Nguyen Hoai Nam, business development manager at coffee solutions provider Cubes Asia, told VIR that Vietnam’s food and beverages (F&B) market will evolve in phases, emphasising the importance of catering to a diverse range of customer groups.

“Over the next three years, the market will see both horizontal and vertical growth. Local brands will emerge as strong contenders, as they have the in-depth understanding of regional tastes. Each part of Vietnam has distinct culinary preferences: northern consumers have different tastes from those in the central region, and both differ from southern consumers,” Nam said.

Discussing corporate strategy and market expansion, Nam pointed to Highlands Coffee as an example of a successful business model. He noted that brands focusing on storytelling, coupled with structured and modern operations, will have an edge in attracting investors and business partners.

“Highlands started with Vietnamese coffee beans and the traditional phin brewing method. However, they adapted by incorporating espresso-based brewing to offer a wider variety of coffee flavours while maintaining their Vietnamese identity,” he said.

Furthermore, by transitioning to espresso machines, Highlands Coffee has rebranded itself as a modern and professional chain. As their equipment provider, Cubes Asia has also benefited, gaining greater market reach.

“The synergy between Highlands Coffee’s high-quality Vietnamese coffee and our advanced coffee machine solutions creates significant value for consumers,” Nam said.

Takahiro Inomata, general manager at Fujiseiki Co., Ltd, a Japanese company specialising in cutting-edge food processing technology, sees Vietnam’s F&B market as a fertile ground for investment.

“With a 90 per cent market share in Japan, we approach Vietnam by first collaborating with local distributors, assessing the market, and then making deeper investments. If the conditions are right, a joint venture model is what we envision,” Inomata said.

“From our initial observations, the demand for convenient, takeaway food and beverages is growing rapidly. Vietnamese consumers are smart and increasingly prioritise convenience and speed. This presents an opportunity for the expansion of ready-to-eat and grab-and-go food models. We believe that the quality of our machines will help deliver nutritious and hygienic meals to consumers,” he added.

Lola Wan, sales director at smart kitchen appliance group Shanghai Ronnie Technology, shared internal data from her company, reinforcing that Vietnam’s F&B industry was experiencing strong growth.

“Higher disposable income allows consumers to indulge more. That’s when we started seeing a rising interest in premium coffee experiences, automation in coffee preparation, and a shift towards convenience. Consumers are seeking high-quality products and innovative brewing solutions,” Wan said.

Viewing Vietnam as a long-term market, Wan outlined a phased expansion strategy when asked about specific plans for growth in the country.

“In the short term, the plan is to establish a strong distribution network and build brand awareness. A team composed of engineers and sales representatives will visit Vietnam more frequently to support our partners and gain deeper insights into market needs,” Wan said.

In the medium term, the aim is to set up an official office in Vietnam to oversee sales, marketing, and customer support.

“If market conditions are favourable, we may even establish a local production facility in the coming years. Ultimately, our goal is to make Vietnam one of our key markets in the region,” Wan added.