Highlands Coffee reaches 1,000 stores: from a 9 square meter stall to 100 million cups a year, a symbol of Vietnamese consumption

A coffee chain born in Vietnam, Highlands Coffee, on June 12, 2026, opened its 1,000th store nationwide. The location is Thanh Nien Street in Tay Ho District, by West Lake in Hanoi. A journey of about 30 years that began with a small 9-square-meter street stall near Hoan Kiem Lake has grown into a chain with more than 12,000 employees and about 100 million cups served a year, a milestone in that growth. Rather than a tourist cafe experience, it is a concrete example of how far a homegrown Vietnamese brand can capture domestic consumption.

The 1,000th store, opened by West Lake

The milestone 1,000th store was set up at a symbolic location on the shore of Hanoi's West Lake. Founder David Thai commented, 'the 1,000th store isn't a finish line. It's a chance to pause, look back, and express gratitude.' Le Thai Anh, head of the Vietnam business, also stressed a focus on frontline quality over rapid expansion, saying, 'what matters most is each person who supports every single store.'

30 years since starting from a 9-square-meter stall

Highlands started as a small kiosk near Hoan Kiem Lake and spread across all of Vietnam over about 30 years. Its philosophy is 'Tan Tam' (care shown through action). It has positioned its stores as community spaces and pursued sustainable growth over rapid expansion. It uses Vietnamese-grown robusta and arabica beans, and also invests in regenerative agriculture and sustainable cultivation programs.

Implications for Japanese food service and food companies

Highlands' 1,000 stores show that the consumer base of people who go to cafes as part of daily life has grown thicker across both cities and provinces in Vietnam. The fact that a homegrown brand, not Starbucks or a Western chain, reached this scale is also a lesson that whoever optimizes for the local market, in pricing, store operations, and sourcing local beans, wins. For Japanese food service and food manufacturers, this is a phase where opportunities are widening to enter through local partners or by getting onto chains' shelves and menus. The company's investment upstream in Vietnamese-grown coffee also shows that localizing raw material sourcing translates directly into competitiveness.

Related reading:
-Vietnam's fast food outlets grow 13% to 1,156 stores -- KFC expands fastest as the shift to provincial cities becomes clear
-KFC launches a major push into Vietnam's provincial cities -- rural stores jump from 74 to 196
-Vietnam's convenience stores and mini supermarkets surge to 9,671 outlets: regional areas overtake urban centers

Source: Vietnam Investment Review