American newspaper deciphers the "fever" of Vietnamese salted coffee around the world

In recent months, Starbucks stores have been trending on social media platforms like TikTok to customize drinks to taste like Vietnamese iced coffee. Along with that, more and more netizens are sharing the secret to making a special version of this drink – salted coffee.

In the city of Hue, a small, humble cafe has been known to create this popular beverage. The owner told CNN that salt coffee is a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, salt, and Vietnamese black coffee, topped with whipped cream. Diners can drink it hot or over ice.

“We created salt coffee in 2010 when we opened the first Salt Coffee shop at 10 Nguyen Luong Bang Street. The combination of condensed milk, salt and black coffee creates a creamy mixture that softens the bitterness of the coffee and balances the sweetness of the milk,” Ho Thi Thanh Huong and Tran Nguyen Huu Phong, the owners of the shop, told CNN.

They also shared that if they wanted to open a coffee shop, they had to do something a little different to attract and retain customers. And this strategy worked. Locals and curious tourists started coming to enjoy the drink and they liked it.

According to the shop owner, Hue people have the habit of drinking black coffee with sugar or condensed milk, so salted coffee is considered a strange drink.

“Hue people are used to drinking black coffee with sugar or condensed milk, so salty coffee is considered a strange drink. We are really grateful to our first customers, who were willing to try this strange drink and gave us feedback so we could quickly perfect the flavor.”

Soon, salt coffee became famous as a specialty drink in Hue city and cafes across Vietnam also started serving this drink. After the COVID-19 pandemic, salt coffee seems to have become a trend across Vietnam.

Nowadays, the salt cafe also bottles their drinks for sale on the market.

While the name salted coffee may sound strange, the flavor is actually quite appealing. The sweetened condensed milk helps balance the bitterness of the coffee, and the salt adds a touch of sweetness, much like how a little salt in caramel makes the flavor stand out.

Starbucks branches in Vietnam have also joined the salt coffee wave, launching their own version of salt coffee in May this year.

In fact, Vietnam isn’t the only country that adds salt to coffee. In 2023, a Bon Appetit article suggested that readers add salt to their drinks to cut the bitterness and enhance the flavor. The article noted that the tradition dates back hundreds of years in countries like Türkiye, Hungary, and Siberia.

Vietnam, which mainly grows robusta beans, is the world’s second-largest coffee exporter after Brazil. According to the International Trade Council, the country’s coffee exports reached $2.9 billion in the first five months of this year, up 43.9 percent from the same period last year.

Coffee was first introduced by the French in the 1850s and has spread throughout Vietnam. Coffee shops come in all shapes and sizes – from humble shops with plastic stools on the sidewalk, to upscale cafes with on-site roasters.

Traditional Vietnamese coffee is brewed using a phin – a metal, filtered brewing device – placed over a cup or pot. Many people like to add 1-2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to the mixture and stir well.

CNN channel said that salt coffee is just one of many typical Vietnamese coffees that surprise those who have never tried it.

Perhaps the most famous of these is egg coffee. This drink originated in Hanoi and consists of an egg yolk added to the top, frothed with condensed milk, and poured into the coffee.

Next up is coconut coffee – coffee mixed with coconut milk and ice – a refreshing tropical treat.

Meanwhile, coffee smoothies include coffee combined with banana or avocado to create a delicious smoothie. Finally, coffee yogurt with black coffee poured over rich Vietnamese yogurt, another French legacy.

According to a 2023 report by global market research firm Mintel, consumers outside Asia are increasingly interested in these new coffee experiences and flavors. About 71% of Gen Z consumers surveyed by Mintel in the US said they would like to try Asian-inspired coffee drinks like Vietnamese coffee.