2025 mooncake season in HCM City starts

2025 mooncake season in HCM City starts

The mooncake market in HCM City has kicked off its season earlier this year, starting in mid-July, as numerous businesses have unveiled new products.

Consumers buy mooncakes at a store in HCM City. Mooncake producers in the city have started the 2025 season by introducing many products. — Photo courtesy of Kido

The mooncake market in HCM City has kicked off its season earlier this year, starting in mid-July, as numerous businesses have unveiled new products despite there being over two months until the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Many companies have proactively introduced mid and high-end mooncake lines to cater to the growing trend of early mooncake shopping among consumers.

Among the prominent players in the market is KIDO Group Corporation, which has announced a doubling of its mooncake production to meet anticipated customer demand for the upcoming Mid-Autumn season this year. 

The company is entering the 2025 mooncake season with two renowned brands: KIDO’s Bakery, catering to the premium segment, and Thọ Phát, appealing to customers who prefer traditional flavours. All products are set to be distributed through a network of nearly 300 miniBAO stores nationwide, ensuring quality and compliance with food safety regulations.

Commenting on the market trend this year, KIDO mentioned the favourable macro-economic environment, highlighted by 7.5 per cent GDP growth in the first half of the year, the highest in 14 years. Additionally, the reduction of US tariffs from 46 per cent to 20 per cent for Vietnamese goods has helped elevate consumer confidence.

Another positive signal is that in response to the influx of counterfeit products in the market, consumers are placing a heightened focus on selecting products with clear origins and established brands. Companies this year are emphasising transparency by providing detailed product information, ensuring complete documentation, disclosing product origin, and adhering to food safety standards.

Apart from KIDO, other specialised manufacturers such as Như Lan, Orion, and Bibica have also entered the market early. 

Their 2025 mooncake collections feature premium gift boxes ranging from VNĐ250,000 to VNĐ500,000 (US$10-20), with some luxury boxes priced at VNĐ2 million ($80), targeting various consumer segments, such as corporate and family gifts. 

These companies are expanding their distribution channels by combining traditional retail methods with aggressive marketing through e-commerce platforms like Shopee and TikTok Shop, utilising live streams to reach a wider audience.

In the realm of handmade mooncakes, known for their creativity, appealing design, and authentic flavours, these products continue to thrive in the market, particularly on social media platforms. Handmade mooncakes have demonstrated significant growth rates on platforms such as Shopee and TikTok Shop, as reported by Metric Vietnam in 2024.

The 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival season is witnessing more stringent oversight by e-commerce platforms, with thorough product verification posing challenges for many small-scale sellers. Despite this, some handmade mooncakes are still being sold as individual transactions without proper business registration, ingredient source verification, or documentation.

Against the backdrop of increasing health concerns among consumers, particularly regarding food safety of handmade products, authorities emphasised the potential risks associated with homemade mooncakes, including bacterial contamination due to poor production practices and hygiene standards.

In response to these concerns, Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, director of the HCM City Food Safety Management Board, highlighted the need for increased vigilance and transparency in the mooncake market. Inspections and regulations are being reinforced to ensure that mooncake makers, whether producing commercially or on a small scale, adhere to food safety standards, disclose product information, maintain proper hygiene, and confirm ingredient sources.

Consumers are urged to prioritise products from reputable businesses with clear quality assurances, origins, and compliance with food safety regulations. 

The Department of Industry and Trade of HCM City underscored the importance of quality control, source traceability, and consumer rights protection in the highly seasonal mooncake market. Collaboration among agencies is being strengthened to enhance inspections and surveillance across the market, especially for products of uncertain origin extensively promoted on social media platforms.

By fostering consumer awareness and promoting safe choices alongside stringent regulatory measures, the aim is to ensure a secure and healthy mooncake market aligned with the traditional festive spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

Bizhub