Vegetarian food 'dominates' the market for Buddha's birthday offerings in 2025

Popular vegetarian foods and spices

According to a survey by reporters from Cong Thuong Newspaper, on the morning of May 12 (the 15th day of the fourth lunar month - Buddha's Birthday), at traditional markets in Hanoi , vegetarian food became the most popular item. At large markets such as Kim Lien, Nghia Tan, Dong Xuan,... vegetarian items were sold in abundance, from fresh to processed foods.

Essential ingredients for traditional vegetarian meals are the most popular items. Mushrooms of all kinds such as straw mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, fresh shiitake mushrooms and enoki mushrooms are always the top choices for stir-fried dishes, vegetarian hot pots or light soups.

Vegetarian food market prices are stable as more and more consumers use it.

Notably, the price of straw mushrooms this year has increased sharply to 150,000 VND/kg, due to the prolonged hot weather causing a decrease in output and limited supply. In addition, simple processed products such as tofu, fermented bean curd, soft tofu or fried tofu with lemongrass and chili are also selling very well, with prices ranging from 8,000 - 15,000 VND per piece, or from 40,000 - 60,000 VND/kg, suitable for all consumer segments.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, a vendor at Nghia Tan market (Cau Giay district, Hanoi) shared: "I sell more types of mushrooms than usual. I get some types of mushrooms from the company so the prices are stable. As for straw mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, I buy them from the market so the prices fluctuate, with a difference of about 10,000 VND."

At traditional markets, sticky rice, sweet soup, and vegetarian dumplings are also very popular.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, a vendor at Linh Nam market (Hoang Mai district, Hanoi) shared: "I have been selling vegetarian food for nearly 10 years, but never before have I seen purchasing power increase as steadily as this year. Perhaps because more and more people are concerned about their health, eating vegetarian food to purify their bodies, no longer purely for religious reasons. Last week alone, I sold out more than 60kg of vegetarian ham of all kinds."

In addition, products such as fried tofu with lemongrass and vegetarian sausages made from soybeans are also popular with consumers because of their convenience and ease of preparation.

Online markets are in season, ready-made vegetarian dishes are on the rise

Not only bustling at traditional markets, this year’s Buddha’s Birthday season has also witnessed the explosion of the vegetarian food market on online platforms. From Facebook market groups, e-commerce platforms to food delivery apps, hundreds of “seasonal” stalls simultaneously hung signs “accepting orders for vegetarian trays” or “vegetarian combos for Buddha’s Birthday”.

Recorded on online market groups, a series of pre-processed vegetarian dishes appear with eye-catching packaging, clear origin and commitment to food hygiene and safety. Popular items include: Five-color fried rice, vegetarian spring rolls, steamed rice cakes, vegetarian spring rolls, mushroom salad, vegetarian curry, vegetarian pancakes, seaweed mushroom hotpot, vegetarian roast pork... with listed prices and delivered within 2 hours.

Ready-made vegetarian food with eye-catching colors

In particular, vegetarian trays are pre-designed in combos of 5-7 dishes or 9-11 dishes, priced from 350,000 - 850,000 VND/tray depending on the ingredients and presentation. Many units also offer "compact offerings" packages for small households, from only 200,000 - 250,000 VND with 3-4 basic dishes. Busy housewives or those who are not confident in cooking are the main customer group of this segment.

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Huyen, owner of a stall specializing in selling vegetarian food on Facebook with more than 15,000 followers, said: “Since the first day of the fourth lunar month, orders have increased 4-5 times compared to normal days. On average, I sell more than 30 vegetarian trays a day, not to mention individual portions such as spring rolls, pork rolls, vegetarian hot pot... Customers are mainly working people who do not have time, so they order to worship at home or bring to the temple.”

According to Ms. Huyen, the best-selling item this year is the Southern-style vegetarian feast, which includes dishes such as oyster mushroom salad, taro curry, vegetarian roast meat, spring rolls, soft tofu with mushroom sauce, and mung bean dessert. To ensure quality, she starts preparing the food at 4 a.m. and promises to deliver within the city within 3 hours of finishing cooking.

In addition to professional businesses, the online market also sees the participation of many seasonal individuals. They take advantage of the holiday season to make vegetarian food at home and sell it on social networks or in groups such as “Homemade Kitchen”, “Vegetarian Market”, “Clean Food for Vu Lan - Buddha’s Birthday”…

Vegetarian trays of food are sold on online market groups. Screenshot

On this year's Buddha's Birthday, Mr. Nguyen Van Khang (Cau Giay District, Hanoi) decided to import more food and prepare vegetarian dishes to sell at the local market in his area. Mr. Khang shared: "I am not a professional businessman, but on this year's Buddha's Birthday, I made some simple vegetarian dishes such as seaweed soup, braised tofu, and vegetarian stir-fried mushrooms to sell and unexpectedly the profits were quite good. On average, I earn about 1-1.5 million VND per day after deducting the cost of ingredients and delivery."

According to Mr. Khang, a big advantage of selling online is that there is no cost for premises. Moreover, customers are willing to pay higher prices to save time and ensure that the food is cooked fresh, not industrially packaged.

Ms. Tran Ngoc Bich (Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi), an office worker, shared: “This year I don’t have time to cook, so I ordered a 5-course vegetarian tray via Facebook. The price is about 550,000 VND, including seaweed soup, vegetarian stir-fried mushrooms, vegetarian ham, lotus rice and mung bean sweet soup. After receiving the goods, I found the quality to be good, the dishes were delicious, beautifully presented and came with instructions for the offering. I am very satisfied because I saved time while still having a neat and respectful offering tray.”

The rise of vegetarian food during the 2025 Vesak season not only reflects traditional spiritual needs, but also shows a shift in consumer habits, where health, convenience and sustainability are top priorities. From traditional markets to online platforms, vegetarian food today is no longer simply a ritual, but has become a symbol of a modern lifestyle, a harmony between culture and green consumption trends.

In Vietnam, in recent years, more and more people have chosen vegetarian food for their daily meals. Not only the elderly choose to be vegetarian for spiritual or health reasons, many young people are also excited to experience vegetarian cuisine as a modern lifestyle, both to purify the body and to contribute to protecting the environment.

Minh Trang

Source: https://congthuong.vn/thuc-pham-chay-chiem-song-thi-truong-do-le-phat-dan-2025-387181.html