Million-dong luxury mooncakes fly off shelves without shoppers hitting the streets

According to a Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper survey, Hanoi's premium mooncake market has been bustling since the start of the season, with orders at many hotels rising steadily. 

Mooncakes have also emerged as a niche business attracting an increasing number of hotels.

Early orders, online shopping dominate 

Although the Mid-Autumn Festival falls relatively late this year, the mooncake season got off to an early start. 

Corporate customers began looking for gift boxes in June, about a month earlier than in previous years.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper, Doan Tuan, deputy general director of Hanoi Hotel, said this year’s mooncake market has been lively, with an increasingly diverse range of brands entering the segment.

Alongside traditional mooncake brands and hotel offerings, the market now features more handmade products as well as house-brand mooncakes from cafes and restaurants.

This shows that consumer demand for mooncakes remains strong, while the market is becoming increasingly diverse in terms of products, price segments and ways of reaching customers.

“As of now, we have sold about 36,125 boxes, up more than 20 percent from the same period in 2025,” Tuan said.

Nguyen Ngoc Long, assistant director of food and beverage at Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, which holds a large share of Hanoi’s mooncake market, said that beyond timing, consumer behavior has also changed significantly.

While customers once focused mainly on brand and price, they now evaluate products based on a wider range of factors.

A beautifully designed mooncake box is no longer enough. Customers also look for a compelling design story, attention to detail and the emotional value the gift conveys.

“During the 2025 mooncake season, we supplied an average of about 50,000 boxes. In 2026, the hotel proactively increased production capacity to 60,000 boxes, based on earlier demand and the scale of market orders,” Long said.

Why $40-plus mooncakes still fly off shelves

Despite high prices and strong sales, the premium mooncake market is highly competitive among brands.

Doan Tuan said competition in the premium mooncake segment has become increasingly intense, as many major hotels now develop their own products.

However, competition is no longer just about price or the number of flavors on offer. Customers are increasingly paying attention to the quality and consistency of the products, brand story, gift-box design and service experience.

For corporate gifting and high-end customers, the appearance and perceived value of a gift also play an important role, helping explain why expensive mooncake boxes continue to attract buyers.

To prepare for the mooncake season, brands typically begin planning early. 

Alongside the quality of the cakes, product design has become a key visual factor influencing how much customers are willing to spend.

Vu Thi Van Khanh, director of sales and marketing at Sheraton Hanoi, said the hotel typically kicks off its mooncake season at the beginning of the year by developing a concept for its products. The concept must convey the story and message of each season.

Premium mooncakes this year range from more than VND1 million (US$38) to several million dong per box, depending on the number of cakes and accompanying products such as tea or wine. 

By this point, most brands have already wrapped up production and are selling the final boxes of the 2026 Mid-Autumn season.