F&B market in Thai Nguyen: Opportunities from new consumption trends

F&B industry (short for Food and Beverage) - the food and beverage business is emerging as one of the dynamically developing service sectors in Thai Nguyen. As the economic and educational center of the Northern midland and mountainous region, Thai Nguyen is witnessing a strong transformation of the F&B market, as people's consumption behavior changes significantly and the need to experience modern culinary services is increasing.

Báo Thái Nguyên•08/05/2025

Customers choose drinks at Starbeans tea shop on Bac Son street (Thai Nguyen city).

According to statistics, in Thai Nguyen city alone, there are currently about 1,640 food service establishments and 629 street food establishments. This number not only reflects the growing demand for food consumption of urban residents but also shows the strong vitality of the F&B industry in the local service economic structure. If in the past, the criteria for choosing a restaurant was simply price, now consumers are increasingly interested in the quality of ingredients, experience space and the healthy factor in each product. Beverage shops or "machine-brewed milk tea - healthy" models are becoming a popular trend in Thai Nguyen.

Mr. Le Tuan Anh, at Group 15, Hoang Van Thu Ward (Thai Nguyen City), is the person behind many successful F&B brands in Thai Nguyen such as Starbeans Vietnam, Bun Co Do..., he shared: With a spirit of learning and constant efforts in improving product quality, while clearly defining the target customer segment, the brands I have built have gradually established a solid position in the market. The F&B industry develops rapidly but is also very harshly eliminated, where competition comes not only from price, but also from experience and innovation.

If you do not maintain quality, constantly innovate products or invest in your brand, your business will easily be forgotten by customers. That is why my team and I are always proactive in updating trends, adjusting the menu, refreshing the space and improving the service style to retain customers. - Mr. Le Tuan Anh

With the strong development of food delivery applications and cashless payment platforms, Thai Nguyen people are increasingly adapting to the "touch and get food" lifestyle. From large restaurants to small eateries, most have proactively digitized their business processes from ordering via QR code, home delivery, to implementing promotional programs via Zalo, Facebook fanpage to enhance customer experience.

Customers enjoy drinks at Thai LAB tea shop on Bac Son street (Thai Nguyen city).

A notable highlight in the local F&B landscape is that brands have taken advantage of specialty ingredients such as Thai Nguyen tea to develop creative and distinctive menus. Drinks such as cold brewed tea from Tan Cuong tea are gradually becoming a favorite choice of young people, satisfying their taste buds while promoting local agricultural products.

Sharing about the development orientation, Mr. Chu Cao Thanh Dat, owner of Thai LAB tea brand, located on Bac Son Street (Thai Nguyen City) said: Currently, we use carefully selected raw materials from Tan Cuong and La Bang tea regions. We combine traditional processing methods with modern technology to create products that both retain the original flavor and suit the tastes of young consumers.

Compared to many neighboring provinces, Thai Nguyen has a clear advantage in developing the F&B industry thanks to its universities, colleges and intermediate schools, attracting tens of thousands of students each year. This is a young, dynamic consumer force with modern aesthetic tastes and a strong tendency to spend on culinary experiences. With a young, dynamic consumer market, along with a strong shift in eating and consumption habits, the F&B industry in Thai Nguyen is opening up great development opportunities.

According to the "Vietnam Food and Beverage Market Report 2024" conducted by iPOS.vn in collaboration with Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd., experts predict that the F&B industry in Vietnam will continue to maintain its growth momentum, with an estimated growth rate of 9.6% in 2025 - in line with the general development trend of the market. Based on the survey results of nearly 4,500 diners, the report shows that although total spending has not decreased, consumers increasingly prioritize choosing products and services with good quality and reasonable prices.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202505/thi-truong-fb-tai-thai-nguyen-co-hoitu-xu-huong-tieu-dung-moi-c3715e0/