In the first half of 2025, the coffee market witnessed continuous waves of expansion, from growing store networks to building large-scale factories. Alongside this, the emergence of new culinary trends and innovative marketing and sales activities by coffee shop chains on social media reflect the vibrant appeal of this market.
With the goal of providing an objective view of market dynamics and a media strategy to “maintain momentum” on digital platforms, YouNet Media is officially launching its H1/2025 Coffee Shop Social Media Report. You can get the free report here.
1. The Coffee Market in H1/2025: “Comprehensive Expansion” from Production Infrastructure to the Social Front
In just the first six months of 2025, the market saw significant investments from coffee brands, from building production infrastructure to expanding their store networks. For example, Highlands Coffee inaugurated the Highlands Cái Mép coffee roasting plant with a total investment of 500 billion VND in Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu; Trung Nguyên Legend held a groundbreaking ceremony for the largest coffee factory in Southeast Asia in Buôn Ma Thuột city; Phúc Long increased its number of stores by 50%, from 158 to 237 nationwide (according to data from Vietstats.vn).
On the online front, long-standing brands like Highlands Coffee and Trung Nguyên Legend also launched livestreaming activities on e-commerce platforms, especially TikTok Shop. This shift reflects brands’ awareness of new consumer behaviors, as online shoppers become more familiar with purchasing F&B products through e-commerce. Data from YouNet ECI recorded a sharp 133% increase in coffee-related e-commerce revenue in H1/2025 compared to the same period last year, highlighting the potential of this sales channel that brands need to focus on.
Thus, in the first half of 2025, competition among “giants” is no longer just about market coverage. It has become a long-term, sustainable battle spanning from the supply chain to the final product and customer experience.
The market’s heat is further amplified in the “social media playground.” YouNet Media’s data shows that the total discussion volume for the Coffee Shop Chain market reached 759,988 mentions, a 46.21% increase, and total interactions grew by 324% compared to the same period in 2024. This impressive growth comes not only from major brand campaigns but is also driven by the launch of a new social media platform, Threads, and popular culinary trends like Matcha in the first half of 2025. This underscores the essential role of social media in capturing new trends, amplifying brand influence, and connecting with customers.
Disclaimer: The definition of the Coffee Shop Chain market in this report includes the TOP 10 brands with the highest mentions volume on social media. The measurement period is from January 1 to June 30, 2025. Data was collected and analyzed by YouNet Media’s SocialHeat platform from Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, e-commerce sites, forums, blogs, and online news.
2. TOP 10 Most Engaging Coffee Shop Brands on Social Media in H1/2025
Amidst the market’s vibrancy, coffee shop chain brands are continuously ramping up their media activities on social platforms. To provide a metric reflecting a brand’s appeal and its ability to connect with consumers, YouNet Media is officially announcing the TOP 10 Most Engaging Coffee Shop Brands on Social Media in the first half of 2025. This serves as a foundation for investors and brand management teams to evaluate communication effectiveness and gain an objective view of their competitive position.
Highlands Coffee continues to assert its leading position with 199,281 mentions. The brand’s success stems from a combination of diverse communication campaigns and a strong presence at “offline touchpoints,” creating a powerful synergistic effect on social media.
Starbucks and Trung Nguyên Legend also made a breakthrough, each climbing 3 ranks compared to H1/2024, generating 197,562 mentions and 105,322 mentions, respectively. Starbucks successfully created unique merchandise collections and seasonal campaigns, while Trung Nguyên Legend scored points by refreshing its brand and modernizing its image to reach a broader customer base.
Phúc Long maintained its position in the TOP 5, thanks to its rapid store expansion strategy, alongside supporting national events, which helped the brand maintain high recognition. The Coffee House and Katinat showed agility in their product innovation and content creation strategies, particularly by effectively leveraging the matcha trend and seasonal beverage collections.
Overall, the TOP 10 brands not only reflect the strength of long-standing “giants” but also show opportunities for emerging brands to stand out if they effectively tap into communication trends and build a strong community.
3. Notable Marketing Trends – When Coffee Shops Sell More Than Just Coffee
YouNet Media’s observations show that the success of coffee shop brands in the first half of 2025 came not only from expanding their scale but also from how they refreshed their communication activities.
One of the most notable trends is connecting the brand image with national pride, stimulating a “Gen Pride” sentiment among consumers during important national occasions. Brands have skillfully embedded Vietnamese culture, history, and spirit into their products and media stories, creating strong empathy and connection with consumers. For example, Starbucks launched a Vietnamese version of its ceramic mug, Phúc Long accompanied the April 30th military parade, and Highlands launched its “Proud of Vietnamese Coffee Quintessence” campaign. These actions demonstrate that the value brands are “selling” is more than just a cup of coffee—it’s cultural value and a sense of pride, which in turn motivates consumers to share it widely on social media.
Merchandise has also become a “front line” that saw many changes in the first half of the year. While previously considered promotional giveaways, merchandise collections are now being developed as independent product lines with a high degree of brand identity. The success of Starbucks’ seasonal collections and Cheese Coffee’s embrace of the blind box trend are clear examples of brands’ serious investment in this promising business segment.
In a market where products are becoming increasingly saturated, brands have sought to differentiate themselves by selling the offline experience. Investing in unique spaces with a strong local identity or convenient drive-thru models has created compelling attractions, encouraging consumers to visit, check in, and share on social media, thereby generating a strong ripple effect.
Brands’ menu innovation strategies are also becoming more creative and are no longer isolated activities. They now have more systematic strategies, from catching new culinary trends like Matcha to combining unique toppings, experimenting with flavors, or emphasizing premium origins.
While not a new trend, minigames have proven their importance in maintaining a brand’s “heat” on social media. In the first six months of the year, minigames to launch new products or celebrate special occasions have helped to effectively increase engagement, build community, and retain customers.
Overall, the Vietnamese coffee market in the first half of 2025 is a vibrant picture with many movements from offline to online. Successful brands not only rely on product quality but also on their ability to grasp trends, innovate in communication, and create unique customer experiences. This article is just one part of the bigger market picture that YouNet Media aims to convey to brand management and marketing teams. For a more in-depth and detailed view, marketers can get the full free report on the H1/2025 Social Media Coffee Shop Chain Market Dynamics here.
