FPT UNIVERSITY- CAMPUS CAN THO
★★★★★
Group Assignment [MKT202]
Group: 5
HIGHLANDS COFFEE VIETNAM
Name of group member Contribution (%)
1. Trương Bảo Trân 16,67%
2. Trần Thị Thúy 16,67%
Quyên
3. Ngô Thị Thanh Mai 16,67%
4. Nguyễn Như Huỳnh 16,67%
5. Trần Quỳnh Thư 16,67%
6. Nguyễn Thành Vinh 16,67%
Can Tho, July 2025
1. CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPANY
1.2 GENERAL INFORMATION
Company: Highland Coffee Service Joint Stock Company, a subsidiary of the
Superfoods Group, which is a joint venture between Jollibee Foods Corporation and
Viet Thai International.
Established: In 1999 in Hanoi by David Thai. It changed into a large coffee chain
model in 2002.
Headquarters / Notable Address: 2A Phan Van Tri Street, Ho Chi Minh City. The
company has around 777 to 819 stores across Vietnam and over 50 stores in the
Philippines as of 2024.
Products :
Figure 1: Core Product Categories of Highlands Coffee
Coffee: Phin, Espresso, Latte, Cappuccino, Bạc Xỉu, Mocha, Caramel Macchiato, and more,
offering both traditional Vietnamese brews and international coffee styles.
Freeze: A variety of ice-blended drinks, available with or without coffee, perfect for a
refreshing treat.
Tea: A selection of herbal teas, fruit teas, and light milk teas, catering to different tastes and
preferences.
Others: Pastries, sandwiches, branded merchandise, and takeaway roasted coffee, providing a
complete café experience beyond just drinks.
1.2 HISTORY MILESTONES
Year Milestone
1999 Established Highlands Coffee. Pioneered the packaged Phin coffee
segment in Hanoi.
2002 Opened the first store in Ho Chi Minh City. It is located across from
Notre-Dame Cathedral.
2009 Expanded to 80 stores in 6 provinces and cities.
2011 Jollibee bought 50% of the shares for about USD 25 million.
2012 Piloted the Highlands/Netopia model in the Philippines
2022 Invested VND 500 billion in a roasting plant that can process 10,000 tons
per year.
2023–2024 Expanded to about 777 to 819 stores. EBITDA reached around VND 1.05
trillion in 2024.
1.3 REVENUE
Year Estimated Revenue Estimated Net Profit (After Tax) Source
2021 ~VND 1,700 billion Loss of approximately VND 85 billion [Link]
(2023)
2022 ~VND 3,500–3,700 Profit of approximately VND 270 [Link]
billion billion (2023)
2023 ~VND 4,000 billion Approximately VND 180 billion [Link] (May
2023)
Although exact revenue figures in VND have not been shared, media reports suggest that
Highlands Coffee’s EBITDA in 2024 was about VND 1.05 trillion (around USD 41 million).
This represents a 4.5% increase from 2023.
1.4 ASSESSMENT OF THE MARKET SHARE OF THREE COMPANIES
Criteria Highlands Coffee Phúc Long Starbucks The Coffee House
Number of ~819 stores in ~157 flagship ~108 stores in ~94 stores, a
stores (2023) Vietnam Vietnam significant decrease
~45 kiosk in
~50 in the from more than 150
Winmart+
Philippines in 2020.
Turnover ~ VND 4,000 ~VND 500 billion Not disclosed in ~VND 1,600
billion, VND 180 (estimated) Vietnam billion (2022)
billion net profit. (Masan Group (Global: ~$36 (~VND 272 billion
Report) billion USD) net loss)
Development Rapid expansion, Flagship growth Premium Closed stores that
focus on dine-in and integrating experience. are not performing
and takeaway kiosks into the Slow expansion. well. Shift to online
model. Invested in Winmart Focus on major services and the
a 10,000-ton per ecosystem. cities. mobile app.
year roasting Positioned as a
facility mid to high
segment.
Testimonials Widely available, Rated highly for Global brand, Once popular with
affordable prices, a tea quality, decor, high prices, young people, it is
variety of options, and consistent consistent now losing its
and a Vietnamese service. quality charm because of
brand that increasing
connects with competition.
customers.
Highlands Coffee remains the leader in Vietnam’s coffee chain market, both in size and
financial success. Phúc Long is becoming a strong rival with a clear plan and solid financial
support. Starbucks keeps its high-end position without pushing for rapid growth. The Coffee
House must undergo major changes to regain its competitiveness.
