The new facility site is capable of producing up to 75,000 tons of coffee annually and will enable it to export roasted coffee to East Asia, Europe and the US for the first time
Highlands Coffee has opened a $19m state-of-the-art roastery in Vietnam’s Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.
Located near the Cai Mep port, the 258,000 sq ft facility is one of the largest coffee roasting facilities in Vietnam with a capacity to produce up to 75,000 tons of coffee annually. The site is equipped with Probat roasting equipment and will use automation to ensure “absolute uniformity and the highest safety standards”, Head of Coffee and Manufacturing, Christopher Jordan, said in a press release.
Highlands Coffee also said the roastery represents a landmark investment in Vietnam’s coffee industry and will enable the group to better showcase quality Vietnamese robusta coffee internationally.
The Ho Chi Minh City-based group currently only exports green coffee, but will use the new facility to export roasted products to key markets in Asia, as well as Europe and the US.
“This roastery is our promise to honour the authentic essence of Vietnamese coffee. We are proud to be a company deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture, working hand-in-hand with local farmers to create a product that embodies the character of our nation. We are excited and eager to share this story with the world,” said David Thai, CEO, Highlands Coffee.
Founded in 1999, Highlands Coffee operates 800 outlets across its domestic market and a further 43 in the Philippines. In 2012, the group sold a 50% stake to Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) for $25m before selling a further 10% to the Filipino fast-food group five years later.
In a rare public appearance, Thai stressed that Highlands Coffee remains a Vietnamese brand despite JFC’s investment. The Manila-based fast-food group acts as a strategic advisor rather than handling daily operations, he told local reporters.
Highlands Coffee posted over VND 1trn ($41m) in annual profit in 2024 despite a 3.7% year-on-year decline in like-for-like sales.
