# Debbie Wei Mullin

> Debbie Wei Mullin is the Vietnamese-American founder of Copper Cow Coffee, which brings Vietnamese coffee to American consumers through pour-over kits, creamers and bagged coffee. An economics graduate of UC Berkeley with a master’s degree from MIT, she previously worked at the World Bank. Her business combines family food traditions with a focus on sourcing relationships and opportunities for Vietnamese farmers. In August 2026 she announced her transition from CEO to Chief Coffee Officer, while remaining on the board.

- **Role:** Founder & Chief Coffee Officer at Copper Cow Coffee
- **Organizations:** Copper Cow Coffee, World Bank, The Asia Foundation
- **Nationality:** American (Vietnamese-American)
- **Education:** BA in Economics, University of California, Berkeley, Master’s degree in international development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- **Known for:** Built Copper Cow Coffee into a nationally distributed U.S. coffee brand., Company raised a $2 million seed round in 2018 and an $8.5 million Series A in 2021., Helped develop a certified organic Vietnamese coffee supply chain.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2016** — Worked in international development, including finance and supply chain management at the World Bank; also worked at the Asia Foundation.
- **2014** — Began selling a line of Vietnamese cooking ingredients.
- **2016** — Started building Copper Cow Coffee from her sister’s garage.
- **2017** — Launched Copper Cow Coffee commercially.
- **2018** — Graduated from 500 Startups in June; company raised a $2 million seed round in December.
- **2021** — Appeared on Shark Tank; Copper Cow Coffee announced an $8.5 million Series A.
- **2025** — Discussed building a certified organic Vietnamese coffee supply chain on Shopify Masters.
- **2026** — Announced on August 26 that she was stepping back from daily CEO operations to become Chief Coffee Officer and continue serving on the board.

## Achievements

- Built Copper Cow Coffee into a nationally distributed U.S. coffee brand.
- Company raised a $2 million seed round in 2018 and an $8.5 million Series A in 2021.
- Helped develop a certified organic Vietnamese coffee supply chain.
- Appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2021.
- Started a women’s wrestling team in high school and captained both the men’s and women’s teams as a senior.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — On August 26, announced her transition from CEO to Chief Coffee Officer, retaining a board seat and describing herself as the company’s largest shareholder.
- **2026-03** — Appeared with Sarah LaFleur on Amanpour and Company to discuss navigating tariff uncertainty.
- **2025-09** — Featured on episode 737 of The Kara Goldin Show, discussing brand building and Vietnamese coffee.
- **2025-07** — Featured on Shopify Masters and in Shopify’s July 1 article about retail growth and organic sourcing.

## Links

- Website: https://coppercowcoffee.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-mullin-308a168/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbieweimullin/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/debbie-wei-mullin
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-11