The documentary film “The Tao of Coffee” has been officially premiered on the Discovery Channel in Australia and New Zealand, starting on the evening of November 24, 2023. The film revolves around the aspirations and the journey of the Vietnamese coffee industry to introduce the nation’s coffee culture to the world.
With stunning footage and a distinctive storytelling style, the 45-minute documentary successfully delivers to international audiences a captivating story and a comprehensive view of the Vietnamese coffee industry.
First-ever global broadcast
Since its airing on the Discovery Channel in Australia and New Zealand at 10:25 p.m. (local time) on November 24, 2023, “The Tao of Coffee” has stirred a range of emotions and delightful surprises among coffee enthusiasts and lovers around the globe.
This is the first documentary about the Vietnamese coffee culture and philosophy produced by the prestigious global media company, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Trung Nguyen Legend. The global film production brand Discovery spent over a year researching, ideating, and executing the theme for this project. To capture stunning visuals that accurately depict the spirit of the Vietnamese coffee culture, Discovery dedicated more than a month to filming and conducting direct interviews with many people in Vietnam, China, the U.S., the UK, and others. The post-production phase for the film was carried out over two months. After its official premiere in Australia and New Zealand, “The Tao of Coffee” is scheduled to be on air in Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, China, India, as well as other Asian countries and territories on November 30, 2023, at 7:10 p.m. (SEA) and 6:10 p.m. (BKK/JKT) on the Discovery Channel.
“The Tao of Coffee” provides a multi-dimensional, factual, and objective perspective on Vietnamese coffee and its culture with Discovery’s signature documentary style, as well as metrics, data, and diverse opinions from Vietnamese and international experts, coffee farmers, agricultural and food engineers, and consumers. Thanks to that, it successfully introduces the world to the potential of the Vietnamese coffee industry and leaves a lasting impression on global audiences regarding the beauty of Vietnam’s land, people, culture, and aspirations and efforts to connect with the world.
In the film, Buon Ma Thuot Plateau in Dak Lak is introduced as a crucial region for Vietnam, a country that takes pride in being a global coffee powerhouse and the second-largest exporter of coffee, accounting for over half of the world’s Robusta coffee supply. Not only does it provide a significant proportion of high-quality Robusta coffee with distinct flavors due to the unique geographical and cultural characteristics of the region, but Buon Ma Thuot is also striving to become the “coffee capital of the world.” It aims to attract coffee enthusiasts worldwide through various programs and enticing destinations such as the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, the World Coffee Museum, along with beauty spots like Dray Nur and Gia Long, all while showcasing the cultural beauty and the local people’s passion for coffee.
Discovery quoted an international tourist in Buon Ma Thuot as elaborating on this: “I have not seen anything similar in Seattle (the U.S.) or in Brazil, the homeland of Arabica coffee. In Vietnam, coffee has ingrained itself deeply into the local culture, serving as a testament to the dedication of those involved in the coffee cultivation and production industry.”
At the same time, the fascinating traditional coffee culture of Vietnam is also vividly depicted in “The Tao of Coffee” with intriguing moments of customers savoring filtered coffee and iced milk coffee across various locations and times. The increasing popularity of and fondness for Vietnamese coffee culture are highlighted by Discovery, quoting British coffee historian Jonathan Morris and journalist Kim Hanh. For example, Morris noted, “Vietnam actually has its own method of burning coffee that is quite distinctive,” and Kim Hanh said, “The word “coffee” has become a term that means ‘Let’s meet up’ in Vietnam. It indicates that people are addicted not only to coffee flavors but also to the atmosphere of cafés and gatherings.”
In particular, “The Tao of Coffee” offers a vivid portrayal of the creative spirit and endeavors of Vietnamese farmers, experts, coffee producers, and businesses as they embark on their journey to shape the coffee culture and build a hallmark on the global stage. According to Discovery, in addition to their focus on enhancing the quality of Buon Ma Thuot Robusta coffee beans and crafting exquisite coffee products from locally sourced and flavorful raw materials, the Vietnamese coffee industry is tirelessly enhancing cultural and brand value by researching and developing coffee shop models with a Vietnamese cultural theme. These establishments provide unique coffee services and styles, pioneering the creation of a new coffee philosophy.