CHAPTER 2 MARKETING ANALYSIS
2.1 FANPAGE KARMA (FOR FACEBOOK)
In the competitive coffee chain industry, creating and managing an effective fanpage is
crucial for a company’s communication strategy. A look at the Metrics Overview for
Highlands Coffee and its main competitors, Phúc Long, Starbucks Vietnam, and The Coffee
House, shows clear differences in fanpage performance.
The chart below provides a comparison of key fanpage metrics for Highlands Coffee and its
three direct competitors: The Coffee House, Phúc Long Coffee & Tea, and Starbucks
Vietnam.
Figure 2.1.1: Metrics Overview of Highlands Coffee and Its Three Competitors
Highlands Coffee stands out in Vietnam’s coffee chain market with the largest fanbase,
reaching 1.7 million followers, which is more than double that of its closest competitors. This
shows strong brand awareness and a wide online presence. However, its post interaction rate
is the lowest in the group, at just 0.044%. This means there is limited engagement despite its
large audience.
In contrast, competitors like Starbucks Vietnam and Phúc Long have smaller fanbases but
achieve much higher engagement rates of 0.17% and 0.16%, respectively. This indicates
better content resonance.
Highlands also leads in posting frequency, with 2.4 posts per day. Yet, its Page Performance
Index remains low at 3%, which is far behind Starbucks at 30% and Phúc Long at 14%. This
suggests Highlands should shift its focus from quantity to quality in its content.
To maintain its market leadership, Highlands Coffee needs to improve content quality and
increase user interaction. This will help turn passive followers into engaged brand supporters.
2.1.2 Top 10 Posts Overview
The Top 10 Posts Overview analysis shows that content is important for driving engagement
on the fan page.
Figure 2.1.2:Top 10 Facebook Posts – Engagement Performance Comparison
In the Top 10 list of most engaging posts, Starbucks Vietnam stands out with an interaction
rate of 0.026% and a 53% positive feedback rate. Highlands Coffee’s posts show decent
interaction numbers, but their rates are lower, ranging from 0.0022% to 0.024%. This
suggests that the brand has not yet fully made use of its content effectiveness.
Phúc Long Coffee & Tea achieved the highest post interaction rate at 0.14%, showing strong
engagement. This reflects the benefits of using relatable content, attractive visuals, and clear
messaging. In contrast, The Coffee House had the lowest interaction rate at 0.0014%,
indicating a need to rethink its content strategy, posting frequency, or message delivery
method.
Overall, the data suggests that Highlands Coffee should refresh its content strategy. It can
experiment with different formats, optimize posting times, and follow current trends to boost
its post interaction rate and improve communication.
2.1.3 Profiles with the Most Followers
The chart below shows the current number of fans for four major coffee chain brands. It
highlights clear differences in their popularity and social media reach.
Figure 2.1.3: Profiles with the Most Followers – A comparative chart of fan counts across
four brands: Highlands Coffee, Starbucks Vietnam, Phúc Long, and The Coffee House.
The chart above shows that Highlands Coffee is far ahead in fanpage followers, with almost
1.7 million fans. In comparison, Starbucks Vietnam, Phúc Long Coffee & Tea, and The
Coffee House have similar fan counts, ranging from 700,000 to 800,000.
This shows that Highlands Coffee has the largest online community in the industry, giving it
a strong edge in brand visibility. However, as noted before, having a large fanbase does not
always lead to high engagement with posts. Therefore, Highlands Coffee should keep
working on improving content quality and fully use its existing follower base to boost
communication effectiveness.
2.1.4 SHARE OF INTERACTIONS
The chart below illustrates the Share of Interactions among the four brands, providing
insights into which fanpage is currently generating the highest level of user engagement.
Figure 2.1.4: Fanpage Interaction Share (%) by Brand
According to the data, Highlands Coffee has the highest share of interactions at 33.8%. It is
followed by Phúc Long Coffee & Tea at 27.9%, Starbucks Vietnam at 22.6%, and The Coffee
House at 15.7%. This shows that Highlands Coffee has an advantage in getting user attention
and engagement on its fanpage. However, the differences between the brands are not large.
This emphasizes the need for Highlands to keep improving content quality to maintain its top
position.
2.1.5 POSTS OVER TIME
The chart below shows the trend of post interaction rates during June 2025. It allows us to
compare how effective individual posts are in engaging audiences for the four brands.
Figure 2.1.5: Post Interaction Rate Over Time – June 2025
Based on the chart, Highlands Coffee’s fanpage usually has a low post interaction rate. It is
similar to its competitors and typically stays around 0.005, rarely going above 0.01. This
shows that even though Highlands Coffee posts regularly, the engagement for each post is
quite low. The brand should think about improving content quality, trying out new formats
like short videos, mini-games, and livestreams, and adjusting posting times to increase post
interaction rates. This way, it can better engage its large existing follower base.
