Vietnam is known as the world’s second-largest coffee producer, but over the past few years “matcha” has emerged as a new lead player. In Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, matcha specialty cafés have surged, and the sight of young people forming long lines is no longer the exclusive domain of coffee chains. Behind this are the full-fledged rise of Japanese-style matcha production in Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province, and the rise of local brands led by Doi Dep. This article, from the perspective of a Vietnam resident, comprehensively explains the latest on Vietnamese matcha and how to choose it as a souvenir to take home.
The fast-growing Vietnamese matcha market and its background
Matcha began drawing intense attention in Vietnam from the 2020s onward. The global matcha market is estimated at 4.2 billion dollars in scale, growing 9.5% a year, and that wave has spread to emerging Asian countries as well. Within Vietnam, sales of matcha-latte powder on TikTok Shop and Shopee have surged, and it has come to be distributed widely—through cafés, supermarkets, and even convenience stores.
Three elements are driving the boom. The first is the evolution of café culture. Major chains such as Highlands Coffee and The Coffee House have added matcha drinks to their menus, and more than 10 matcha specialty cafés have opened within Ho Chi Minh City. The second is rising health consciousness. The younger generation has taken note of catechins and theanine, creating a flow of choosing matcha as an alternative to coffee. The third is the Japanese-food boom. Following sushi and ramen, matcha is being chosen as a “distinctly Japanese experience.”
Chances to encounter matcha while café-hopping or choosing souvenirs are rising sharply, making it a presence you can’t ignore as a theme for a Vietnam trip.
Vietnam’s main matcha production area: Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province
Indispensable to any discussion of Vietnamese-grown matcha is Bao Loc in Lam Dong Province. About four hours by car northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, this town sits in highland terrain at around 800 meters elevation and has long been called “Vietnam’s tea capital.” Tea cultivation began in the French colonial era, and some of the country’s largest tea fields still spread out here.
Tea leaves nurtured by 800-meter highlands and mist
There are three conditions suited to tea cultivation in Bao Loc: a cool climate with an annual average temperature around 22°C, mist that occurs throughout the year, and fine-grained basaltic soil. The mist blocking direct sunlight creates a state close to natural shade cultivation, growing soft tea leaves rich in theanine. That its climate conditions partly resemble those of Japan’s matcha-producing areas of Uji and Nishio has also helped push up quality in recent years.
Adoption of Japanese-style shade cultivation
From the latter half of the 2010s, Japanese-style shade-cultivation (shading) techniques were adopted in earnest in Bao Loc’s tea gardens. Covering the tea leaves with black shade nets for about 20 days raises theanine content and suppresses catechins, the bitter component—this technique is the core of high-grade Japanese matcha. In Bao Loc, several factories operate that, in addition to this method, carry out the process all the way to grinding the leaves with a dedicated stone mill.
VietGAP and organic certification
Tea gardens with an eye on exports to Europe and North America are increasingly obtaining international certifications such as Organic JAS and USDA Organic, on top of VietGAP, Vietnam’s own good agricultural practices. Meeting the demands of advanced markets with strict residual-pesticide standards has led to a quality lift across the whole production area.
Doi Dep—a premium matcha brand from Bao Loc
The name that comes up as the front-runner of Vietnamese matcha is Doi Dep, based in Bao Loc. By combining vast in-house tea gardens with Japanese-style equipment, it has pioneered Vietnam’s domestic premium matcha market, and among matcha lovers it has become an object of surprise: “can Vietnamese-grown matcha really be finished to this level?”
The origin of the brand name: “a pair of sandals”
“Doi Dep” is a Vietnamese phrase meaning “a pair of sandals.” Because sandals only function once they form a pair, the name is held up as a brand concept symbolizing “the inseverable relationship between people, between land and people, and between nature and people.” The philosophy of valuing the ties among tea garden, artisan, and consumer also has something in common with the Japanese culture of hospitality.
