Its revenues were VND1.579 trillion ($67.15 million) and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) were VND195 billion, the highest gross profit margin in the industry, according to Masan’s newly published annual report. Highland Coffee had revenues of over VND2 trillion a year in 2019 and 2020. Phuc Long opened 23 large flagship stores and two mini shops in the last quarter of 2022, increasing their total numbers to 111 and 21. They represented a near doubling of numbers from 2021 when Masan first bought stakes in Phuc Long. The flagship stores achieved very high profit margins of 31% in 2022 and 26% in 2021. Last year they reported sales of VND1.1 trillion and profits of VND330 billion. But Phuc Long had to close 150 tea and coffee kiosks located inside WinMart retail stores, also belonging to Masan, in the second half of 2022, the annual report said. "We are adjusting this model (opening tea and coffee kiosks in WinMart stores) in the first … [Read more...] about How tea chain Phuc Long fared in the year after Masan takeover
2019 to 2023 how many years
Japan’s SMBC acquires 15% stake in VPBank for US$1.5 billion
The agreement surpasses the VND20 trillion ($850 million) acquisition of a 15% stake in BIDV from KEB Hana Bank (South Korea) in 2019, setting a new record in the banking industry. VPBank announced that it has completed the sale of a 15% equity interest to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. of Japan, a member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, in a transaction valued at $1.5 billion. CEO of SMBC Masahiro Yoshimura and Chairman of the Board of Directors at VPBank Nguyen Chi Dung at the signing ceremony today. Photo: VPBank SMBC Group's latest deal with VPBank makes the former a new strategic investor in the latter. The agreement sets a new banking industry record, with a deal value of VND35.9 trillion ($1.5 billion), surpassing the VND20 trillion ($850 million) acquisition of a 15% stake in BIDV from South Korea's KEB Hana Bank in 2019. The investment is expected to increase VPBank's total capital from VND103.5 trillion ($4.4 billion) to around VND140 trillion … [Read more...] about Japan’s SMBC acquires 15% stake in VPBank for US$1.5 billion
Powerful plan mooted for tourism
Photo: Chi Cuong At VIR’s roundtable discussion on seeking a boost for inbound tourism last week, editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh opened the roundtable with a fact-based observation, and noted that the country has yet to unlock the full potential of its tourism industry. “While the tourism sector contributes a significant 9.2 per cent of the country’s total GDP, equivalent to $32.8 billion, this number remains low compared to the global average,” he said. In 2023, the tourism sector aims to welcome eight million international visitors. While this is a modest number compared to the level achieved in 2019 of 19 million visitors, it is a challenging target as the market is undergoing many changes and new trends post-pandemic. Explaining this, Hoang Nhan Chinh, secretariat director of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board assessed that group tours are seeing a decline, and tourists known as frequent independent travellers are on the rise. “An essential step is to understand the … [Read more...] about Powerful plan mooted for tourism
Drought killing Mekong Delta durian with salt
Tran Van Thu, a local in Chau Thanh District’s Tien Long Commune, measured the salinity level in the Ba Lai and Ham Luong rivers last week. Both are tributaries of the Tien River, a branch of the Mekong River in Vietnam, which runs through Ben Tre and feeds much of the delta province’s fruit, vegetable and rice crops. Tran Van Thu holds a tool that read the salinity level in a river in Chau Thanh District, Ben Tre Province at 0.34 ppt, March 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Nam According to Thu, each of the two rivers that surround his 6,000-square-meter durian farm carried salinity levels of 0.34 (ppt). This was devastating news as his durians need fresh water with salinity levels of less than 0.2 ppt. "Every day, the river water only stays within the safe levels for about an hour, so I have to take every chance I can get [to get fresh water to the farm]." Thu’s family used to cultivate rambutan for a living, but after losing the entire farm to drought and salt … [Read more...] about Drought killing Mekong Delta durian with salt
Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism
Visas, service quality, and technology were all part of discussions on a better-performing tourism sector Photo: Cuong Minh May’s National Assembly session is likely to help push ahead a revamp of the country’s rules on entry and exit for foreign visitors, after the Ministry of Public Security crafts amendments to the current law. The development will be an important basis for the issuance of new regulations related to the visa policy, removing difficulties for the tourism industry, and creating conditions to attract more international visitors this year, according to most observers. Dang Tuan Viet, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Secrutity’s (MoPS) Vietnam Immigration Department, said that the proposal emphasised two major areas related to unilateral visa exemption and electronic visa policy. The MoPS also proposes to expand the number of countries that can issue e-visas from 80 countries to the maximum. The MoPS will also ask to increase the temporary stay … [Read more...] about Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism