Recently, I read an interesting article about why Starbucks cannot crack Vietnam, a coffee-loving nation (BBC News, Aug 4, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66167222). Vietnam is known as the world's second largest exporter of the brew. They just love coffee. Ten years ago Starbucks arrived in Vietnam; however, in 2022 Starbucks accounted for just 2% of Vietnam's $1.2bn coffee-drinking market, according to Euromonitor International. Why?
One of the reasons is that the Starbucks menu is not diverse enough as well as pricey. To be more precise, it is not localized or contextualized enough. The Java chip frappuccinos and pumpkin spiced lattes couldn't cut it in Vietnam. Today, some local Vietnamese brands make egg coffee, yogurt coffee, fruit coffee, coconut coffee, etc.
In addition, unlike other places in the world, Vietnamese prefer to drink Robusta rather than Arabica beans. In the 19th Century, French colonizers introduced Arabica coffee to Vietnam. But it didn't adapt well to the country's climate and soil. Then, the French brought Robusta plants which thrived. Robusta has more caffeine and a stronger flavor, while Arabica is more subtle and has a complex flavor. Starbucks uses 100% Arabica beans, whereas most of the local Vietnamese use Robusta. History reveals why.
The more I learn about the history of our church and our community, the more I fall in love with it. The more I get to know each person in the congregation, the more fascinated I become. In particular, as I was putting together the upcoming four Sunday services of the three churches, I realized how wonderfully, how fearfully each church is made of. Each part is called to serve according to their gifts - from greeters, to coffee hour hostesses, to musicians, to children's message speakers, to scripture readers, to preachers, to tech persons, to acolytes, to communion stewards... how rich, how diverse, how beautiful it is. I feel like our church is a local coffee shop that offers contextualized specialty coffee.
My family and I are grateful that we are part of this community of faith. We are grateful that we are able to visit our family and friends in Korea for a month (Aug 7 to Sep 7) thanks to your prayers and support. Please pray for us.
God be with you till we meet again.
In Christ,
Pastor Victor
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