Coffee industry grows 133% on online market in first 6 months of year

In the first half of 2025, coffee industry revenue on e-commerce skyrocketed 133%, social media interactions exploded by 324%.

Customers order drinks at a Highlands coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TTD

The latest report from market data analysis platform YouNet Media shows that the Vietnamese coffee industry is strongly shifting to the digital space, thanks to the increasingly popular habit of shopping for drinks via e-commerce.

This trend not only opens up new growth opportunities, but also pushes brands into fierce competition for market share.

"Hot" growth in e-commerce

Data from the YouNet ECI platform shows that coffee industry revenue on e-commerce platforms in the first 6 months of 2025 increased by 133% compared to the same period in 2024. On social networks, the total number of discussions about coffee shop chains increased by 46.21%, while total interactions broke through by 324%.

It is noteworthy that many long-standing brands such as Highlands Coffee or Trung Nguyen Legend do not hesitate to enter the new "playground" through livestream sales on social networking platforms, especially TikTok Shop.

In terms of presence, Highlands Coffee continues to hold the leading position with 199,281 discussions in the first 6 months of 2025. Analysts say the success of this brand comes from the combination of a diverse communication campaign and a widespread "offline touchpoint" system, creating a resonance effect on social networks.

Starbucks and Trung Nguyen Legend also made their mark when they both increased three places compared to the first half of 2024, reaching 197,562 and 105,322 discussions, respectively. While Starbucks attracted attention with unique merchandise collections and seasonal campaigns, Trung Nguyen Legend focused on rejuvenating its image and expanding its customer base.

Phuc Long maintained its position in the top 5 thanks to its parallel expansion of its store system and its participation in national events. Meanwhile, The Coffee House and Katinat stood out for their ability to capture new beverage trends, especially matcha and seasonal collections, while promoting creative content strategies on digital platforms.

According to YouNet Media experts, e-commerce is becoming an indispensable channel, opening up a large space for brands to expand their customer reach. "This shift clearly reflects businesses' awareness of new consumer behavior, as customers are increasingly familiar with and confident in shopping for F&B products online, instead of just stopping at in-store experiences," the report stated.

The Top 10 leading brands not only reflect the strength of long-standing "giants", but also show the opportunity for new brands to break through if they know how to take advantage of the right media trends and connect with the community.

When the brand "goes on air" with the national spirit

The coffee shop is decorated with flags and flowers, attracting many customers to check in on September 2 - Photo: NHAT XUAN

The first half of 2025 is also a time when the whole country is bustling with many important national events. This wave of community emotions has been creatively captured and exploited by coffee brands, creating a distinct highlight in their communication strategy.

YouNet Media's report noted that instead of just stopping at slogans, brands have cleverly attached national values ​​to products and marketing campaigns.

Accordingly, Starbucks launched a Vietnamese version of ceramic cups, Phuc Long accompanied the April 30th military parade, Highlands launched the "Vietnamese paper cups" campaign...

These initiatives not only help brands spread strongly on social networks, but also "sell" more than a cup of coffee: cultural values, pride and social empathy.

Ms. Mai Cam Linh - Business Director of YouNet Media - analyzed: "In an era where consumers do not only choose to buy based on price or quality, emotional factors and cultural harmony become competitive levers. When brands tell stories at the right time, in a specific context and accompanied by practical actions, they will win the trust and long-term affection of customers."

However, she also warned that to maintain this engagement, businesses need to nurture positive emotions in a sustainable way, rather than just chasing short-term trends.

NHAT XUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nganh-ca-phe-tang-truong-133-tren-cho-mang-trong-6-thang-dau-nam-20250913144736274.htm