Café Amazon Exits Vietnam as Mixue Bubble Tea Quietly Scales Back Store Count

Recent days have seen the F&B business community abuzz with news of Café Amazon and Mixue facing challenges in the Vietnamese market. Adding to the discourse, the well-invested brand “Bánh mì ơi” has also reportedly closed several outlets, with whispers of concluding its journey.

While Café Amazon Vietnam’s official Fanpage has yet to announce a cessation of operations, no updates have been posted since October 27th.

On personal Facebook accounts, employees of the coffee chain revealed that the brand officially ceased operations on November 18th. Many loyal customers shared check-in photos of their favorite coffee cups before the brand’s exit from the market.

Observations confirm that several Café Amazon outlets in Ho Chi Minh City have removed signage and ceased operations.

This development, though not unexpected, still leaves a sense of regret in the market. In October 2025, the brand’s parent company, Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited, announced its withdrawal from the Vietnamese market to “reprioritize business focus.”

Meanwhile, Mixue, a Chinese bubble tea brand, reported a reduction in the number of outlets in Vietnam, one of its largest overseas markets, to optimize operations. Mixue did not disclose specific figures for Vietnam but noted a total reduction of 162 overseas outlets, leaving over 4,700 stores outside China.

Consumers in Ho Chi Minh City have noticed the quiet disappearance of several Mixue outlets. For instance, an outlet on Lê Văn Duyệt Street, near Võ Thị Sáu High School (Gia Định Ward), has been replaced by a local coffee brand.

In an interview with Người Lao Động Newspaper, Mr. Nguyễn Thái Bình, F&B expert and Director of Concepts Academy (VCS), stated that these cases highlight Vietnam’s market potential but also its challenges for international brands.

Café Amazon entered the fiercely competitive mid-range segment, where local brands are highly innovative and aligned with Vietnamese consumer preferences. Unable to establish a competitive edge, Café Amazon had to exit the market.

Mixue focused on franchising to generate initial brand fees and supply raw materials, leading to an oversaturation of outlets in close proximity, resulting in closures. This caused significant losses for franchisees due to high initial investment costs.

While successful in China, this strategy failed in Vietnam due to lower population density and demand.

“Furthermore, despite positioning itself as an affordable bubble tea brand, Mixue remains pricier than the recent wave of ultra-affordable options, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City, where it overlaps with the same customer segment,” Mr. Bình noted.