ANNEES STORY
Established in 2014, Annee's Caphê Sua Da is Australia's first free standing Vietnamese iced coffee bar. On arrival to Australia, owner and founder Annee Nguyen, immediately recognised the robust and rife coffee drinking culture. However, only seeing Italian espresso style coffee vastly available, Annee recognised the opportunity for people to experience something different and special. Vietnamese coffee is a strong coffee with the traditional combination of condensed milk, it offers something exciting and delicious. Living in tropical Far North Queensland, where the climate is similar to that of Vietnam, Annee believed an offering of Vietnamese iced coffee would be nothing short of perfect.
Supplemented with very little budget, Annee took her first steps in to the coffee business with a tiny $20 stall at the iconic Rusty's Market in Cairns. Able to source Vietnamese coffee and basic brewing supplies, Annee brewed up her first batch of offering in the farmers market. At first, she was met with curiosity and scepticism surrounding the combination of coffee and condensed milk, but slowly, Annee won over the caffeinated hearts of Cairns' coffee drinkers and its community.
Annee's Caphê Sua Da - Rustys Market 2014
THE ANNEE'S EFFECT
From the tiny stall, Annee moved to a hole in the wall shop, that at most times was filled with clambering Guests on top of one another, ordering, chatting, and waiting for their names to be called out before finally having their taste buds sparked by their favourite Annee’s Vietnamese iced coffee.
Annee soon realised that it wasn't just the delicious coffee that everyone came back for. From the personalised cup, to the care and love that went into creating each coffee, Annee had taken the time to create a memorable experience for every Guest. She believed in creating human connections and building relationships with her community, and quickly realised that she could provide A-Piece of Happiness that went beyond coffee.
Annee's Caphê Sua Da - Rustys Market 2016
THE ANNEE'S MISSION
As the Annee's Caphê Sua Da brand develops and expands into multiple locations, our mission remains the same, to provide A-Piece of Happiness to the world. With an ever growing community of A-Team Members and customers, our aim is to continue Annee's mission throughout all aspects of the Annee's Caphê Sua Da brand. We aim to serve our community with a daily caffeine boost in the form of our delicious Vietnamese iced coffee; and through the positive experiences we create with Our Guests. We aim to be a place where we nurture and develop our A-Team to help them find their purpose and live out their passion.
WHAT IS ANNEE'S COFFEE?
Annee's coffee has evolved to offer a modern take on the traditional Vietnamese iced coffee. Adopting a blend of traditional Phin filter brewing methods, combined with an exclusive, yet reputable cold brewing process, Annee's has created a unique Vietnamese iced coffee experience.
What makes Annee's coffee special, is that each drink is personalised to its customer before a specially trained coffee tender runs the freshly brewed drip coffee and crisp cold brew through an aerated tap, resulting in a perfectly smooth and well-rounded cup.
From there, a small amount of condensed milk and plenty of ice is incorporated into the coffee using Annee's unique shaking method, further chilling the drink and adding the perfect balance of sweetness. Although specialising in Vietnamese iced coffee, Annee's Caphê Sua Da has adapted an iced drinks menu to offer something for every taste.
THE UNSEEN BEAN
In 1857, French-Catholic missionaries introduced single Arabica coffee to Vietnam for trade purposes and from there, Vietnamese farmers cultivated the coffee and created an empire that is now the single largest exporter of Robusta coffee beans in the world.
Unfortunately, the Robusta bean hasn't always been given the value it deserves. Often being snubbed by speciality coffee lovers, the Robusta bean has unfortunately developed a reputation for poor flavour, only to be used in instant coffee. However, going unrecognised, the Robusta bean contains a higher caffeine content than its popular Arabica counterpart. This is one of the reasons why Robusta coffee yields a slightly bitter flavour, along with a bolder, stronger taste. Flexing a higher antioxidant content, as well as chlorogenic acid, Robusta coffee is resistant to disease and insects, resulting in a cup of coffee that is actually better for you. Not only this, the Robusta bean has a lower fat content than other coffee bean varieties, so no need to feel bad for that second cup!
To date, the Arabica bean has been overwhelmingly given more resources and investments through the supply chain, which has created a great impact on the cultivation incentives and essentially, the final cup. Moreover, the Robusta bean has essentially been a fruit that has been cultivated and grown differently; if Robusta was given the same attention and care, it is likely that it would result in a higher cupping score and appreciated with the same respect, if not more than its coffee bean peers.
WHY VIETNAMESE COFFEE IN AUSTRALIA?
Hasn't Arabica reigned long enough? It's time for Robusta to take its rightful place in the mainstream market. The use of the Robusta bean, especially in Vietnamese coffee helps to incentivise Vietnamese farmers to improve the quality of this coffee bean production. At Annee’s, we drive to support Vietnam’s coffee cultivation that is striving toward a sustainable agricultural practice. With over 300,000 Vietnamese people calling Australia their home, it’s now the time to give recognition to a commodity that brings both Vietnamese and Australian cultures together, boldly. It's now the time for the world to experience Vietnamese coffee for what it really is.