2.1.6 Follower Growth and Engagement
The Follower Growth and Engagement chart shows the connection between the follower
growth rate (Y-axis) and the post interaction rate (X-axis) for the four coffee brands.
Figure 2.1.6: Follower Growth vs. Post Interaction Rate
It is clear that Highlands Coffee is in the lower-left corner, the least effective area, with low
follower growth and a low post interaction rate. This shows that the fanpage is having trouble
attracting new followers and that its content doesn’t generate strong engagement from its
current community.
In contrast, Starbucks Vietnam is in the upper-right corner, the ideal position, with high
follower growth of about 0.92% and a strong post interaction rate of around 0.18%. This
suggests that its content strategy and fanpage activities effectively attract new followers and
maintain active engagement.
Phúc Long Coffee & Tea and The Coffee House are in the middle area, showing moderate
follower growth and decent engagement levels, but they have not achieved standout
performance yet.
Overall, Highlands Coffee needs to improve content quality immediately. It should increase
efforts to attract new followers through paid ads, KOL partnerships, mini-games, and other
strategies. Enhancing engagement with the existing audience is also crucial. This combined
approach is essential for achieving sustainable growth, both in numbers and quality, on its
fanpage soon.
2.2 SIMILAR WEB (for website)
2.2.1 OVERVIEW
Hình [Link]: Global rank
According to the global ranking in Figure 2.2.1, Starbucks ranks much higher than the other
brands at #2,795. This shows that Starbucks has greater brand awareness and more online
searches worldwide. It highlights Starbucks' strong international presence and ability to
connect with customers globally.
Highlands Coffee ranks much lower than Starbucks but is the top Vietnamese coffee chain at
#174,747. Despite the large gap in ranking, this is still a solid position compared to other
Vietnamese brands like Phuc Long at #381,174 and The Coffee House at #643,189.
This indicates that Highlands Coffee has a strong online presence. It attracts much more web
traffic than its local competitors, showing its significant appeal in Vietnam and the global
online market.
Figure [Link]: Country Rank
Figure [Link] shows that Highlands Coffee has the highest website traffic in Vietnam,
ranking at #2,893. This signals strong interest among local consumers and an effective
communication strategy. It is followed by Phúc Long at #5,804 and The Coffee House at
#10,062. Both of these brands have a solid online presence in the local market.
In contrast, Starbucks has a huge global presence and high website traffic. However, it
receives relatively fewer visits from Vietnamese users compared to the other brands. This
makes sense because Starbucks is an international brand. Its website is mainly designed for a
global audience, not just for Vietnamese customers.
Figure [Link]:Industry Rank
According to the ranking, Highlands Coffee is ranked #1,505 in the Food & Beverage
industry in Vietnam. This shows a strong online performance in website traffic, time spent on
the site, and consumer interest. With many stores across the country and regular
communication and promotional campaigns, this high ranking reflects Highlands Coffee’s
strong presence in the Food & Beverage sector.
Phúc Long ranks #3,880, indicating that the brand also has good activity and visibility within
Vietnam’s F&B industry.
Starbucks does not show up in the industry ranking, likely because its website is global and
covers more than just F&B services. It also includes recruitment, e-commerce, and other
functions. Similarly, The Coffee House is not ranked, possibly because its site is not
classified under the industry or has traffic levels that are too low to earn a ranking.
2.2.2 TRAFFIC & ENGAGEMENT
Figure [Link]: Total visits
Starbucks has a total of 16.70 million website visits, far outpacing the other brands. This is
mainly because the brand operates globally, with its website catering to several international
markets—not just Vietnam.
Among local brands, Highlands Coffee has the highest number of website visits, aligning
with its strong rankings in Figures [Link], [Link], and [Link]. Phúc Long ranks in the
middle, while The Coffee House has the fewest visits among the four compared brands.
Figure [Link]: Device distribution
All four brands get over 50% of their website traffic from mobile devices. This shows a
strong focus on reaching mobile users, especially young people who like quick and easy
access.
Starbucks and Phúc Long lead in mobile traffic share, with 74% and 78%, respectively. This
indicates they offer a well-optimized mobile experience.
On the other hand, Highlands Coffee and The Coffee House have noticeably higher desktop
traffic shares, at 44.1% and 40.8%. This may suggest their mobile websites are not as well
optimized as those of their competitors.
Figure [Link]: Engagement
Highlands Coffee leads among Vietnamese coffee chains, but it can improve its bounce rate.
In June 2025, the brand recorded 244,304 visits and 577,677 page views, which is the highest
among local competitors. However, its bounce rate is also the highest at 61.95%. This means
many users leave after viewing only one page. The website content may not be engaging
enough, leading to a low average visit duration of just [Link].
