The Tao of Coffee:From Beans to Beauty
Miss Grand International 2021 on being a role model for the younger generation and showcasing the beauty of Vietnam on the global stage.
“Miss… Grand…,” says the announcer, building suspense with every dramatic pause, “Vietnam!” Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien’s knees buckle in disbelief before she quickly regains her composure. With confetti swirling around her, she is crowned Miss Grand International 2021, the first Vietnamese woman to achieve this title.
For the beauty queen, the crown represents more than just a personal achievement; it is a life-changing opportunity that strengthens her belief in sharing her Vietnamese culture with the world. “With enough passion and enough patience, everything is possible,” says Thuy Tien. “Dare to dream,” she adds, explaining that her achievements are a testament to the power of pursuing dreams with mindfulness and purpose. “Believe in yourself.”
Her desire to promote Vietnam on the global stage is mirrored by Trung Nguyen Legend, a homegrown coffee producer and distributor with which Thuy Tien works closely, and which exports worldwide including to the US, China, UK, and EU and ASEAN markets. “I really appreciate Trung Nguyen Legend’s achievements in sharing Vietnamese culture with the world,” says Thuy Tien. “I admire their passion for coffee and their dedication, not just for their own benefit but for the entire country.” In its effort to develop Vietnam’s coffee culture, the company is planning to transform Buon Ma Thuot, the birthplace of Trung Nguyen Legend in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, into a themed ‘The Coffee City of the World.’
The Resilient Robusta
Thuy Tien is passionate about showcasing Vietnamese culture, emphasizing the diversity found in everything from cuisine to experiences. “We have a variety of ways to drink coffee in Vietnam,” says Thuy Tien, “depending on your mood.” She fondly recalls how the women in her family enjoy ca phe sua da—Vietnam’s iconic iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk—which has now become her personal favorite.
Coffee first arrived in Vietnam in the mid-1800s, brought by the French who recognized the country’s ideal climate for its cultivation. Today, the Southeast Asian country has become one of the world’s largest coffee exporters. “Robusta beans reflect the defining characteristics of the Vietnamese people and our country: strength, resilience, and fortitude, alongside societal harmony. These qualities not only provide stability in our volatile and uncertain world, but also form the core foundation of the world-renowned Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk,” says Duong Hai Dang, Chairman Assistant of Trung Nguyen Legend.
Combining these virtues into a symbolic experience, Trung Nguyen Legend’s chairman, Dang Le Nguyen Vu, has developed a unique coffee meditation method specially designed to “draw inspiration, energy, and wisdom from coffee and its vast heritage” in pursuit of what he calls the ‘Tao of Coffee.’ According to Chairman Vu, the meditation practice is aimed at fostering mindfulness and holistic prosperity by embodying the principles of the Tao of Coffee: harmony, respect, purity, tranquility, accountability, and nurturing.
Just as Thuy Tien exemplifies the beauty of Vietnam, ca phe sua da similarly represents the charm of Vietnamese coffee culture, taking center stage in the coffee meditation experience. “Through our coffee meditation experience,” explains Hai Dang, “we hope to inspire participants to elevate their self-awareness, transform their passion into compassion, and develop patience into resilience in the face of greater responsibilities.”
Participants in the basic half-hour coffee meditation experience engage in mindfulness practices as they await their coffee’s brew. Deliberate sips of coffee are savored as guests reflect on the resilience of the Robusta beans, appreciating the labor and heritage that come together in each cup, before they’re invited to share their own stories over coffee.
Thuy Tien herself is no stranger to mindful practices, incorporating brief daily meditation sessions into her wellness routine, which also includes Pilates.
Meditation gives me time to relax and find balance, but ca phe sua da meditation provides both mindfulness and energy at the same time.
Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, Miss Grand International 2021
Beauty with Purpose
Passion and patience have brought Thuy Tien to where she is today, and having been crowned Miss Grand International, she is now using her voice to nurture compassion and resilience in others. With her platform, she launched the ‘Cheer Up’ project, aiming to donate over 60 play areas to children’s hospitals across Vietnam to boost the spirits of pediatric patients. She also uses her social media influence to encourage her followers to register for organ donation and explore other ways to give back to society. Additionally, her STEPbyTIEN project aims to inspire and guide high school and university students on their post-graduation paths.
Thuy Tien has also partnered with Trung Nguyen Legend to promote the company’s E-Coffee program. The startup franchise model, explains Hai Dang, follows from the company’s previous ‘Journey from the Heart’ program of gifting books to inspire Vietnam’s youth. The program currently has 700 outlets in operation, which the company projects will double by summer 2025.
The Trung Nguyen E-Coffee initiative represents a culmination of the company’s strategy to elevate Vietnamese coffee culture, drawing inspiration from the holistic approach the Japanese take with their traditional tea ceremonies. This vision encompasses the physical ca phe sua da coffee, a spiritual dimension through meditation, and a societal component with Trung Nguyen E-Coffee aimed at nation-building and empowering the youth.
One day, when people think of coffee, they will think of Vietnam.
Dang Le Nguyen Vu, Chairman, Trung Nguyen Legend
