![\"\"](\"https:\/\/minhphan.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-4-1024x627.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut upon closer reading, I discovered a very thought-provoking truth: a rising market doesn't necessarily mean every location is good, and a booming industry doesn't necessarily mean every brand that opens a new branch is the right choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because when the number of stores increases too rapidly, the question is no longer "should we open one?", but "where should we open one so we don't self-destruct?".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking at this report, five things are very clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Firstly, the strongest wave of expansion is not in large-scale models, but in models with dense, convenient networks and high purchase frequency. The mini-supermarket\/convenience store\/pharmacy group is a clear example. The total number of convenience stores\/mini-supermarkets in the report is projected to reach 9,703 locations by 2026. WinMart+ alone increased from 3,692 to 4,592 stores in one year, an increase of 900 locations. Bach Hoa Xanh increased from 1,864 to 2,759, an increase of 895 locations. Kingfood Mart increased from 96 to 141. In the pharmacy group, the entire chain market is projected to reach 4,088 stores by 2026; Long Chau alone reached 2,381 locations, Pharmacity 1,065, and An Khang 415.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This shows that what's winning isn't just strong brands, but models that can be quickly replicated in "sufficiently usable" locations, near residential areas, and with high repeat customer traffic. This is a huge change. In the past, many people thought that opening a chain required waiting for a "prime corner," a "beautiful intersection," or a "prestigious storefront." But current data shows that many fast-growing industries thrive on their ability to spread evenly across residential areas, rather than just a few show-off locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To put it bluntly: with frequent purchases like food, medicine, and convenience items, the question is no longer "is this house nice?", but "is this house located within the convenient radius of the neighborhood?".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondly, growth is strongly shifting away from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The report reiterates this across many sectors. The fast food sector, as noted by Q&Me, has seen significant growth, particularly outside of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. KFC increased from 172 to 240 stores, Lotteria from 222 to 262, McDonald's from 37 to 47, and the total fast food sector is expected to reach 1,156 stores by 2026, with "Others" accounting for 629 locations, significantly higher than Ho Chi Minh City's 338 and Hanoi's 189. For pharmacies, the "Others" sector reached 2,496 stores out of a total of 4,088. Similarly, for coffee chains, the "Others" sector also reached 2,508 stores out of a total of 5,159.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I really like this detail because it highlights something many people opening new stores often miss: growth opportunities are no longer solely limited to the two major cities. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are still the places to establish brand identity, test formats, and build awareness. But to scale, to increase the number of locations, to achieve more reasonable rental costs, and to broaden market coverage, chains are aggressively expanding into second- and third-tier provinces and cities, as well as satellite urban areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This leads to a completely different problem regarding location. In the centers of Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi, people often compete for a property because of its visibility. In the provinces, however, the challenge is usually finding a property on a main thoroughfare \u2013 in the right place with high foot traffic \u2013 in the right cluster of needs \u2013 and within the right rental price range. Anyone who applies the mindset of "a prime location in a major city center" to the provinces is likely to make a mistake. In the provinces, a successful store isn't often located on the most prestigious street, but rather in a convenient location near home, easy access to transportation, close to markets, hospitals, schools, and new residential areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirdly, the market is not growing uniformly; some sectors are expanding rapidly, while others are contracting significantly. This is the part that business people should read very carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sectors experiencing strong growth include coffee chains, fast food, kids\/baby stores, drugstores, and mini-supermarkets. Coffee chains are projected to increase to 5,159 stores in 2026; Highlands to 928, Phuc Long to 249, Starbucks to 149, Katinat to 120, while The Coffee House will decrease to 82. The kids\/baby sector will reach 1,449 stores, led by Con Cung with 1,037, Kids Plaza with 192, and AVAKids with 91. Drugstores, as mentioned, are experiencing strong growth. Fast food is showing significant increase, especially KFC and Lotteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conversely, mini-stores decreased to 100; fashion stores fell from 1,442 to 1,263; and BBQ\/hotpot\/others stores also declined from 621 to 602. Traditional milk tea chains weakened, with reports indicating a decline in well-known chains and a rapid rise in the affordable milk tea segment. Bakeries\/sweets stores generally remained flat or saw a slight decrease in major cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how should I read it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my opinion, this isn't just a matter of "hot industries" or "outdated industries." More profoundly, it reflects the degree of suitability between the business model and current rental costs, as well as the frequency of consumer behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Models with high purchase frequency, quick decision-making, convenient location, easy replication, and moderate size will handle leasing challenges better. However, models that rely on long-term customer experiences, high ticket sales, large space, complex operations, or