Character: Latest cake, sweet food’s situation

Latest trend:

There is diversity about cake, sweet food in Vietnam, market scale of Vietnam in 2024 year for “cake” type is 1,640 milUSD, estimated consumption/person is 2.4kg. This is developed market with estimated growth rate (CAGR) 9.46% from 2024 to 2032.

Cake market in Vietnam, sale and consumption (* Estimated from 2018 - 2028)

Source: https://www.statista.com

Vietnam is famous country about many of cafes on streets. Up to now, Family-style business, small scale cafes (Street stall, mobile café,) is common. Recent years, in big cities as Ho Chi Minh city, cafes like pub or bakery repaired according to antique style are increased. Not only sitting and drinking coffee or soft drinks and watching the streets, but also the concept of enjoying coffee, cakes and such spaces can be said to be increasingly widespread. At these bakeries or cafes, customers will be served cakes that using healthy ingredients and low sugar. Moreover, it also use, sustainable materials and environmentally friendly packaging and bags. The age of customers is very young, on average 33.3 years old (while in Japan it is 48.4 years old), certainly the elite class is the class driving the consumer market. In Vietnam, young people are quickly approaching the Western lifestyle, wanting to enjoy cakes with health and environmental awareness that are popular in Western. Raising consumers' health and environmental awareness is an important factor driving the growth of the confectionery market in Vietnam.

The price of popular cakes is quite high compared to the traditional cakes mentioned below. However, the youth who go to cafes on weekends still like to post photos of the most recently updated cakes on social networks.

Traditional cakes, sweet foods:

We would like to introduce a little about traditional Vietnamese sweet food. It is a type of cake with diverse ingredients, many types, often with a unique blend of ingredients, flavors and sensations. From these sweet foods, sometimes mixed with bitterness, we can glimpse the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine. (The latest updated trend as mentioned above is the exact opposite, basically it usually has a strong sweet taste... ) Being able to enjoy cheap dishes comfortably on the streets or markets is the most attractive thing.

Che (sweet soup):

It’s the common name of a sweet dish that is simmered and mixed from many types of ingredients such as beans, potatoes, tapioca pearl, jelly, fruits, nuts... Sweet soup can be eaten hot or cold depending on taste or season (From 100-220 Yen/Cup).

This type of tofu is often sprinkled with coconut milk and ginger. In addition, you can also add tapioca topping and fruit depending on your preference. Ginger is suitable for the body when having a cold. (Price from 60-80 Yen/bowl).

Coffee:

We would like to introduce coffee to enjoy with cakes. Vietnam is the second largest country in the world in terms of coffee output, and the way to drink and brew coffee is also Vietnamese style. The type of coffee Vietnam is producing is usually Robusta coffee (95% and above). Robusta coffee beans being consumed domestically are often said to be "bitter" and "difficult to drink", but they have a bitter taste and a special flavor. So we tone down the distinctive flavor by making it as rich as possible. We remove as much bitterness as possible, and after losing other mixed flavors, mix it as follows:

Coffee mixed milk, ice

This is the traditional way of drinking Vietnamese coffee, iced milk coffee is very famous. As far as is known, in Vietnam, on hottest days, brew black coffee in the filter, add condensed milk, ice and you can enjoy the change in flavor ( From150 Yen-250 Yen/cup).

Why use condensed milk? It's because in the past, when refrigeration was not common, cow's milk was difficult to preserve for a long time, so condensed milk would improve its preservative properties by adding a lot of sweetener, very suitable for Vietnamese coffee which has a bitter taste, transported in tropical Asia like Vietnam. In Vietnam, we often see customers spending time enjoying iced milk coffee with friends in cafes. That is the scene in Vietnam when watching time slowly pass.

 

It's thick black coffee with egg yolks and condensed milk added, and coffee with salt added.

Vietnamese condensed coffee can feel smooth. Salt coffee will be considered to not add too much salt (From 120-240 Yen/cup).