Adoption of Japanese-style techniques and inviting experts
Doi Dep’s greatest strength is that it invites Japanese tea-industry experts to provide technical guidance. From shade cultivation, picking timing, and steaming and drying processes to stone-mill grinding, it optimizes the standard processes of Japanese matcha to suit the local climate and soil. It is said to have achieved a quality, by theanine value, that approaches Japanese premium grades.
Running a Tea Resort
What sets Doi Dep apart from other brands is that it runs a luxury “Tea Resort” integrated with the tea gardens. With villas overlooking the tea fields, a matcha-whisking experience program, and even meals in a tea-kaiseki style, visitors can not just “drink tea” but “stay in tea culture.” It is increasingly introduced as a highlight of Bao Loc tourism and is taking root as a weekend getaway from Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat.
Product lineup
Doi Dep’s matcha products fall broadly into three grades: a ceremonial grade for the tea ceremony, a premium grade for cafés and lattes, and a cooking grade for sweets and cooking. Besides specialty shops, they have come to be seen at some upscale supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City and at airport souvenir shops.
Differences between Japanese-grown and Vietnamese-grown matcha
What surprises many Japanese people drinking Vietnamese-grown matcha for the first time is that the flavor is lighter than they imagined. Organizing the differences from Japanese-grown matcha from a resident’s point of view looks like this.
| Item | Japanese-grown matcha (Uji, Nishio) | Vietnamese-grown matcha (Bao Loc) |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Deep, rich green | Bright yellow-green |
| Aroma | Umami-driven, like nori seaweed | Grassy, like fresh greenery |
| Flavor | Rich umami and sweetness | Light and refreshing, with a faint acidity |
| Price range (30g) | 1,500–5,000 yen | 500–1,500 yen |
| Best ways to drink | Koicha and usucha (straight) | Lattes, sweets, and cooking |
Japanese-grown is designed with an emphasis on umami, on the premise of “whisking and drinking.” Vietnamese-grown, by contrast, has restrained umami due to the difference in climate, and shows its true worth in latte and sweet uses paired with milk or sweetness. The right way to see it is not as a substitute for Japanese-grown, but as an option in a different category.
A recommendation to try a taste comparison
If you have a chance to compare the two during your Vietnam trip, we recommend giving it a try. For instance, a “two-cup” approach—whisking and drinking Japanese-grown matcha in the morning and enjoying a Vietnamese-grown latte in the evening—lets you feel each one’s character clearly.
Local cafés where you can experience Vietnamese matcha
The matcha specialty cafés increasing in each city let you try Vietnamese matcha easily, one cup at a time. We have carefully selected recommended shops from a resident’s perspective.
MIYAEN (Da Lat, Bao Loc)
A specialty café that puts Bao Loc–grown Vietnamese matcha center stage. A rare place where you can enjoy locally grown matcha in a Japanese-style space, with the appeal of freshness shipped straight from the source. For details, seethe complete MIYAEN guide.
Atelier Matcha (Ho Chi Minh City)
A matcha brand from Uji, Kyoto, opened its first overseas store in 2025. You can experience the quality of Japanese-grown matcha in Vietnam. Local-only items like the coconut-milk MATCHA latte are also worth checking. For details, seethe complete Atelier Matcha guide.
Nagocha Matcha (central Ho Chi Minh City)
Vietnam’s first Japanese-style matcha specialty chain. It uses ceremonial-grade matcha from across Japan—Kyoto, Uji, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Shizuoka, and more. For details, head tothe Nagocha Matcha guide.
Yakishime (Can Tho)
A Japanese-style matcha café in Can Tho, the central city of the Mekong Delta, that embodies the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi. For details, seethe complete Yakishime guide.
How to buy Vietnamese matcha as a souvenir
Once you think you’d like to “take home” a flavor you liked at a café or “give it to family or friends,” it pays to know where you can buy it as a souvenir. Being able to get a premium grade at a more reasonable price than Japanese-grown is an appeal unique to Vietnam.
