The country had about 329,200 F&B outlets as of end-June, down just 0.1% from the end of 2025.

The near-stable outlet count is notable because the first half of the year typically brings a sharp shakeout in the sector, reads the report. iPOS.vn is a Hanoi-based company providing management and sales solutions for the F&B industry.

Following Tet, or Lunar New Year holiday, businesses with weak cash flow or unstable operating models often leave the market, causing outlet numbers to fall before recovering toward year-end.

The marginal decline this year suggests closures have slowed, while new openings have largely offset businesses exiting the market, iPOS said.

The trend points to a more stable and increasingly professional F&B market, with businesses placing greater emphasis on operating fundamentals and expansion planning.

Industry revenue hikes 6.55%

Vietnam’s F&B industry generated an estimated VND432.7 trillion ($16.7 billion) in revenue during H1, up from VND406.1 trillion ($15.68 billion) a year earlier, or 6.55%.

The growth rate was slightly above the 5.5% increase recorded for the full year of 2025, pointing to continued consumer demand despite a challenging operating environment.

More than half of F&B businesses, or 52.01%, said they planned to open additional outlets or expand their operations in H2/2026. The figure was down from 57.31% in the previous survey, although it still represented a majority of the market.

The lower proportion should be viewed in the context of the shorter planning horizon, as businesses planning for the full year naturally have more room for expansion than those making decisions for only the remaining six months.

Seasonality could also support expansion in H2. The cooler weather in northern Vietnam typically benefits hotpot, barbecue and group-dining formats, which tend to perform less strongly during the summer.

The fourth quarter is also a major consumption period, with Christmas, New Year's celebrations, and preparations for the Lunar New Year driving demand. Many chains therefore open new outlets ahead of the peak season to capture additional traffic.

As a result, the 52.01% expansion rate signals not only continued confidence in the market but also the potential for another wave of store openings in H2, iPOS noted.

However, the company said the market is increasingly favoring businesses with sufficient financial and operational strength to expand at the right time, rather than those pursuing growth at any cost.

Stronger operators move to secure prime locations

Well-capitalized businesses are increasingly using the post-Tet period to expand, taking advantage of larger and better-located premises returning to the market.

Nguyen Do Anh Quan, iPOS.vn brand director, said this has triggered increasingly calculated and large-scale searches for retail locations.

Highlands Coffee provides a prominent example. In June, the Vietnamese coffee chain opened its 1,000th outlet at 28 Thanh Nien street in Hanoi's Tay Ho ward. The site had previously been occupied by another chain, Laika Cafe.

The shift suggests that competition in the F&B market is moving beyond simply opening more stores, with location selection becoming an increasingly important part of expansion strategies.