Đặng Lê Nguyên Vũ
"Vietnam's Coffee King" — the man who brought Vietnamese coffee to 60+ countries
Who is Đặng Lê Nguyên Vũ?
Dang Le Nguyen Vu (born 1971 in M'Drak, Dak Lak) is the "King of Vietnamese Coffee" — Chairman of Trung Nguyen Legend and founder of the G7 instant coffee brand. From a farmer's son who dropped out of medical school, he built Trung Nguyen into a coffee empire present in 60+ countries; G7 has held 38% of Vietnam's instant coffee market share for 9 straight years. Forbes Asia featured him in its "Zero to Hero" series.
Notable Quotes
“You must have a warrior spirit. Think big. Even with the smallest product, you must think about selling it globally.”
“If Vietnamese businesses don't dare to venture into the open sea, facing the fierce waves, they'll forever be swimming in a small pond.”
“Fix where you fail — fix the strategy if the strategy is wrong, fix the execution if execution is wrong.”
Advice
Think big from the smallest product
Whether you sell phở, coffee, or bánh mì — think about how your product can serve the whole world.
Fix where you fail, never quit
Wrong strategy? Fix the strategy. Wrong execution? Fix the execution. The only way to truly fail is to stop.
No money? Then have grit
For entrepreneurs, willpower and hard work are your first capital. Money comes after you've proven you can deliver.
Key Highlights
- ✓Founded Trung Nguyên (1996) from Buôn Ma Thuột; G7 held 38% instant coffee market share for 9 years
- ✓Forbes Asia & National Geographic named him "Vietnam's Coffee King" (2012)
- ✓Present in 60+ countries with thousands of franchise stores nationwide
- ✓Invested 500+ billion VND in "Creative for Vietnamese Aspirations" — donating books to youth
Biography
Đặng Lê Nguyên Vũ was born on February 10, 1971 in Ninh Hòa, Khánh Hòa to a poor farming family. In 1979, his family moved to M'Drắk, a mountainous district of Đắk Lắk. He enrolled in Medical School at Tây Nguyên University in 1992 but soon dropped out to pursue his passion for coffee. In 1996, he founded Trung Nguyên Coffee in Buôn Ma Thuột — Vietnam's coffee capital. By 1998, the first store opened in Ho Chi Minh City and rapidly expanded through franchising, becoming Vietnam's largest coffee chain. From 2003, the G7 instant coffee brand led the domestic market with 38% share for 9 consecutive years. Trung Nguyên now exports to over 60 countries. In 2012, Forbes Asia named him "Vietnam's Coffee King" for his "Zero to Hero" journey. He pursues the philosophy of "Coffee Philosophy" — elevating coffee from commerce to a life philosophy, with the ambition of making Vietnam a "global coffee mecca."
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Articles & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
›Who is Dang Le Nguyen Vu?
Dang Le Nguyen Vu (born 1971 in M'Drak, Dak Lak) is the "King of Vietnamese Coffee" — Chairman of Trung Nguyen Legend and founder of the G7 instant coffee brand. From a farmer's son who dropped out of medical school, he built Trung Nguyen into a coffee empire in 60+ countries.
›Who owns Trung Nguyen Coffee?
Trung Nguyen Coffee was founded by Dang Le Nguyen Vu in 1996 in Buon Ma Thuot. After a highly publicized dispute with his ex-wife Le Hoang Diep Thao, he retained control of Trung Nguyen Legend, while she went on to found TNI King Coffee.
›Who owns the G7 coffee brand?
G7 is an instant coffee brand launched by Dang Le Nguyen Vu in 2003, part of Trung Nguyen. G7 has held 38% of Vietnam's instant coffee market share for 9 consecutive years, competing directly with Nescafé and Vinacafé.
›What has Dang Le Nguyen Vu been recognized for?
Forbes Asia featured him in its "Zero to Hero" series — recognizing his journey from a farmer's son in M'Drak to becoming the "King of Vietnamese Coffee". He is one of the most internationally covered Vietnamese entrepreneurs.
›How many Trung Nguyen coffee stores are there?
Trung Nguyen Legend runs hundreds of coffee stores in Vietnam and has a presence in 60+ countries via direct stores, distribution deals and franchising. The chain focuses on building a "coffee culture" rather than simply selling drinks.
Other Experts
David Thái
First overseas Vietnamese to start a private company in Hanoi — founder of Vietnam's largest coffee chain
Nguyễn Hải Ninh
Serial entrepreneur — from Urban Station to The Coffee House, M Village, and Every Half
Ngô Nguyên Kha
CEO of The Coffee House — from Sony Ericsson Country Manager and Mobiistar founder to leading a major coffee chain
Trần Nhật Quang
Pioneer of Vietnam's first farm-to-cup Arabica coffee model
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