A batch of Gia Lai Robusta recently scored 87.5 points on the scale of the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), placing it among the world’s top three in 2025 and reinforcing the region’s emerging reputation for high-quality Robusta.
Producers say the appeal lies in consistent quality, diverse flavor profiles, and competitive pricing. According to Nguyễn Thị Nga, Deputy Director of the Nam Yang Agricultural and Service Cooperative in Đak Đoa commune, Gia Lai’s fine Robusta is gaining traction with domestic buyers and opening new export pathways.
In Ia Ly commune, farmer Phan Hữu Dương, one of the area’s early adopters, said specialty production has expanded significantly in recent years. His family cultivates 4.5 hectares, yielding about 12 tons of green beans annually, all picked at full ripeness and processed on raised beds. His beans have scored up to 80 points on the CQI scale, with improved fermentation results this year.
Dương said quality depends on tree age, climate conditions and strict post-harvest workflow. His Robusta is processed through dry, honey and anaerobic fermentation methods, then roasted and sold under the Xuân Dương label. Customers, he noted, look for chocolate notes, thick crema, a rich body and a sweet aftertaste.
But farmers caution that high-quality production comes with higher investment. Equipment such as color sorters and drying racks requires substantial upfront costs. Without stable demand, growers risk reverting to commercial coffee.
Nguyễn Nhất Tín of Ia Hrú commune, who cultivates specialty Robusta on more than one hectare and produces about four tons of green beans a year, said he collaborates with nearby households to meet pre-orders and markets products under the Zen Coffee name. He warned that inconsistent prices or limited buyers could jeopardize specialty efforts.
Gia Lai plans to develop more than 2,340 hectares of specialty coffee by 2030, emphasizing processing and value addition instead of selling raw beans. Entrepreneurs such as Lê Hoàng Long of An Phú ward say the specialty trend is prompting farmers to follow clearer production criteria, from cultivation to roasting.
Consumers, Long added, are now seeking transparency on origin, variety, processing method, roast level and flavor, information increasingly considered essential in the specialty coffee segment.