To improve, Highlands Coffee should work on its website content, design, and user
experience to keep visitors.
In contrast, Starbucks, as a global brand, performs significantly better in metrics like monthly
traffic, visit duration, pages per visit, and total page views.
Phúc Long has a strong bounce rate of around 28.15%. This shows it has good success in
keeping website visitors. However, its other performance metrics are average.
The Coffee House has weaker overall web performance. Most of its metrics fall below those
of its competitors, indicating it needs to invest more in improving the digital experience.
Figure [Link]: Direct
Highlands Coffee is the top Vietnamese brand for direct website traffic, with a strong total of
89.7K visits, mainly from mobile devices. However, this number is still much lower than
Starbucks, which has 88 times more traffic. Still, Highlands greatly outpaces its two local
competitors, Phúc Long (29.6K) and The Coffee House (11.5K), in direct website visits.
Figure [Link]: Organic Search of Highlands and Competitors
In Organic Search, Highlands Coffee tops local brands with 62.3K visits. However, there is a
big gap compared to Starbucks, which gets 4.4 million. This shows that Highlands Coffee’s
SEO strategy is effective. The brand should keep improving its content and keyword efforts
to slowly close the gap with international competitors.
Figure [Link]: Paid search
Highlands Coffee has invested very little in paid search, generating only 193 visits from this
channel. In contrast, Starbucks spends a lot, with 866,000 visits from paid search campaigns.
Phúc Long and The Coffee House also seem to have mostly ignored this channel.
This comparison shows that Vietnamese coffee brands have a common issue: they don't
invest enough in Google Ads. Improving paid search strategies could greatly increase their
visibility and search traffic.
Figure [Link]: Referrals
Highlands Coffee has invested very little in paid search, generating only 193 visits from this
channel. In contrast, Starbucks spends a lot, with 866,000 visits from paid search campaigns.
Phúc Long and The Coffee House also seem to have mostly ignored this channel.
This comparison shows that Vietnamese coffee brands have a common issue: they don't
invest enough in Google Ads. Improving paid search strategies could greatly increase their
visibility and search traffic.
Figure [Link]: Social
It is clear that most website traffic comes from mobile devices. This shows that many users
visit these sites using smartphones. Highlands Coffee sees a significant number of visits from
social media channels, totaling 17.2K. This is better than Phúc Long and The Coffee House,
but still much lower than Starbucks, which gets 1.1 million visits.
This indicates that Highlands Coffee has a good social media presence, but there is potential
for growth. The brand should strengthen its efforts on popular platforms like TikTok and
think about working with key opinion leaders or influencers to increase its reach and drive
more traffic from social channels.
Figure [Link]: Email
Overall, email traffic is low for all four brands compared to other channels. Highlands Coffee
shows little activity here, with only 23 recorded visits. In contrast, Starbucks, as an
international brand, shows strong customer retention efforts, generating 6.5K interactions
through email.
To improve in this area, Highlands Coffee should create a structured CRM email system to
send promotions, loyalty offers, and personalized messages. This will help build long-term
relationships with existing customers.
CHAPTER 3 CONCLUSION
3.1 STRENGTHEN MARKETING STRATEGY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
Highlands Coffee has built a strong brand through its physical stores and social media
platforms. To improve its marketing efforts on these channels, Highlands can focus on several
key strategies.
First, the brand should create authentic, relatable content that resonates with customers’ daily
lives, such as coffee-making moments, behind-the-scenes activities at stores, or customer
experiences. Short videos, reels, and livestreams are highly engaging formats, especially on
Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Collaborating with micro-influencers, food bloggers, and lifestyle KOLs can help Highlands
effectively reach its target audience. Partnership formats like product trials, promotions, or
co-creating natural content are often very effective.
Getting involved in viral challenges and trending topics on Instagram Stories and TikTok can
expand the brand’s visibility. Highlands can also host contests or launch branded hashtags,
such as coffee-themed art competitions or recipe-sharing campaigns, to encourage user-
generated content and organic interaction.
Actively responding to comments, messages, and reviews shows that Highlands cares about
its customers. Creating community groups or forums for coffee lovers can further strengthen
brand loyalty and create a sense of belonging.
By using data from social media analytics tools and Google Analytics, Highlands can run
targeted ads, including retargeting campaigns to re-engage users who previously showed
interest but didn’t convert. With social commerce features like Facebook Shops and
Instagram Shopping, customers can make purchases directly on these platforms, simplifying
the buying journey.
Prioritizing these strategies will help Highlands Coffee improve communication
effectiveness, boost brand awareness, attract more customers, and drive both online and
offline sales.
