In Vietnam, Highlands Coffee halts lotus seed, lychee drinks at some locations amid Halong Canfoco food safety scandal

The move does not affect its entire system, it said.

The coffee chain acknowledged that canned lotus seeds and lychees used in some of its beverages were sourced from multiple suppliers, including Halong Canfoco.

Highlands Coffee said it has mobilized all approved suppliers to ensure alternative sources of these ingredients are available.

Due to regional supply allocations, Highlands Coffee announced it would temporarily stop serving lotus seed- and lychee-related products at certain stores.

The two affected drinks, including Golden Lotus Tea and Lychee Tea, are among the brand’s popular offerings.

On Friday night, Highlands Coffee responded to concerns about Halong Canfoco’s product quality, stating that it does not purchase or use any processed pork products from the company.

Several people said its earlier statement was vague, leaving questions about which items the chain actually uses and whether pâté is included in its banh mi.

Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, The Coffee House also announced a temporary suspension of its Phuc Kien Lotus Lychee Tea and Lychee Americano, which contain ingredients sourced from Halong Canfoco.

The company confirmed that its banh mi does not use any pâté or processed meat from the supplier.

Authorities in Hai Phong City, northern Vietnam recently uncovered more than 130 metric tons of pork infected with African swine fever stored at facilities belonging to Halong Canfoco, fully known as Ha Long Canned Food Joint Stock Corporation.

The meat was found to be spoiled, leaking fluid, and emitting foul odors, failing to meet food safety and hygiene standards.

Of the total volume, around two metric tons had already been processed into canned meat products, posing a potential health risk if released onto the market.

According to Halong Canfoco’s consolidated midyear 2025 financial report, released in late August, the company’s customer base is concentrated among several large partners in the retail and food and beverage sectors.

Notably, these include Highland Coffee Services JSC Branch, which operates the Highlands Coffee chain, and Wincommerce JSC.