Import Coffee, Cashews & Pepper from Vietnam

Vietnam is the world's largest producer of robusta coffee, grown in the Central Highlands, and the largest exporter of black pepper and cashew kernels. All three move through Ho Chi Minh City's ports to US roasters, food manufacturers and distributors, mostly in 20ft containers loaded to weight.

These are among the simpler imports from Vietnam on tariffs — coffee and spices are exempt from the 12.5% Section 301 layer — and the work is in food safety and in keeping the cargo dry. We work through WCA partner agents in Vietnam (AGF has no office there), entries are filed by our licensed customs brokers, and FDA prior notice is filed with the entry.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Shipping Coffee, Cashews & Pepper from Vietnam to USA

Green coffee ships in 60 kg bags or in a bulk liner. As a planning guide, a 20ft takes about 320 bags (19.2 tonnes), or more in a liner. Cashew kernels travel vacuum-packed in cartons or tins, and pepper in bags; both are dense enough that a 20ft is the usual box. The risk on this lane is condensation: cargo loaded in humid southern Vietnam cools as it crosses the Pacific, and moisture can drip onto the top tiers. Kraft-paper lining, desiccants and dry, well-ventilated loading prevent it.

Direct sailings from Cai Mep–Thi Vai reach Los Angeles and Long Beach in about 21–23 days, or about 28–32 days via Cat Lai and Singapore. Plan on about 35 days to New York and about 40 to Savannah. Robusta is harvested in the Central Highlands from around October, export volumes rise in the months that follow, and space tightens before Tết (6 February in 2027).

20ft containers loaded to weight: about 320 bags of 60 kg green coffee
Condensation control: liners, kraft paper and desiccants
Cashews vacuum-packed; pepper in clean, food-grade bags
Direct Cai Mep–Thi Vai to Los Angeles/Long Beach: about 21–23 days

What Drives the Cost

Product and packing: bagged or bulk coffee, cartons or tins of cashews
Whether each line is exempt from the 12.5% Section 301 layer — coffee and spices are; cashews are checked per line
FDA examination and sampling, and the storage while it happens
Condensation protection and any steam treatment of pepper
Routing and the destination port — many roasters are on the East Coast
Delivery to a roaster, warehouse or food plant

HS Codes and Duty Notes

Classification guidance only — duty rates change and depend on your exact product. Our licensed customs brokers verify every code before you commit to an order.

HS Code	Products	Notes
0901.11	Green coffee, not roasted, not decaffeinated	Zero normal duty and exempt from the 12.5% Section 301 layer.
0901.21 / 2101.11	Roasted coffee; instant coffee and extracts	Whether each roasted or instant line is covered by the coffee exemption is checked per line — instant coffee classifies outside heading 0901.
0904.11 / 0904.12	Black pepper, whole or ground	Spices are exempt from the 12.5% layer. FDA pays close attention to pathogens in pepper.
0801.32	Cashew nuts, shelled (kernels)	Zero normal duty; whether the 12.5% layer applies is confirmed per line at quoting.

Regulations and Compliance

FDA registration and prior notice

The processor or packer must hold an FDA food facility registration, and prior notice must be filed before the cargo arrives, within the timeframes for ocean freight. Late or inaccurate prior notice means refusal at the port. We file it with the entry.

FSVP — the importer's responsibility

Under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, the US importer must assess the hazards of each food and verify that each Vietnamese supplier controls them, with records available to the FDA. For coffee, mycotoxins and pesticides are the usual hazards; for pepper and cashews, Salmonella and other pathogens. Have the FSVP in place before the first shipment.

Pathogens, residues and import alerts

Spices and nuts are sampled for Salmonella, and pepper is often steam-treated before export to meet buyers' specifications. Pesticide residues must be within EPA tolerances. Suppliers with a history of violations can be on an FDA import alert, which means detention without physical examination — check before you contract.

The 12.5% Section 301 layer and its exemptions

Most Vietnamese goods have paid a 12.5% Section 301 layer since 24 July 2026, but coffee and spices are exempt. Cashews and processed products are checked line by line. A Vietnam-only intellectual-property investigation and the US–Vietnam trade deal are still open, so the position is verified at quoting.

Country of origin and transshipment

Origin is the country of last substantial transformation. Coffee and pepper grown in Vietnam are Vietnamese; many Vietnamese cashew kernels, though, are processed from raw nuts grown in West Africa or Cambodia, and whether shelling and grading in Vietnam changes the origin is a question our licensed customs brokers settle per product. CBP polices origin through EAPA investigations and penalties under 19 USC 1592, and a Vietnamese Form B certificate (issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade since 5 May 2025) is evidence, not a decision. AGF will not ship cargo whose origin documents we cannot stand behind.

Door-to-Door Import Service

We start with the product specification, the supplier's FDA registration and your FSVP: that settles the paperwork before the contract is signed. Our WCA partner agent in Vietnam collects from the processor or warehouse, checks dry loading and condensation protection, and handles export customs and the phytosanitary or quality certificates your contract calls for.

Ocean to Los Angeles and Long Beach takes about 21–23 days on a direct sailing, longer to the East Coast. Prior notice and the entry are filed by our licensed customs brokers, and we deliver to your roaster, warehouse or food plant. Quotes are door to door, with exclusions listed up front.

Ocean Freight Customs Warehousing Ground Transport

Frequently Asked Questions

Is coffee from Vietnam subject to the new US tariff?

No. Coffee and spices are exempt from the 12.5% Section 301 layer that most Vietnamese goods have paid since 24 July 2026, and green coffee has a zero normal duty. Cashews are checked line by line. Our licensed customs brokers confirm the position for your exact HS code at quoting.

What FDA requirements apply to importing coffee or spices from Vietnam?

The supplier's facility must be registered with the FDA, prior notice must be filed before arrival, and you as the importer need a Foreign Supplier Verification Program for each supplier. Spices and nuts are sampled for Salmonella, and suppliers on an FDA import alert face detention without examination.

How much coffee fits in a 20ft container?

About 320 bags of 60 kg — roughly 19.2 tonnes — or more in a bulk liner. A 20ft container reaches its weight limit before it is full, which is why coffee rarely ships in 40ft boxes.

Are Vietnamese cashews Vietnamese origin?

Not always. Vietnam processes large volumes of raw cashews grown in West Africa and Cambodia, and whether shelling, peeling and grading in Vietnam changes the origin for US customs is decided per product. The answer affects marking and which tariffs apply, so we settle it before the first shipment.

Coffee, Cashews & Pepper is just one example. AGF ships whatever your business moves — on this lane and beyond. If your commodity isn't covered by one of our guides, tell us what you ship and we'll build the logistics around it.