more diverse ecosystem on their farms. For example, certain species of birds will eat insects that would otherwise damage crops.
In Vietnam some farmers practice intercropping, introducing different varieties of plants and crops in their coffee farms. One of the benefits of this is that the plants are attracting insects like bees that work with the environment to improve pollination, helping produce an ecosystem that contributes to improving the quality of their harvest. By carefully engineering and maintaining this coexistence, farmers find themselves with balanced, thriving farms.
Attracting life
Some of the changes farmers like Dương Thanh Sâm has made in Vietnam include intercropping and using water more carefully. He’s also noticed how these practices attract animals and microorganisms to his farm, and he’s aware of the important roles they play in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. “I won’t cut the chili plants in my garden because they are the favourite of birds, and after eating, the birds will begin to diffuse those chilli seeds to other places,” he mentions.
Instilling awareness
After attending our training sessions, Sâm has a greater appreciation for biodiversity, and how it contributes to soil fertility and he believes potentially even an increase in the disease-resistance of plants. He now does everything he can to maintain the well-being of his plants. “We are chomping at the bit to make a difference on our farm,” he says.
Biodiverse benefits
It’s a change in approach that embraces harmony, and has far-reaching benefits. A simple example of how biodiversity practices have been applied in Dak Lak is allowing fallen leaves and grass cover to remain on the ground which helps prevent erosion, supports the soil health and creates a suitable place for microorganisms that are beneficial to farm to thrive. “My hope for the future of biodiversity is that everyone in the community will have knowledge about it,” says Sâm.
Coffee Loves Shade
Planting the right trees help coffee crops thrive
Coffee Likes Shade
Natural protection
Farmer Dương Thanh Sâm knows how important it is to shelter his crops. “Coffee trees love shade,” he says. These shade-givers help Sâm to better care for his crop as one of the methods he implements to guard them from potential damage caused by heavy rain, strong winds, erosion and excessive sunlight. Trees that provide shade can even contribute to soil health and provide organic matter that supports soil fertility and foster a balanced ecosystem. But perhaps most importantly, they prolong the natural ripening process which ultimately impacts on the quality of the yield.
Multiple benefits
Along with Sâm and other farmers around the world we host interactive training sessions where we explain the benefits of growing trees within coffee farms. This provides shade, can improve biodiversity, protect water bodies, reduce soil erosion and increase organic matter, while removing carbon from the atmosphere.
But it’s not a one size fits all solution. Here we use our scientific expertise and extensive local knowledge to find the best companion for the coffee trees in each region.
Trees for the future
Sâm sees the benefits of intercropping with shade-givers like the tall pepper tree, a species that aligns to his farm’s ecosystem. “My hope is that it will bring economic efficiency" he says. This future-focused approach excites him. “I hope that in ten years’ time, my farm – as seen from an online map – will be covered in green,” he smiles. “But for now, there are other benefits. We sit in the shade of trees to take a break and chill,” he says.
Regenerative Agriculture In Coffee
We’re helping farmers cultivate for tomorrow, today
Farming Smarter
Farming for the future
Regenerative agriculture practices protect and restore the natural resources found in nature, enhancing soil health, biodiversity, and water cycles. It introduces approaches that work with nature to reduce farming emissions, creating a win-win for the environment and for farmers.
We have shared with farmers regenerative agriculture practices and the tangible impact they have to communities and the environment. In Vietnam the adoption of these practices are just one way within which we look to support coffee farmers as they help protect and restore natural resources. Some example of these practices include optimizing the efficient use of fertilizers and agrochemicals, diversifying crops and renovating or rejuvenating farms. By implementing regenerative agriculture practices, these farmers are reducing emissions, improving the overall health of their farms.
Learning about growth
Farmer Dương Thanh Sâm has been attending the training sessions that we organise. After learning about regenerative agriculture practices, he implemented this knowledge on his farm, to support his coffee trees growing stronger and robustly. “Regenerative agriculture is an interconnected chain,” he states. “It promotes healthier soil and helps coffee plants develop more.” Find out more about our Regenerative Agriculture program here.
Steps to improve
“I previously had no knowledge of regenerative agriculture,” says Sâm. Now he takes steps to enhance his soil health to improve his coffee yield. He uses intercropping and shade trees, as well as a combination of fertilisers, including an organic one that he makes himself. “After participating in the NESCAFE® training sessions, I learned how to combine coffee skins with manure to create microbial fertiliser,” he explains. “This fertilises the soil more effectively.”
Of the earth
Sâm has an eye on tomorrow. He believes these practices create long-term benefits for his farm, have higher economic efficiencies and create impact beyond his farm’s borders. “Others who practice regenerative agriculture understands that,” he says. “It is the most suitable method to use in the future.” Find more information on our 2030 plan, here.
Intercropping
By implementing intercropping, discover how we're empowering coffee farmers like Dương Thanh Sâm to create a diverse income, keep soil healthy to help increasing his yield, and introduce greater biodiversity.
Intercropping: Enhancing Coffee Farming through Diverse Crop Cultivation
In Vietnam, we’re empowering farmers with knowledge. By advising them on intercropping – the practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity – they are able to diversify income and increase total income. The right crop selection can increase some farmer’s earning potential as well as improve soil health, while reducing soil erosion and better controlling weeds.
Local farmer, Dương Thanh Sâm, attended our training sessions to master this method. After introducing pepper and durian trees, he enhanced his income while keeping the same great quality of his coffee.
By assisting farmers with innovative practices like intercropping we’re strengthening mutually beneficial collaborations. The quality of our coffee relies heavily on the expertise and dedication of the farmers who contribute to its production. We share insights not just to grow more crops. We do it to grow the skills and help their livelihoods linked to their land.
Crop rotation
Implementing regenerative farming practices like crop rotation in coffee farming can lead to increased yields, disease resistance, healthier soils, and reduced erosion.1
Thriving together
Intercropping stands as one of multiple ways to implement regenerative coffee farming; where diverse crops coexist harmoniously in shared fields and biodiversity. Through this approach, farmers help in enriching soil, making it easier to control pests, and fortifying crop resilience.
Why intercropping?
Farmers intercrop for diverse benefits: crop resilience, enhancing soil water holding capacity, soil fertility, income, and more.2
What does Intercropping mean to us?
In vibrant Vietnam, intercropping echoes our pledge to regenerative agriculture practices. Embracing diverse crops, we empower farmers to have more diversified and resilient income and fostering biodiversity. Through our collaboration with farmers and communities, we aim to produce quality coffee while helping Vietnamese farmers protect the country's rich biodiversity. Join us in this journey!
- The Nestle Agriculture Framework:https://www.nestle.com/sites/default/files/2022-07/nestle-agriculture-framework.pdf
- Benefits and Risks of Intercropping for Crop Resilience and Pest Management:https://academic.oup.com/jee/article/115/5/1350/6572575