"Coffee from a businessman who bought a town with a population of one." That slightly unexpected story is many people's introduction to PhinDeli. A Ho Chi Minh City businessman is known for winning the auction for Buford, Wyoming, and later making it a launchpad for Vietnamese coffee. However, the expression "bought the town" and the idea of owning a municipality are two different things. With that distinction in mind, we trace the origin of the name, what makes the cup distinctly Vietnamese, and how to find the brand in Ho Chi Minh City today.
The man who bought a town with a population of one
The story goes back to April 2012. Buford, in the state of Wyoming, USA, was known at the time as a settlement with a population of one. Its owner, Don Sammons, had moved there with his family in 1980 and purchased the "Buford Trading Post" in 1992—he had not been living alone there for the entire twenty years from the start. What was put up for auction was roughly ten acres of land along with a gas station-cum-general store, a residence, and other structures. It was a sale of private land and buildings that made up a small settlement, not a transaction involving an incorporated municipality.
The person who won this auction for 900,000 dollars was Phạm Đình Nguyên, a businessman from Ho Chi Minh City. According to ABC News coverage at the time, people who watched or participated in the auction online came from 46 countries—this does not mean there were bids from all 46 countries. Another important point is that no concrete plan for a coffee business had been decided at the time of purchase. Interviews with him the following year reveal that he saw potential in the name recognition that such an unusual place carried. Rather than fitting the town into a finished business plan, it is more accurate to the sequence of events to understand that the coffee story took shape after the town was acquired.
The Day the Brand Name Went Up on the Town Sign
Approximately a year and a half after the auction, in September 2013, Nguyên held a launch event for PhinDeli on location. Reports from the brand announcement at the time note that attendees included state and county officials, local residents, Vietnamese-American guests, and members of the press. The name displayed was "PhinDeli Town Buford." This was, however, a branding designation—it did not replace Buford as the official place name. Sammons was also introduced as "co-mayor," though reading this as an official position within a municipality would not be appropriate. Understanding this as a coffee launch that used the town's signage rather than a formal renaming of the town reveals how this bold piece of promotion was structured.
The brand name "PhinDeli" is a coined word combining "phin," the metal drip filter, and "Deli," derived from the English word "delicious." It is not a name that uses "Deli" on its own as an English word meaning "tasty." According to the 2013 brand announcement, the company was established in Saigon in March of that year with the stated aim of delivering roasted and ground Vietnamese coffee to the United States and Canada. The name preserves a familiar piece of equipment while the intended market lay across the ocean. The notoriety of buying the town served as a bold calling card for a new brand knocking on the door of the North American market.
The brand philosophy shown in the idea of "buying a town"
Seeing only a coffee advertisement is a different experience from hearing "coffee delivered by the man who bought a town with a population of one." What makes PhinDeli's starting point interesting is this sequence. Before any explanation of bean origins or roasting, attention turns to what kind of person this is and why they chose to sell from this particular place. It can be read as an attempt to present Vietnamese origins not merely as a label on the packaging but as the story at the front of the brand. That said, generating buzz and finding that a cup suits your personal taste are separate things. The story is a good entry point for curiosity—but let your own preference guide what you drink.
Underlying all of this is an attitude of not hiding its origins but making them a selling point. Incorporating a Vietnamese way of drinking into the name, and putting Vietnamese-grown beans front and center. Rather than diluting its character to reach a global audience, the choice was to make people remember the local culture—or so it can be interpreted. The current official introduction of PhinDeli Café also conveys the idea of enjoying phin culture in a contemporary way. Beyond the anecdote about the town, the fact that the name phin lives on in the café concept today is where you can find a thread of continuity running through the brand.