must be in prime locations to survive will see profits evaporate quickly if just one or two parameters are chosen incorrectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, at this stage, premises are no longer simply a fixed cost. They are a strategic filter of the model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fourth, many chains are increasing in number, but the rate of increase is no longer the sole objective; the quality of the network is becoming more important. Just look at the case of The Coffee House, which decreased from 141 to 93 and then to 82. Or in cosmetics, The Body Shop and The Face Shop continue to shrink. In fashion, many chains are maintaining or decreasing. Conversely, chains that are growing well are usually those that have found a clearer replication formula: Hasaki, Long Chau, WinMart+, Bach Hoa Xanh, Highlands, KFC\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is what I want to emphasize to those of you who are preparing to open a new store: opening more stores is not a sign of success. Sometimes it's just a sign that you're spending your capital faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The important question isn't "how many points are the opponent scoring?", but rather:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What business model are they using?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are their standard floor plans?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which buying behavior are they targeting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And is the unit economics of each point truly sustainable?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you can't answer those four questions, it's easy to get caught up in the illusion of growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fifth, and perhaps the most important thing for those looking to rent: read industry data to understand what type of space you should be looking for, not just to find an excuse to open a business anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you're running a chain coffee shop or a quick-service F&B business, reports show the industry is still growing, but competition is intense. This means simply having a "nice" location isn't enough. You need to consider accessibility, parking, traffic flow, population radius, office clusters, schools, and customer habits. A market with 5,159 chain coffee shops doesn't reward latecomers based on sentiment. It only rewards those who truly understand the micro-level needs of each location cluster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you're running a convenience store, pharmacy, or mother and baby shop, this data suggests that opportunities lie in residential areas and suburban regions. In that case, the criteria for location must change: it doesn't necessarily need to be a "prestigious" location, but rather one situated in a well-connected area, with convenient access, reasonable rent, and the potential for mass replication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you're in fashion or a long-term experiential business model, data is warning that opening a store now can't be done with a simple "just grab a nice store" approach. This sector is under immense pressure regarding store performance. Each store must play a clear role: a flagship for brand building, a satellite store for closing deals, or a showroom to support online sales. Unclear roles can easily lead to silent losses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From this report, I've drawn four very practical lessons for those who are opening a branch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, don't look at industry growth and assume your market will win. Industry growth is macroeconomic data. Market performance is a microeconomic issue. Between those two things lies a whole layer of analysis about customers, service radius, competitors, rental levels, accessibility, and traffic flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondly, the more competitive the market, the less you can choose a location based on intuition. This is especially true for coffee shops, fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and pharmacies. Large chains don't build on trust. They build based on criteria, financial models, humane standards, and a disciplined approach to eliminating flaws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirdly, the era of chains that know how to "cover the right area" is coming, not just "opening many stores." Looking at WinMart+, Bach Hoa Xanh, and Long Chau, this is very clear. The challenge is to cover the right clusters of needs, the right lifestyles, and the right behavioral radius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fourth, a good location today must answer the business question: who does it serve, where does it attract customers from, how does it generate revenue, can it be expanded to nearby locations, will it affect internal sales, and can the rent be sustained for 24\u201336 months?.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you ask me what the biggest mistake people make when opening a real estate agency right now is, I would say: reading about market growth and then going to look for properties, instead of understanding your business model first and then looking for the right type of property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Vietnamese market is still offering many opportunities. This report clearly demonstrates that. But opportunities now don't reward the quickest movers. They reward those who read the right data, understand the market correctly, and choose the right platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Image source: Q&Me and Mapdy<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Th\u1ecb tr\u01b0\u1eddng b\u00e1n l\u1ebb Vi\u1ec7t Nam \u0111ang t\u0103ng, nh\u01b0ng kh\u00f4ng ph\u1ea3i ai m\u1edf th\u00eam c\u1eeda h\u00e0ng c\u0169ng th\u1eafng.\u0110\u00e2y l\u00e0 \u0111i\u1ec1u t\u00f4i ngh\u0129 r\u1ea5t nhi\u1ec1u khi \u0111\u1ecdc b\u00e1o c\u00e1o Modern Trade 2026 c\u1ee7a Q&Me. \u1ede b\u1ec1 m\u1eb7t, b\u1ee9c tranh nh\u00ecn kh\u00e1 \u0111\u1eb9p. T\u1ed5ng m\u1ee9c b\u00e1n l\u1ebb h\u00e0ng h\u00f3a v\u00e0 doanh thu d\u1ecbch v\u1ee5 ti\u00eau d\u00f9ng n\u0103m […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-phan-tich","category-tu-duy-chien-luoc"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n