Highlands Coffee breaks ground on $21 million plant in Ba Ria-Vung Tau

Covering an area of up to 24,000 square metres, the factory will have the capacity to produce 10,000 tonnes of coffee per year in the first phase and up to 75,000 tonnes of coffee per year in the following phases.

The new plant will be the largest of its kind in Vietnam and will be fully equipped with world-class integrated processing lines, comply with operational standards as well as adopting lean manufacturing and six sigma quality improvement models. All of which helps to strengthen Highlands Coffee's position as market leader in Vietnam's speciality coffee production sector, while expanding its export capabilities.

Construction of the factory will follow strict environmental protection requirements, aiming to achieve LEED Certification for 'green architecture' and British Retail Consortium certification for ensuring food safety. Solar energy equipment using Japanese and Swiss technology will be installed to minimise costs and reduce the national power grid load. Furthermore, the operation will participate in the 'Global Coffee Platform' sustainability project, from harvesting to final product.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, David Thai, founder and CEO of Highlands Coffee, said, "This will be a modern, state-of-the-art factory, that uses best-in-class international equipment combined with a manufacturing design that embraces Vietnamese blending and flavouring processes. With an ambition to grow to thousands of stores in Vietnam and beyond, this factory will be a pillar for our ambition of championing Vietnamese coffee culture.”

The town of Phu My is currently enjoying success as a strategic economic focal point, with five key economic sectors identified for development of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, namely manufacturing, seaports, port-related services, tourism, and high-tech agriculture.

By choosing this trading gateway between Ba Ria-Vung Tau and the key economic region in the south, with its access to international markets, to build a coffee roasting and grinding factory, Highlands Coffee has demonstrated its vision for the coffee import-export industry by bringing significant economic benefits to the local area.

The Highlands Coffee brand was established in 1999 with the ambition of elevating Vietnam's long-standing coffee heritage and promoting a sense of national pride, while harmoniously connecting tradition and modernity. The number of Highlands Coffee stores reached nearly 700 in Vietnam and over 50 in the Philippines as of September 2023.

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