Vietnam green coffee grades, explained for buyers
A Vietnamese offer line packs a lot into one sentence: grade, screen size, defect limits, moisture and sometimes polish. This page decodes it, so the spec you send gets comparable quotes from the suppliers we match you with.
Two grading systems in one contract
Bulk Vietnamese coffee is traded against the national standard TCVN 4193:2014, which grades green coffee by bean size (screen), defects, foreign matter and moisture. Specialty roasters add SCA-style grading on top: a count of primary and secondary defects in a 350 g sample and a cup score from a standard cupping. For Robusta, the Coffee Quality Institute's fine Robusta protocol plays the same role as SCA scoring does for Arabica.
In practice, commercial Robusta is bought on the TCVN-style offer line; fine Robusta and specialty Arabica are bought on cup score and a sample, with the physical limits written in as a floor.
Working grade summary
| Grade | Type | Screen size | Moisture | Defects (per 300 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robusta S18 | Natural / washed | 90% min on screen 18 | 12.5% max | 30 max black and broken |
| Robusta S16 | Natural | 90% min on screen 16 | 12.5% max | 60 max |
| Robusta S13 | Natural (commercial) | 90% min on screen 13 | 13% max | 150 max |
| Arabica washed | Wet-processed | Screen 16+ | 12.5% max | 5 max primary |
| Arabica natural / honey | Sun-dried / pulped natural | Screen 15+ | 12% max | 8 max primary |
| Specialty Arabica | Micro-lot, washed / natural | Screen 16+ | 12% max | 5 max full defects, cup score 80+ |
Typical offer lines from Vietnamese exporters
These are the specs you will see most often on Robusta and Arabica offers. Limits vary slightly between exporters, which is why the exact numbers belong in your contract.
| Offer | Typical spec line | Usually bought for |
|---|---|---|
| Robusta G1 Screen 18 | 90% min above screen 18, black and broken 2% max, foreign matter 0.1% max, moisture 12.5% max | Premium blends, espresso base, specialty-leaning Robusta |
| Robusta G1 Screen 16 | 90% min above screen 16, black and broken 2% max, foreign matter 0.5% max, moisture 12.5% max | Mainstream roasted blends |
| Robusta G2 Screen 13 | 90% min above screen 13, black and broken 5% max, foreign matter 1% max, moisture 13% max | Commercial blends, soluble and extraction |
| Wet polished (any screen) | Same grade limits, beans polished to remove silver skin for a cleaner look | Buyers who judge visually, some European and Middle East markets |
| Arabica washed Screen 16+ | 16+ screen, 12.5% moisture max, primary defects 5 max, cupped before offer | Washed Arabica blends and single origin |
| Specialty lot | Screen 16+, moisture 12% max, 5 full defects max, SCA cup score 80+ stated on the offer | Single origin, micro-lot, fine Robusta programs |
Screen sizes in millimetres
Screen numbers are the hole diameter in 1/64 inch. A "90% on screen 18" clause means 90% of the sample by weight stays on the 7.14 mm sieve.
| Screen | Inch | Millimetres |
|---|---|---|
| Screen 12 | 12/64 | 4.76 mm |
| Screen 13 | 13/64 | 5.16 mm |
| Screen 14 | 14/64 | 5.56 mm |
| Screen 15 | 15/64 | 5.95 mm |
| Screen 16 | 16/64 | 6.35 mm |
| Screen 17 | 17/64 | 6.75 mm |
| Screen 18 | 18/64 | 7.14 mm |
| Screen 19 | 19/64 | 7.54 mm |
| Screen 20 | 20/64 | 7.94 mm |
Moisture
12.5% max is the standard Robusta limit, 13% for commercial Grade 2 and 12% or lower for specialty Arabica. Ask for the moisture reading on the pre-shipment sample, not only the contract figure.
Defects
Black, broken, brown, insect-damaged and foreign matter are counted per 300 g in TCVN-style offers and per 350 g in SCA grading. State which method your contract uses.
Cup score
Specialty Arabica from Lam Dong typically cups 80-84 SCA points, micro-lots 85+. Fine Robusta is scored on a similar 100-point scale. A score only means something alongside the cupping protocol and the sample date.
Packaging and container loads
- 60 kg jute bags (standard, 320 bags per 20ft)
- 60 kg jute with GrainPro liner for longer moisture protection
- 1,000 kg big bags (FIBC), 19 bags per 20ft, lower cost per kg
- Vacuum-sealed 1 kg / 5 kg bags for specialty Arabica
- Private printed bags, typically from 200 bags per design
A 20ft container holds about 19.2 t in 60 kg jute bags (320 bags) or up to about 21.6 t with GrainPro-lined bags. The standard minimum at most exporters is one 20ft container; samples of 1-3 bags and LCL lots of 2-10 t are possible with some suppliers.
Certified lots
Rainforest Alliance, 4C, EU Organic, USDA Organic, JAS Organic and Fair Trade coffee is available from a limited number of Vietnamese exporters. Premiums typically run 200-400 USD per tonne over conventional Robusta and lead times are longer, often 6-10 weeks. We only match certified requests with suppliers who can show a valid certificate for the lot.
Write your spec like this
Variety and grade, screen, processing, moisture max, defect or cup score limit, crop year, packaging, quantity, Incoterm and port, shipment month. The RFQ form asks for each of these in order.
Grade questions
What does Screen 18 mean for Vietnamese Robusta?
Screen sizes are in 1/64 inch. Screen 18 means at least 90% of the beans (by weight) stay on a sieve with 18/64 inch (7.14 mm) holes. The remaining share may pass to the next screen down, depending on the contract.
What is the difference between G1 and G2 Robusta?
In Vietnamese export practice, Grade 1 allows fewer black and broken beans and less foreign matter (typically 2% black and broken, 0.1-0.5% foreign matter) than Grade 2 (typically 5% black and broken, 1% foreign matter). Screen size is specified separately, so G1 S16 and G1 S18 are both Grade 1.
Which moisture limit should I write into a contract?
For Vietnamese Robusta, 12.5% max is the usual limit and 13% for commercial Grade 2. For specialty Arabica and fine Robusta, 10.5-12% is common, often with a water activity target below about 0.65 aw for longer storage.
Does TCVN 4193 replace SCA grading?
No. TCVN 4193:2014 is the Vietnamese national standard used for bulk export contracts. Specialty buyers usually add SCA-style defect counts and a cup score on top. Many offers quote both.
Have a spec ready?
Send it and get up to 3 Vietnamese suppliers who ship that grade, within 24 business hours. Free for buyers.