[B]orn and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents who were Vietnamese refugees, Sahra Nguyen (above) has spent her life taking frequent trips to visit family and building a strong connection to Vietnam’s culture, food, and coffee. On November 17, she’ll launch her new company, the Nguyen Coffee Supply, an e-commerce platform that sources, imports, and roasts Vietnamese coffees.
Nguyen leveraged her family connections to bypass middlemen to directly meet and partner with coffee farmers in Vietnam, including Thien Ton, a fourth-generation farmer who owns a 12-hectare farm in the central highlands city of Da Lat. Nguyen Coffee Supply will then import beans to Brooklyn, New York, for roasting.
The introductory release will feature a 100% single-origin Arabica and an Arabica-Robusta hybrid.
“When people think of ‘Vietnamese coffee,’ they only think of the specific drink—but there are so many different ways to enjoy the diversity of coffee beans grown in Vietnam,” says Nguyen. “That’s why I wanted to showcase both a Vietnamese-grown Arabica bean that can be used in espresso and pour-overs, and the Robusta bean, which is darker and stronger, perfect for the everyday drip or traditional Vietnamese cà phê. I believe there’s so much to discover and love about the Robusta bean.”
Nguyen plans to have her company donate a portion of proceeds to organizations advancing Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American causes. She’s also planning to collaborate regularly with artists and craftsmen around the world to launch special release merchandise and collectible items.
