Consumers have begun paying more attention to sustainable coffee cultivation — and brands like Copper Cow Coffee have emerged to meet these needs. Debbie Mullin, founder and CEO of Copper Cow Coffee, built the brand around an important mission: to support and share the vibrant heritage of Vietnamese coffee sustainability. We interviewed Mullin to get the inside scoop and the latest news on the brand’s sustainable coffee cultivation and processing.
About Copper Cow Coffee’s approach
As a Vietnamese-American, coffee was rooted in Mullin’s culture from a young age. In 2016, she founded the coffee brand out of her desire to honor her heritage in a forward-looking, sustainable way. Today, the company has grown beyond her wildest dreams and is now available at major retailers, such as Whole Foods Market, Target, Costco, and Walmart.
Copper Cow Coffee’s values
As the founder of Copper Cow Coffee, Mullin is committed to her mission through and through. Her passion is rooted in making traditional Vietnamese coffee accessible and sustainable — every step of the way. As part of the company’s mission, it has focused on shifting to more climate-resilient types of coffee beans. For example, Robusta beans, unlike Arabica beans, are far more resilient and resistant to pests, insects, and weather conditions. As a result, Robusta coffee beans require fewer pesticides and less water, lowering the carbon footprint and impact on the land.
Not only is Copper Cow Coffee committed to this shift, but it also seeks to educate and inform others as a mission to increase the widespread adoption of Robusta beans. Recent research suggests that by 2050, 50% of suitable coffee-growing areas could be lost to climate change. This alarming statistic indicates that action is needed, particularly in countries such as Vietnam, where over 95% of coffee grown is made from Robusta beans.
The overuse of pesticides has caused damage to the soil, affecting local water supplies and farming towns. Copper Cow Coffee maintains an active relationship with farmers in Vietnam, ensuring fair employment and supporting a higher quality of life for Vietnam’s coffee farmers. Climate change has wreaked havoc on coffee prices and the global supply chain. With this in mind, encouraging more farmers to switch to Robusta beans (more resilient and adaptable) over Arabica beans could help lower coffee prices on a global level.
Sustainable coffee practices
As a CEO in the coffee industry, Mullin has seen first-hand the changes that have taken place in coffee farming over the last couple of years. She noted, “[The world] is in a coffee crisis,” explaining that it has never been harder to grow coffee than before. Sustainable coffee means ensuring that the coffee industry continues to thrive without causing damage to our environment and also making sure that coffee doesn’t become too expensive for consumers to enjoy.
Copper Cow Coffee has implemented a variety of sustainable coffee practices. First, the company focuses on enhancing sustainability at the agricultural level. This means it works closely with farm partners in Vietnam to create better, more sustainable standards to treat coffee from the ground up. The company has invested over $100,000 into this process. The first step in the process is to examine the soil health with a focus on removing pesticides and fertilizers through restoration processes.
Additionally, time and money were spent educating farmers about the importance of letting the coffee cherry ripen on the plant before picking at peak ripeness (ensuring a more robust flavor). Lastly, Copper Cow Coffee implemented biodiversity-boosting efforts, including regenerative farming practices and supporting the creation of new Certified Organic farms in the region.
How Copper Cow Coffee’s beans are cultivated
In our interview, we learned the inside scoop on exactly how Copper Cow Coffee cultivates its high-quality coffee beans. All beans are sourced from Vietnam, a place where climate and geographical conditions are uniquely favorable for growing Robusta coffee beans. The ideal conditions allow for a high yield of beans, even at a time when climate change has impacted the global supply of coffee.
Copper Cow Coffee’s team works closely with farmers — who are paid at two times the market rate — to ensure the highest standards when harvesting and processing their coffee beans. All in all, this fine-tuned cultivation process allows the brand to deliver its premium flavor.
What makes the brand unique
In May 2024, Copper Cow Coffee proudly certified the first-ever Robusta farms in Vietnam, which was a huge step. This milestone proved that Robusta coffee beans can flourish in organic environments, whereas Arabica coffee beans are difficult to grow and expensive to grow organically. Mullin hopes this revelation sets a new standard in the coffee industry, making organic coffee more accessible and expanding its share in the coffee market beyond the brand.
For coffee drinkers who love a cup with a hint of flavor, Copper Cow Coffee just landed two new flavors — Vanilla Chai and Toasted Coconut. Both coffee blends allow coffee drinkers to experience the fun flavors of sustainability sourced coffee.
Vanilla Chai Ground Coffee
Toasted Coconut Ground Coffee
How coffee drinkers can take a stance
Today’s coffee drinkers have already started paying more attention to the origins of their coffee, choosing brands like Copper Cow Coffee that focus on sustainability. To conclude, we asked Mullin how she recommends coffee drinkers take a stance and help support the mission. She noted that people can take charge of interrogating their coffee purchasing habits and looking more closely at the types of beans they choose to purchase.
Many people may feel changing their go-to coffee brand is a sacrifice — but Copper Cow Coffee’s mission is to change this misconception. Copper Cow Coffee’s exceptional products demonstrate how great premium Robusta beans can be. The brand’s recent launch of naturally processed Robusta coffee beans is just as smooth and flavorful as Arabica beans. This 100% Vietnamese Robusta coffee features notes of dried fruit and chocolate. Additionally, Mullin noted that if coffee drinkers are willing to open their minds to new possibilities, they might find that Robusta can actually challenge expectations and “hold its own as a coffee contender.”
