HCM CITY — With a month left until the Mid-Autumn Festival, HCM City’s mooncake market is buzzing as major brands launch new flavours, creative packaging, and designs inspired by traditions.

Since the beginning of the seventh lunar month, leading confectionery companies have launched their new products.

According to Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, Deputy General Director of Sun Do Foods Corporation, which owns the Sauvoure brand, market demand has risen by about twenty per cent year on year but remains below expectations.

“To meet consumer demand, we have introduced green and healthy products in line with current trends, such as low-sugar mooncakes made with natural ingredients like lotus seeds, taro, coffee, and green tea,” Ngân said. She highlighted that the company’s signature 2025 collection featured designs inspired by Bến Thành Market, serving both as a gift set and a decorative miniature model.

Similarly, Hữu Nghị Food JSC has seen a positive market response this year, benefiting from stronger oversight by authorities, which has pushed out unsafe, unregulated producers.

Nguyễn Công Anh, Sales Director of Hữu Nghị in the southern region, noted that consumers were increasingly turning to reputable brands that emphasise health and safety, rather than homemade mooncakes with unclear quality.

He added that the company was offering both traditional and modern flavours, including mochi and flowing custard “lava” fillings, to meet the dual demands of indulgence and gift-giving.

Producers are preparing for peak demand by stockpiling raw materials, expanding marketing campaigns, and boosting distribution both offline and online. Traditional mooncakes range from VNĐ70,000 to 200,000 each, while premium varieties exceed VNĐ300,000. Gift boxes vary widely, from VNĐ350,000 to several millions of đồng, depending on flavour, packaging, and number of cakes.

Luxury products, such as mooncakes infused with bird’s nest, shark fin, or deluxe mixed fillings, continue to attract consumers in HCM City.

Unlike in the past years, homemade mooncakes are now largely absent from the market, as producers struggle to meet invoicing requirements and consumers shy away from products without clear origin.

The HCM City Department of Food Safety has launched a three-phase inspection campaign: the first focused on raw materials, the second on distribution and circulation, and the final stage – after the festival – targets clearance sales, preventing expired products from reaching consumers.

“All mooncake businesses, from small workshops to large factories, must ensure food safety standards from ingredients to production processes,” said Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, Director of the municipal Department of Food Safety. She emphasised that online sellers would also be closely monitored, with violators facing penalties.

The city is also running a green tick for responsible mooncakes programme, requiring producers to disclose product quality and origin, thereby curbing low-quality and unregulated goods.

According to Nguyễn Nguyên Phương, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, most major mooncake producers have signed commitments under this programme, reflecting both accountability and confidence in a transparent, growing market.

Market observers note a clear shift in 2025: rather than focusing purely on volume, producers are prioritising quality, cultural storytelling, and customer experience. Modern-traditional fusions and elegant gift sets are driving demand, especially among corporate buyers and younger consumers. — VNS