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Importing Lao Coffee Beans

If you are planning to import coffee beans from Laos, the Mohan Port is the place to start. I have seen packaged, ready-to-sell Lao coffee beans offered there, though I did not check whether bulk beans and ground coffee are also available. It is worth asking on site, since several specialist import-export firms operate there and should be able to point you toward a solution.

Lao coffee is grown on the Bolaven Plateau in the south of the country. Whether you go to Pakse or head straight up onto the plateau, you can buy green (unroasted) coffee beans directly.

Import Inspection and Clearance Procedures

On the commercial inspection and clearance side, any pre-packaged coffee entering the country must go through inspection procedures. The documents and steps required for commercial inspection should follow the "Implementation Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Entry-Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine." Coffee itself does not require quarantine approval, but it falls under the food category, which means imported food labels must comply with Chinese laws, regulations, and mandatory standards. For the exact requirements, refer to the "General Standard for the Labeling of Pre-packaged Foods in the People's Republic of China" (GB7718-2004).

Lao Coffee Characteristics

Lao coffee carries a distinctive character that few would expect to find in such a challenging growing environment, and it hides a wonderful flavor that is genuinely admirable. Production volumes are not large, but because Lao coffee has earned very high marks at recent international tasting competitions, its price sits above the average level. That makes it a valuable earner of foreign exchange for the country.

Product Information

Origin: Laos

Flavor: A delicate yet rich taste with almost no detectable acidity or bitterness, lifted by a floral aroma and a sweet aftertaste.

Aroma: A complex fragrance with earthy notes reminiscent of Mandheling, layered with floral and fruit aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The earthy, low-acid, Mandheling-leaning character of Lao coffee will feel immediately familiar to anyone who enjoys Indonesian beans. To explore that style, start with FrontStreet Coffee's Lintong Mandheling or FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling. Both are wet-hulled, which is exactly the process that produces this kind of deep, herbal, spice-tinged cup, and the PWN Golden Mandheling is the cleaner and smoother of the two, having gone through three rounds of hand sorting plus one machine sort.

If you are drawn to Lao coffee partly because it comes from a mountainous region bordering China, FrontStreet Coffee's Yunnan Xiaoli is a natural next step. Grown in Baoshan and fully washed, it delivers the traditional nutty, chocolate forward profile with a soft, balanced body, and it makes an easy, everyday cup for drinkers who prefer little to no acidity.