The Vietnamese character in the cup
A phin is a device that sits a metal filter on top of a cup or glass, into which hot water is poured and allowed to drip through. Combining coffee with sweetened condensed milk is another distinctly Vietnamese way to enjoy it. If you're choosing your first drink from PhinDeli's official menu, "Cà Phê Đen" is the option when you want to focus on the coffee itself, "Cà Phê Sữa" if you want condensed milk, and "Bạc Xỉu" if you prefer a more milk-forward drink. Prices listed on the official website as confirmed on September 28, 2026, are 25,000 VND and up, 30,000 VND and up, and 30,000 VND and up, respectively. "Phin Sữa Foam Trứng" starts at 55,000 VND and is the option to try if you want to experience a variation topped with egg foam. Prices reflect the minimum prices shown on the site; differences by branch or size should be confirmed at the time of ordering. Lattes and cappuccinos are also available, and not all items are made with the same roast or phin brewing method.
Roasted and ground coffee launched for the North American market and a cup ordered at a café share the same name but are different product formats. Nova Consumer Distribution's 2022 product disclosure materials list PhinDeli's ground coffee, whole-bean products, and 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 instant varieties. If you're choosing something as a souvenir, first check what's inside the bag and how it's meant to be brewed. Buying instant coffee when you want to brew with a phin, or giving whole beans to someone who doesn't own a grinder, can make an otherwise thoughtful gift difficult to use. There is also no guarantee that a cup served in-store and a bagged product will have the same blend or flavor, so noting the product name in addition to the brand name will help you track down a taste you enjoyed.
From town to street corner. Where you can drink today's PhinDeli
Several years after the Buford anecdote, the brand entered a new phase. In 2021, Nova Consumer's acquisition of PhinDeli was reported, and the founder confirmed the deal. Around the same time, the design and product lineup were revised, and café expansion under Nova F&B got underway. Subsequently, in 2023, the acquisition of Nova F&B's food and beverage operations—including PhinDeli—and a rebranding to IN Dining were reported, and PhinDeli Café itself introduced the IN Dining membership program in its 2024 official communications. It is important not to lump the bagged coffee business and the café operations together, but to look at each period separately. A name that drew attention in a small American town went on to become a cup you can drink on a street corner in Ho Chi Minh City. That transformation is another chapter in this brand's story.
As a reference for finding a place to visit, here are three Ho Chi Minh City locations that were listed on the official website as of September 28, 2026. The Soho branch is at 100 Cô Giang, the Orchard Parkview branch is at 130–132 Hồng Hà, and both are listed as open daily from 7:00 to 22:00. The Aeon Mall branch is at 30 Tân Thắng, with listed hours of 10:00–21:30 on weekdays and 9:00–21:30 on weekends. Soho works well if you're exploring the city center, Orchard if you have business near Hồng Hà Street, and Aeon if you're combining it with shopping—pairing your choice with your plans for the day makes it easier to decide. This is an introduction to branches confirmed on the official listing and is not a definitive count of all operating locations. Hours may differ from what is listed, and temporary closures can occur, so for early-morning or late-night visits, confirm with the official contact number 1900 292 977. With the story of the "town of one" in mind, start by choosing a cup that suits your taste.
Summary
What makes PhinDeli interesting is that Buford's 2012 purchase led, the following year, to a platform for bringing Vietnamese coffee to the world. It is not a story of an official town name change or a fully formed coffee business plan from the start, but even knowing the actual sequence of events, it is a surprising enough tale. If you want to try it in Ho Chi Minh City, start by choosing a convenient branch, then pick a cup to suit your preference—black, with condensed milk, milk-forward, or a foam variation. For souvenirs, check whether you're buying beans, ground coffee, or instant. Keeping the origin story and the task of finding the right product for yourself or your recipient separate will help you enjoy PhinDeli in a more practical way.
🗺️ For PhinDeli's basic info, signature menu, map, and reviews,Shop guide (card)where we've put it all together.
🗺️ If you also want to compare it with other cafés,Vietnam's 30 Popular Cafés: A Thorough Comparison Guidelets you browse from a single list.