Not just a drink, coffee is a way of life
With “The Tao of Coffee,” international audiences are gaining a comprehensive insight into the potential and inner strength of Vietnam’s coffee industry, where a distinctive cultural foundation and a unique coffee philosophy are emerging. Discovery remarked, “Vietnam is staking its claim on the global coffee industry.” Not merely a leading global exporter of Robusta coffee, Vietnam is evolving into a coffee powerhouse worldwide. Alongside globally acclaimed coffee brands and products, the Vietnamese coffee industry is working towards establishing a global coffee hub in Buon Ma Thuot, the homeland of the world’s finest Robusta coffee beans and the origin of a new coffee philosophy.
According to Discovery, the initial accomplishments of the Vietnamese coffee industry can be largely attributed to the consistent efforts by the Vietnamese Government, along with the local authorities in Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak Province, from the era of economic reforms in the 1980s to the present day. Echoing the opinions of farmers and experts in agriculture and production, Discovery clarifies the Government’s policies that promote coffee cultivation and provide support for coffee production and business in the country. These policies, implemented by both central and local authorities, have facilitated the growth of the Vietnamese coffee industry, leading to an expansion in cultivation area, increased production volume, and enhanced cultivation practices. Importantly, the Government’s support has stimulated the spirit of innovation and ambition among businesses, fueling endeavors to elevate the cultural and brand value of the Vietnamese coffee industry on the global stage.
Claiming “one unique company is leading the Vietnamese caffeine revolution, turning coffee from a simple beverage into a way of life”, Discovery has chosen this business as an example of the ambitions and endeavors to bring the Vietnamese coffee culture to the world.
Taking viewers to the land of coffee origin, the film showcases to audiences Vietnamese coffee cultivation, harvesting, and modern processing methods that integrate Western technology with Eastern formulas. Additionally, it underscores that Vietnamese businesses have elevated coffee beyond a regular drink to a source of innovative energy and ambition by emphasizing the G7’s mission to “pioneer in building a global Vietnamese coffee brand.”
Through the G7 story, Discovery has introduced a fresh perspective from Trung Nguyen Legend on the value of coffee: “The great accomplishments in civilizations are different before and after the presence of coffee. Trung Nguyen Legend has identified three coffee civilizations corresponding to human civilizations: Ottoman, Roman, and Thien.” “The company promotes the idea that society has evolved in tandem with coffee drinking” and “All the way of coffee, deeper philosophical approach, promoting coffee as a source of caffeinated awareness and a way to develop both the self and wider society”.
Trung Nguyen Legend’s initial endeavors to enhance the value of Vietnamese coffee are vividly depicted in Discovery’s “The Tao of Coffee.” Along with numerous coffee promotion projects, the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival, the World Coffee Museum, and scenic attractions like Dray Nur and Gia Long are introduced as exceptional destinations for coffee enthusiasts worldwide to explore. A variety of coffee products and services, including Thien coffee, 3D mapping bartending performances, and the opera “The Tale of the Three Coffee Cultures”, as well as the launch of Trung Nguyen Legend Coffee World model that converges three coffee civilizations, are deemed to be in the final stages of development and are leaving a strong mark on coffee lovers domestically and in key markets like China. Discovery noted, “Trung Nguyen Legend’s approach to enhancing the value of Vietnamese coffee, extending beyond a mere drink into cultural, artistic, and spiritual dimensions, along with meditation practices, aligns with the philosophy of coffee – The Tao of Coffee.”
With a duration of 45 minutes, “The Tao of Coffee” documentary has, for the first time, helped international audiences immerse in an inspiring story about the coffee culture and philosophy from Vietnam. The film promises to serve as a bridge to bring together Vietnamese coffee culture, its brands, spaces, and the coffee region of Buon Ma Thuot, closer to global audiences. It aims to showcase Vietnam as not just a raw coffee exporter but as a nation with rich coffee culture, philosophy, and exquisite coffee art.
The Government’s comprehensive policies and extensive communication efforts at both the national and local levels will contribute to building a richer, more attractive, and more captivating coffee culture in Vietnam and instill pride in the Vietnamese people for their distinct and exceptional coffee culture. It will also serve as a foundation to propel the Vietnamese coffee industry to reach a value of US$20 billion, establishing itself as a true coffee powerhouse in the world.
Let’s watch “The Tao of Coffee” trailer by Discovery at:
