ong the crowd was CEO of Cong Caphe International, Dang Linh Giang, overseeing the launch of the company’s first French location. The France debut marks Cong Ca Phe’s latest move in a quietly persistent global strategy by one of Vietnam’s most distinctive lifestyle brands. The plan has turned nostalgia into a business model and cultural storytelling into international currency. The art of nostalgia as strategy Founded by performance artist Linh Dung, Cong Ca Phe pays homage to Vietnam’s ‘bao cap’ or subsidy period, a decade of austere postwar reconstruction from 1976 to 1986. With walls painted in green military hues, wooden school desks and framed certificates from yesteryear, Cong Ca Phe’s interiors function as a kind of immersive time capsule. The brand’s signature drink, coffee blended with coconut milk, is both a nod to Vietnamese innovation and a draw for younger consumers craving identity-rich experiences. “Through its store concepts that reflect history and the tradition of many generations of Vietnamese people, especially those during the subsidy period, our goal is to introduce the rich cultural heritage as well as coffee culture of Vietnam to all the friends over the world,” Dang told Inside Retail. The quiet growth Since its inception in 2007, the Vietnamese coffee chain has been leaning hard into authenticity, moving cautiously into new territories. In 2018, Cong Ca Phe made its international debut in South Korea when its first store opened in the heart of Seoul. The market has proven to be fertile, with more than 25 Cong Ca Phe outlets operating across major cities. In a nation where coffee culture is not only ubiquitous but also hypercompetitive, Cong’s success owes much to its ability to resonate emotionally. The brand’s signature interiors have found favour with young Koreans seeking spaces that feel both retro and refined. “Compared with most coffee chains in South Korea, our store number is quite small,” Dang said. “The country has a strong coffee culture and coffee shops serve as social gathering spots, especially for younger generations. Therefore, we have to create a truly sensory experience for our customers by combining the nostalgic ambiance with the uniquely natural coffee flavours of Vietnam, recipes inspired by tradition and, most importantly, a deep connection to the soul of Vietnam.” Since South Korea, the coffee chain has expanded into five other countries – Malaysia, Taiwan, Canada, the Philippines and now France. Cong Ca Phe now has more than 100 stores worldwide. “If you look from the outside, most people think that we have expanded so rapidly during a short period of time. However, in each market, we take our time and consideration to evaluate our partners, focusing on each market and the quality of each store opened,” Dang said. France: The full-circle moment The CEO noted that coffee, after all, was introduced to Vietnam by French colonialists in the 19th century. However, the Asian country, known for being the world’s second-largest coffee producer, has a coffee culture evolving on its own terms. Vietnamese coffee is characterised by its strong, bold flavour profile; it is typically brewed using robusta beans and a traditional ‘phin’ filter that allows for a slow drip process. The resulting coffee is often served with condensed milk, creating a sweet, creamy contrast to the intense coffee. This distinctive brewing method and flavour combination has become Vietnam’s signature contribution to global coffee culture. “We are very honoured to be able to re-introduce coffee to France but this time with different personalities: deeper and bolder in a journey through time of the old Vietnam,” Dang said. The same weathered wood, metal fans, and nostalgic furnishings are all there, but carefully integrated into the fabric of French artisanal expectations. In a country where café culture is sacred, authenticity matters. “France has a strong and enduring tradition of artisanal craftsmanship, deeply rooted in its culture and history. This commitment to quality and attention to detail is evident in various sectors, from culinary arts to fashion and beyond,” Dang said. “French consumers are connoisseurs, they value authenticity and craftsmanship and that is the reason they will understand the values that Cong inspires through its store atmosphere and its products.” Cong Ca Phe Paris retains its own distinctive style of traditional Vietnamese interior design, featuring antique furniture and a warm, atmospheric ambience. Challenges of expansion: supply chains and soul Yet global expansion, particularly for a brand so tethered to place and memory, is fraught with logistical and philosophical obstacles. Cong Ca Phe is not the exception. To carry the brand outside of Vietnam, Cong has had to maintain its aesthetic identity as an “authentic Vietnamese coffee” without diluting its essence, while adhering to the market’s rules for foreign businesses. “The most daunting challenge is always to keep the brand identity while expanding, to innovate while re-telling the nostalgic story of Vietnam,” Dang said. “We are very lucky that our international customers enjoy every store detail that has been carefully curated to re-create the charm of traditional Vietnamese life and the authentic Vietnam flavours of our coffee and tea.” Cong’s retail model has proven flexible. In some markets, it operates company-owned stores; in others, it works with franchisees who share its vision. The one constant is the painstaking attention to details that allows each new store to feel like a genuine extension of Hanoi, rather than a watered-down replica. Meanwhile, regulatory environments differ, supply chains stretch thin and local tastes can clash with brand ideals. Dang said the company has spent time studying legal frameworks in each market to ensure compliance, a particular challenge for small-scale franchises in high-regulation markets like Canada and France. “We never put the scale or the number of the stores as our business goal. Our vision is to become the most distinguished and innovative coffee chain in Vietnam and beyond,” Dang explained. “This means that we wish to inspire the imagination and bring the unique emotional experience of Vietnam to everyone in the world, beyond any boundaries of nations, ethnicities or religions.” This story first appeared in the August 2025 issue of Inside Retail Asia magazine.