Vietnamese coffee gets a tea bag twist for effortless brewing anywhere

Chicago-based entrepreneur Alan Phung is taking a different approach to coffee innovation — and his story is worth tuning in to. Phung’s story is rooted in personal loss, cultural heritage, and a desire to make Vietnamese coffee more accessible. After losing his father in high school, Phung traveled to Vietnam to reconnect with his roots. During his trip, he found more than just heritage — he discovered an incredible coffee culture, a welcoming community, and a sense of purpose.

After realizing that Vietnamese coffee was challenging and time-consuming for most people to make, Phung set out to find a better solution. His mission: To simplify how we make Vietnamese coffee to allow more people to enjoy it. Phung has now brought his vision to life with the launch of Mai Coffee, the first-ever Vietnamese Coffee pouches. Here’s how his revolutionary tea-bag-style brewing method brings Vietnamese coffee to everyone, with no specialized equipment required.

Vietnamese coffee: Challenges and solutions

When his father passed away in his senior year of high school, Phung found comfort and ground in Vietnamese coffee. The drink reminded him of his father and their culture, inspiring his passion for the business he now launched today. At the time, he knew very little about coffee, immersing himself in the discovery of what makes Vietnamese coffee different. He soon realized that traditional Vietnamese coffee was too difficult and time-consuming for the average person to make, requiring 20 minutes to prepare just one cup of coffee.

As he set out on a mission to find a better solution, he discovered an innovative tea bag method that required only 5 minutes to brew and no special equipment. All you need is a cup and boiling water to enjoy Mai Coffee’s variation of Vietnamese coffee. The innovation process, however, wasn’t easy.

“Vietnamese coffee is a different kind of coffee called robusta. We had to find a roaster that knew how to roast it because the beans are different. Then we roasted about 20 different kinds of roasts to determine which ones paired well with the tea bag. We then tried at least 10 different types of tea bag materials and various coffee-to-water ratios. This whole process takes a whole year to perfect,” says Phung.

Additionally, Phung and his team kept eco-friendly practices in mind throughout the process. “We tried to make sure that we care for the environment and do our part because we know that we only have one planet. If we can keep the planet cleaner, people will be healthier and even the coffee that is grown can be of better quality! This is why our tea bags are only made from plants and never from non-renewable sources,” he says.

What to expect from Mai Coffee

For someone who has never had Vietnamese coffee before, Phung describes the flavor as robust. Drinkers can expect earthy and nutty notes that they are not usually accustomed to. “For the salted caramel flavor, they will have an excellent caramel taste, and with a bit of milk, it’s a total treat! With its coconut flavor, it has a pleasant hint of coconut and will remind you of a tropical drink you typically enjoy on vacation,” he says.