Vietnam pho, milk tea franchised for first time in Philippines

Pho’S, Phuc Tea and Care With Love have signed franchise contracts with Philippine businesses through the ecosystem of Go Global Holdings, a company that helps small and medium-sized businesses become franchisers, its CEO, Nguyen Tuan Quynh, said Thursday.

Many foreign brands have been rushing into Vietnam to franchise their products and services in recent years, but there have been few such efforts in the reverse direction, and even fewer have succeeded, he said.

"These franchise contracts are therefore positive signs for Vietnamese firms."

Tran Thao Vi, founder of spa service provider Care With Love, told VnExpress that a franchise deal has been signed with a Philippine partner specializing in medical services.

"In two months we will launch our first franchise in the Philippines and open another three in the first quarter next year, and eventually have dozens of spas in the country."

Care With Love has been operating for 11 years with 13 branches. It plans to increase the number to 20 by the end of this year, 80% of them franchises.

Tran Nhat Vu, co-founder of beverage chain Phuc Tea, which has 140 stores in Vietnam after six years since opening, said the franchise partner would open around 20 stores in the Philippine capital Manila next year.

The franchise fee for each Pho’S and Phuc Tea store is US$7,000-10,000.

The three companies said the Philippines partners were interested because their business models are "unique" with their focus on middle-class customers.

Pho’S is the first major company to use ginseng in its recipe, while Phuc Tea has been making new beverages from unusual ingredients.

The three companies are also in talks for franchising in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Vietnamese companies to launch franchises overseas so far are footwear and leather company T&T, Pho 24 and Vu Giang Jsc under the brand Bobby Brewers coffee chain.