Upscale supermarkets
At Annam Gourmet Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Intimex in Hanoi, and nationwide chains like Co.opMart and WinMart, you can buy retail packs of Vietnamese-grown matcha. The price range is around 100,000–250,000 VND (600–1,500 yen) for 30g. More stores are also carrying products from major brands such as Doi Dep.
Brand-direct and tea specialty shops
You can buy authentic Vietnamese matcha mainly at Doi Dep’s direct shop inside the Tea Resort, as well as at tea specialty shops such as Trà Việt (a Vietnamese-tea specialty store). The price is a little higher, but the appeal is the reassurance of having the origin and even the production date clearly stated.
Airport duty-free shops
Souvenir shops in the departure areas of Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) and Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) also carry Vietnamese-grown matcha. Keep it in mind as a last chance if you forget to buy any right before flying home.
Online (before and after your trip)
You can also buy matcha from major brands like Doi Dep on platforms such as Shopee Vietnam, TikTok Shop, and Lazada. It is handy if you want to try before your trip or place a reorder after returning home. More shops now support international shipping to Japan as well.
Recommended Vietnamese matcha souvenirs by recipient
The best way to choose changes depending on “who you’re giving it to.” Here are recommendations organized into four patterns from a resident’s point of view.
For a matcha-loving friend
Ceremonial grade (30g, 1,000–1,500 yen) is ideal. It works as a “taste-comparison gift” they can enjoy alongside Japanese-grown. Choosing something with a clear origin and brand, like Doi Dep, gives them more to talk about.
For tea lovers and the parents’ generation
A set with Vietnamese green tea or lotus tea is recommended. It lets them experience the whole world of Vietnamese tea.A roundup of Vietnamese tea souvenirsandA feature on lotus teais also worth referring to.
For the health-conscious or as office handouts
Café-use powder or tea-bag types (10–20 bags, 500–800 yen) are convenient. They make a highly practical souvenir that people can enjoy by making lattes at the office.
For yourself or a cooking lover
Cooking grade (100g, 700–1,200 yen) is a good deal since you can use plenty in sweets and dishes. With wide uses—Japanese and Western confections, matcha lattes, matcha salt—it’s easy to work into everyday cooking.
Frequently asked questions
Here is a roundup of questions frequently asked before buying Vietnamese matcha souvenirs.
Q. Can I bring Vietnamese-grown matcha back to Japan?
A. For processed powdered matcha, there are no special restrictions on bringing it into Japan. However, since separate rules apply to bringing in large quantities for commercial use, please enjoy it within the scope of personal souvenirs.
Q. How long does it keep?
A. As a guide, about 1 to 1.5 years from production while unopened. After opening, refrigerating it and finishing it within a month is recommended.
Q. Can I whisk it the same way as Japanese matcha?
A. You can whisk it with the same chasen, but since Vietnamese-grown has a lighter flavor, it is better suited to lattes and sweets. If you do whisk it, the trick is to adjust it on the thin side, with more hot water for a small amount.
Q. Can I visit Doi Dep’s Tea Resort as a tourist?
A. Yes, you can. Bao Loc is about four hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City and about two hours from Da Lat. It accommodates everything from a day trip combining a tea-garden tour and a matcha experience to an overnight stay.
Q. Is there Vietnamese matcha with organic certification?
A. Some premium brands have products certified by Organic JAS or USDA. Check the certification mark on the package when choosing.
A summary of choosing Vietnamese matcha souvenirs
Vietnamese-grown matcha is growing fast as “another Vietnamese-grown indulgence” next to coffee. Led by Doi Dep from Bao Loc, a distinctive matcha culture fusing Japanese-style techniques with the local climate has blossomed all at once over the past few years. Not as a substitute for Japanese-grown matcha but as a new option for lattes, sweets, and cooking, it offers a worthwhile choice for both souvenirs and yourself.
For related local café information and Vietnamese tea souvenirs in general, please also refer to the articles below.
