A senior manager confirmed to VnExpress that all outlets have stopped serving customers this week. Café Amazon stores in HCMC had removed signage, returned leased spaces, and in some locations been replaced by new tenants.
On digital platforms, the brand’s Vietnam fanpage also posted an automated message stating it had “officially ceased operations.”
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A Café Amazon store in HCMC. Photo courtesy of the chain |
Café Amazon’s exit from Vietnam had been anticipated. In a notice submitted to the Stock Exchange of Thailand in early October, Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Ltd (Centel) announced the dissolution of ORC Coffee Passion Group (ORCG), the entity operating Café Amazon in Vietnam.
ORCG was a joint venture between Central Restaurants Group, a Centel subsidiary holding 40% of shares, and Singapore-based PTTOR International Holdings, a subsidiary of Thailand’s PTT Oil and Retail Business holding 60%.
Centel said it was withdrawing from Vietnam to “refocus business priorities” and adapt to market challenges.
As of August 31, Centel had invested US$1.72 million in the venture.
Café Amazon entered Vietnam in November 2020 with its first store in HCMC. The store design followed the “oasis” concept used in Thailand.
To suit local preferences, the beverage menu was adjusted. Alongside Thai-style coffee and milk tea, the chain also offered Vietnamese-style coffee, teas, and seasonal drinks.
Café Amazon in Vietnam mostly operated around in HCMC, with a few outlets in Can Tho, Dong Thap and Vinh Long.
The number of outlet was below the chain’s initial target and remained modest compared with Vietnam’s leading coffee chains.
Thailand’s largest coffee chain faced strong competition in Vietnam from dominant domestic and international brands including Highlands Coffee, Phuc Long, Katinat, Trung Nguyen Legend Café, and Starbucks.
Highlands Coffee is currently the largest chain, operating 928 stores as of the end of September, and recently posted its highest quarterly profit in two years.
Regionally, Café Amazon remains one of Asia’s largest coffee chains, with more than 5,000 stores. Most are located in Thailand and operate within petrol stations, a strategic advantage the chain did not have in Vietnam.
Café Amazon sold more than 107 million cups of coffee in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, up nearly 5% from the same period in 2024 across all markets, according to Inside Retail Asia.
The chain is now shifting its focus to Laos, the Philippines, Japan, Oman and Bahrain through a franchise model.
