Golden Gate, a prominent Vietnamese restaurant brand, has purchased The Coffee House, a coffee chain based in Ho Chi Minh City, from the Seedcom retail group.
This acquisition, first reported by DealStreetAsia, follows a decision made by Golden Gate’s board of directors on January 24, 2025. The resolution revealed the company’s intention to acquire an unnamed food and beverage operator during the last quarter of 2024.
Once considered one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing coffee chains, The Coffee House has faced challenges in maintaining profitability in the post-pandemic environment, according to World Coffee Portal. In 2024, the chain made the significant decision to shut down over one-third of its stores, dropping from 150 locations at the end of 2023 to just 93. Despite these closures, The Coffee House still boasts a strong presence in Vietnam’s two largest cities—Ho Chi Minh City with 51 locations and Hanoi with 31. In another strategic shift, all outlets in Can Tho and Da Nang were closed in the latter half of 2024.
This was part of a broader effort to optimize costs and drive better sales at locations with higher foot traffic. The acquisition by Golden Gate is expected to bolster The Coffee House’s operational capabilities and provide strong financial support. Meanwhile, for Golden Gate, this move presents an excellent opportunity to solidify its position in Vietnam’s rapidly growing branded coffee sector.
Founded in 2005, Golden Gate is a leading food and beverage group in Vietnam, with a portfolio of 500 restaurants spread across 22 distinct brands. Its offerings include well-known dining concepts such as Gogi House and Kichi-Kichi hotpot and BBQ chains, Yu Tang bubble tea, and café chain The Coffee Inn.
Once celebrated as one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing coffee chains, The Coffee House has recently encountered challenges in maintaining profitability in the post-pandemic landscape. In 2024, the brand made a strategic decision to close more than one-third of its outlets, reducing its footprint from 150 locations at the end of 2023 to just 93. Despite these cuts, it still holds a strong presence in the nation’s two largest cities, operating 51 outlets in Ho Chi Minh City and 31 in Hanoi. Additionally, all stores in the Can Tho and Da Nang regions were shuttered in the latter half of 2024 as part of a broader effort to optimize costs and boost sales at higher-traffic venues.
The acquisition by Golden Gate is expected to provide The Coffee House with enhanced operational capabilities and robust financial support. For Golden Gate, this move represents a strategic opportunity to cement its position in Vietnam’s thriving branded coffee shop market.
