How to Ship Vietnamese Coffee Home (Without It Getting Stuck in Customs)

Vietnamese coffee is legendary. Whether it’s the rich robusta from the Central Highlands, weasel coffee (ca phe chon), or instant G7, tourists can’t get enough of it. And the natural next question: can I ship a bunch of it home?

Yes, you absolutely can. Coffee is the single most shipped item from our tourist shipping service. We send thousands of kilograms of Vietnamese coffee to homes around the world every month.

Here’s how to do it right.

The golden rule: commercially sealed packaging

This is the one rule that matters most. Regardless of destination country, your coffee must be in sealed, commercial packaging. That means:

Factory-sealed bags or cans (Trung Nguyen, Highlands Coffee, G7, etc.)
Original retail packaging with proper labeling
Brand name and ingredients visible

What does NOT work:

Coffee measured out from bulk bins into plastic bags
Homemade packaging or repackaged coffee
Open or resealed bags

Why? Customs agencies use sealed commercial packaging as a quick indicator that the product is commercially produced, properly labeled, and safe. Unsealed or unlabeled coffee gets flagged for inspection or rejected.

Country-by-country rules

United States – roasted coffee (ground or beans) is allowed. The FDA regulates food imports, but commercially packaged coffee clears customs routinely. Green (unroasted) beans may face additional scrutiny.

Australia – coffee is allowed when commercially sealed. Australia’s biosecurity rules are strict, but they don’t restrict properly packaged coffee. Just make sure there’s no soil or plant matter mixed in.

Japan – no issues with coffee imports. Commercially sealed coffee clears Japanese customs quickly.

South Korea – commercially packaged coffee is fine. MFDS doesn’t flag standard coffee products.

UK – no restrictions on coffee imports. VAT may apply if total shipment exceeds 135 GBP.

China – coffee is allowed. Chinese customs (GACC) may inspect food items but commercially sealed coffee is standard.

How much coffee can you ship?

There’s no strict limit for personal-use quantities. We regularly ship 5-20kg of coffee for individual tourists. If you’re shipping 50+ kg, it starts to look commercial and may require import permits in some countries.

Our recommendation: ship as much as you want for personal use and gifts. Just keep the total under reasonable quantities (under 30kg is always fine).

Best coffees to ship

If you’re wondering what to buy, here are the most popular choices:

Trung Nguyen Legend – the premium Vietnamese coffee brand, widely loved
G7 instant coffee – incredibly popular and lightweight for shipping
Highlands Coffee – well-known chain with retail bags
Weasel coffee (ca phe chon) – the famous civet coffee, a luxury gift
Central Highlands single-origin – for coffee enthusiasts

Packing tips

Coffee is easy to ship, but a few tips help:

Check seal integrity – make sure every bag is properly sealed. We check before shipping.
Mix coffee with other items – coffee is dense and heavy. Mixing with lighter items like clothing can balance the shipment weight.
Buy at markets for better prices – supermarkets and markets offer better prices than airport shops. Ship from your hotel and save.

Already home? Ordering Vietnamese coffee direct from Vietnam

Ran out of the coffee you brought back? The right route depends on how much you want.

A few bags (under about 5kg): check retail at home first. Trung Nguyen, G7 and other Vietnamese brands are sold through Asian supermarkets and online marketplaces in the US, UK, Australia and much of Europe, and buying locally is usually cheaper than sending a small parcel from Vietnam.

10–50kg, or a roaster you can’t buy at home: order direct from Vietnam. You choose the supplier, order and pay them yourself, and ask them to deliver to our Ho Chi Minh City warehouse. We check the bags are sealed, send you photos, and ship them to you. We don’t buy coffee on your behalf, find suppliers for you, or sell coffee ourselves.

Before you order a larger quantity, know the rules at your end:

United States: coffee is food, so it needs FDA Prior Notice. We check your shipment against FDA requirements and advise you on the paperwork before it ships. If you’re importing to resell, the roaster also needs an FDA food facility registration. Read FDA Prior Notice for food shipped from Vietnam for the detail.
United Kingdom: you pay VAT and any duty on delivery, and we estimate them before you commit. If you’re importing to sell, you’ll also need a GB EORI number.

Payment options, fees and the full process are on our page about buying from Vietnam and shipping worldwide.

How we handle coffee shipments

We pick up from your hotel in HCMC and Da Nang. Our team checks that all packaging is sealed, prepares the customs declaration (listing each coffee type and quantity), and ships via DHL, FedEx, or UPS.

Delivery time: 2-5 business days depending on destination.

Ready to ship your coffee home? Get an instant quote on our dedicated coffee shipping page → – packing tips, customs rules by country, and a quote in under 30 minutes.

Want to compare options? Check what items you can ship or get a free quote – just tell us how much coffee and where it’s going.