A Hong Tra Ngo Gia outlet on Truong Sa Street in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre
On Tuesday evening, Hong Tra Ngo Gia (Wujia Black Tea) addressed its 142,000 followers on its fan page over a tax debt of more than VND20 billion (US$770,000), saying some tax-related information circulating on social media was inaccurate and could cause confusion.
The company said it was also working with tax authorities to file declarations and fulfill its financial obligations, while carrying out procedures to change its registered headquarters address.
The statement drew the attention of many young people, as Hong Tra Ngo Gia is a familiar beverage brand among them.
Affordable prices, a wide-ranging menu and convenient locations
Below Hong Tra Ngo Gia’s clarification post, many users expressed relief that the brand said it remained in operation, meaning they could continue enjoying their familiar drinks.
A user named Nguyen Huynh Nguyen Loc commented: “Thank goodness. I thought the lychee latte was about to disappear.”
Kim Ngan also wrote: “Oh my God, I thought the lychee black tea with coconut jelly was going to disappear for good.”
Speaking with Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper, Linh Chi, 26, a resident of Gia Dinh Ward, said she started drinking Hong Tra Ngo Gia about a year ago.
The brand is a go-to option for her and her roommate. Chi said the taste was not particularly impressive to her.
The two main reasons she regularly buys from the brand are its low prices and convenience on her commute home from work.
“I usually prefer teas with a light, easy-to-drink flavor, such as lychee black tea or lemon green tea, while my roommate prefers milk tea,” Chi said.
According to Chi, fruit teas start at around VND15,000 ($0.58), while milk teas start at around VND20,000 ($0.77). Even with toppings, a drink costs less than VND30,000 ($1.16).
Similarly, Tran Phu, 24, a resident of Gia Dinh Ward, said he likes the brand because it is close to home and convenient to buy from.
“The store is only about 500 meters from my house, right at the entrance to my alley, so whenever I crave something sweet, I can stop by and get a drink right away,” Phu said.
According to Phu, the brand also has a fairly diverse menu, including pure teas, milk teas, fruit teas, lattes, seasonal drinks and a wide range of toppings.
Pure teas are priced at around VND13,000-22,000 ($0.50-0.85), milk teas at VND18,000-38,000 (US$0.69-1.46), and fruit teas at VND21,000-30,000 ($0.81-1.16).
Phu said the affordable prices allow customers to order drinks to take away or go with friends while still having plenty of options.
The variety of toppings and frequent addition of new products also give younger customers more choices when buying drinks.
Hong Tra Ngo Gia’s clarification post drew significant user engagement. Photo: Screenshot
Hong Tra Ngo Gia leads affordable milktea segment
Many other young people also said convenience, affordable prices and a wide range of choices were among the factors that led them to regularly buy from Hong Tra Ngo Gia.
This is also reflected in the Vietnam Food and Beverage Market Business Report for the first six months of 2026, conducted by iPOS.vn and Nestle Professional.
The survey covered 934 consumers across 15 provinces and cities, mainly in major urban areas such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
According to the report, uniformly priced budget milk tea at VND7,000-15,000 (US$0.27-0.58) per cup was the consumer trend of greatest interest during the first half of 2026, with an interest rate of 39.19 percent.
The low prices make it easier for consumers to try the drinks without having to think too much about their budget.
Outlets in this segment are typically small, with limited menus and a focus on takeaway service, making them suitable for areas around schools, residential neighborhoods and busy streets.
In fact, Tuoi Tre online newspaper ’s observations found that ultra-low-cost milk tea outlets have emerged in many parts of Ho Chi Minh City.
Such outlets are not limited to outlying areas, where operating costs are lower, but have also appeared in central areas with a high concentration of food and beverage businesses, including Gia Dinh, Phu Nhuan and Nhieu Loc wards.
Hong Tra Ngo Gia has also developed in this segment. The brand entered the Vietnamese market in 2019, focusing mainly on southern Vietnam.
It was not until mid-2025 that the brand opened its first outlet in Hanoi.
As of 2026, Hong Tra Ngo Gia had developed a network of more than 600 franchise outlets across Vietnam, combining fixed stores with mobile sales points.
From a market perspective, the iPOS.vn report estimated that Vietnam's F&B industry revenue reached VND432.7 trillion ($16.66 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 6.5 percent from VND406.1 trillion ($15.64 billion) in the same period a year earlier.
The increase was slightly higher than the 5.5 percent growth recorded for the full year of 2025.
The tax debt issue involving Hong Tra Ngo Gia came to public attention on Tuesday, after 18th facility tax under the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department published a list of taxpayers with outstanding tax obligations as of July 31, 2026.
According to the published list, Hong Tra Ngo Gia was ranked sixth among the taxpayers with the largest outstanding tax amounts, with a debt of VND20.18 billion ($777,000).
The information was subsequently reported by the media, prompting the company to issue a statement on Tuesday evening saying it was carrying out procedures to change its business headquarters and was working with tax authorities to declare and fulfill its outstanding financial obligations.
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