From barren, depleted coffee-growing land, soldiers at Coffee 15 Company, a one-member limited liability company under Military Region 5, have persevered in restoring the soil through organic farming, paving the way for a new production approach  while building the “Soldier’s Coffee” brand.

Colonel Le Trung Thanh, Director of Coffee 15 Company, said that several years ago, amid falling coffee prices, soil degradation and declining yields, more than 153 hectares of the company’s coffee plantations had been left without anyone willing to take responsibility for tending them. In response, the company’s leadership took direct responsibility for the most severely degraded plots, using them as pilot sites for conversion to organic farming. Production methods underwent a fundamental change, with the soil restoration relying on organic fertilisers, microbial fertilisers and biological preparations. These measures were combined wit grass cover and shade trees, intercropping bananas while grafting to rejuvenate ageing coffee gardens.

Leaders of Coffee 15 Company introducing the company’s organic coffee-growing areas.

At Production Team No. 3, Mr. Tran Kim Quan was among the pioneers who converted more than 3 hectares of coffee plantations to organic farming in 2022. The new process required changes to established cultivation practices, strict control of production inputs and meticulous record-keeping. Over the following years, the plantation recovered, growth stabilised combined with yields gradually became for stable. He shared: “The environment in the plantation is better and fresher, making those who work there feel more refreshed as well as reassured. Organic farming now feels easier, without the chemical-related pressure we faced before.”

A “Passport” to international markets

Building on the initial trials, Coffee 15 Company gradually standardised organic production and established a more rigorous process. The aim was not only to produce coffee in an environmentally friendly manner but also to meet the stringent international market requirements.

These efforts culminated in the company obtaining both organic certifications under the standards of the United States (USDA Organic) and the European Union (EU) for 21.24 hectares, covering fresh coffee cherries, green coffee beans, roasted coffee beans along with ground roasted coffee. Notably, the company became a pioneering coffee enterprise in Dak Lak Province to achieve this dual international organic certification.

The modern roasting and processing plant of Coffee 15 Company.

Colonel Pham Phu Chau said that securing the certifications involved far more than simply avoiding chemical fertilisers and herbicides. The entire production chain had to be controlled, from growing areas alongside production inputs through cultivation, harvesting, processing, packaging and traceability documentation. Every stage required consistency together with long-term quality control.

Recently, following a field survey of Coffee 15 Company’s growing areas, Mr. Ngo Hoang Ho, founder of VJX, a platform connecting Vietnamese and Japanese products, expressed surprise at the transformation of the company’s long-established coffee plantations. He also said that he was actively promoting efforts to expand the products’ presence in the Japanese market.

After 30 years of operations in the basalt-rich region, Coffee 15 Company now manages nearly 1,000 hectares of integrated production areas, alongside modern roasting and processing facilities. Its portfolio includes five product lines certified under the four-star OCOP programme. Colonel Le Trung Thanh said the company’s strategy was to continuously improve product quality, maintain rigorous production processes as well as expand its raw material growing areas in a measured manner, thereby further establishing the “Soldier’s Coffee” brand in the marketplace.

By reclaiming degraded land, the soldiers are continuing to produce coffee with a distinctive story of resilience, responsible land stewardship along with efforts to bring “Soldier’s Coffee” closer to international markets.

Translated by KHUONG THAO