Vietnamese firm turns dried husk from Arabica coffee into premium tea for exports

A Vietnamese producer has successfully used the dried husks of Arabica coffee to turn it into a kind of premium tea whose export revenue can churn up to US$99 per kg.
Phan Minh Thong, General Director of Phuc Sinh Corporation based in HCMC, was at its product launch recently as he showcased this special type of coffee cherry tea, also known as cascara, which has been shipped to Italy and Middle Eastern countries at US$99 per kg.
This tea product that was also recently put up for sale in the Vietnamese market was priced even better than high-end coffee products. Only a few producers around the world are capable of making this type of specialty tea since the product requires strict selection criteria for raw materials and state-of-the-art technology, said Phan.
Cascara is the sole tea product in Vietnam made wholly from the dried skins of Arabica coffee cherries. The Arabica coffee is mostly grown in the northwestern mountainous province of Son La. Coffee beans are picked by hand instead of being plucked from their trees. Only quality beans are chosen to be dried and peeled, thanks to the adoption of Colombian technology at Phuc Sinh.
Thong said his company has bucked the downward trend in coffee exports, amid disruptions caused by the pandemic. He said, “During the pandemic, our customers are becoming more concerned about safe and reliable supplies, so our orders are actually on the increase.”
Established in 2001, Phuc Sinh Corporation, formerly known as Phuc Sinh International Ltd., has become a leading Vietnamese exporter of coffee and pepper.