The Phong Cach Song Viet Joint Stock Company bought the Gloria Jean's Coffee franchise in Vietnam. The company's chairman of the board, Ly Quy Trung said that there are more than 1,000 Gloria Jean's coffee shops in 20 countries targeting young people. Under the terms of the franchise agreement, the company is allowed to authorized other companies to operate Gloria Jean's Coffee franchises in Vietnam. In August, it allowed Khaisilk to open five Gloria Jean's Coffee shops in Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Trung said. The Phong Cach Song Viet company plans to see 20 more Gloria Jean's cafes open in Vietnam in the next two years, he said.
The Chau Ngoc Viet Joint Stock Company bought the franchise rights to Cafe Molinari (Italy) within Vietnam and the first Cafe Molinari was opened in Petro Vietnam Tower on Le Duan Road in Ho Chi Minh City. Molinari has 25 different coffee blends to provide its customers with a full range of delicious coffees, including several which are caffeine-free.
Black Canyon Company Ltd. (Thailand) is yet another foreign company that has plans to take its cafe/restaurants to Vietnam. Founded in 1993, Black Canyon Coffee shops has been run as a franchise since 1995 and now with 185 branches in seven countries - Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Black Canyon's international franchise manager, Michael Holland, said that several brands of franchise coffee shops are now operating in Vietnam and he expects that competition will heat up as time goes on. Beside fine coffee, Black Canyon Coffee shops also serve European and Asian foods including Thai foods, targeting customers 18-30 years of age, he said, and Black Canyon feels very positive about entering the youthful Vietnamese market.
Two other coffee shop franchises that plan to enter Vietnam soon are Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Company and Starbucks, both based in the US. Starbucks Company is the dominant coffee chain store on the planet with more than 12,000 stores in 37 countries. Word has it that Starbucks will be forming a joint venture with a Vietnamese company to make it possible to enter Vietnam quickly.
Vietnam is a world leading coffee producer and exporter. Trung Nguyen - one of the top Vietnamese coffee brands - is being run as a franchise in Vietnam and now also has franchise outlets in many other countries and territories.