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Market segmentation: from affordable to high-end
As in previous years, popular mooncake brands continue to lead the market in terms of production volume. Stalls from Kinh Do, Nhu Lan, Bibica, and Huu Nghi are densely spread throughout Hanoi, catering to the demand for home enjoyment and small gifts at prices ranging from 60,000 to 200,000 VND per cake. These products target customers who prefer convenience, reasonable prices, and familiar flavors.
In the mid-range segment, businesses and organizations started ordering gifts from the beginning of August, favoring gift boxes with eye-catching designs, priced from a few hundred thousand to over one million VND. This product group simultaneously meets aesthetic and budget requirements, making it suitable for gifting to partners or employees.
High-end hotels in Northern Vietnam are spending heavily on mooncakes, making the Mid-Autumn Festival market even more vibrant.
Meanwhile, the high-end segment is witnessing significant investment from 4-5 star hotels with unique, exclusive designs and prices ranging from one to several million dong. This year, Sheraton Hanoi offers a product range priced from approximately 890,000 to 2.3 million dong, while Hanoi Daewoo positions its Hoa Ca gift box at nearly one million to over 1.6 million dong. The competition lies not only in the taste of the cakes but also in packaging design, cultural stories, and the value the gift conveys.
The "healthy" trend and the demand for food safety.
A significant difference in the 2025 market compared to previous years is the rise of "healthy" mooncakes. Many brands are promoting products with reduced sugar, increased proportion of nutritious nuts, and natural ingredients such as green tea, blueberries, and chia seeds to meet the "eat well - live healthy" trend. Consumers, especially in urban areas, often choose mooncakes that are less sweet or higher in fiber to both enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival flavor and ensure good health.
Alongside this trend is a shift from "homemade" cakes to branded cakes. Following numerous inspections and penalties against unlicensed production facilities, consumers increasingly prioritize products that are certified, have transparent labeling, and clearly state the origin of their ingredients. This creates opportunities for large businesses, from industrial to hotel industries, to build customer trust through standardized processing procedures and clear disclosure.
The trend of "healthy" mooncakes with guaranteed quality and brand name is on the rise.
When Mid-Autumn Festival gifts become works of art.
While mooncakes in the mass market are primarily judged by price and convenience, in the high-end market they are elevated to the status of "artistic creations"—where cuisine intersects with aesthetics, culture, and even memories of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
This year, Sheraton Hanoi Hotel kicks off the Mid-Autumn Festival season early in the luxury segment with the launch of its "Autumn Colors of the Imperial City" collection on June 30, 2025. Inspired by the autumn colors of Hanoi, with designs mimicking traditional blue and white ceramics and images of the capital's landmarks, the collection becomes a sophisticated visual journey, recreating the characteristic colors, rhythms, and flavors of the capital as golden leaves fall on the old town streets and the sky slowly changes with the seasons.
Prices for the mooncake gift boxes range from the Lam Thu line at 890,000 VND, the Lam Kinh and Trang An versions which come with tea, to the Nguyet Quy box combining imported wine at over 2 million VND... reflecting the diversity in choices and purposes.
The mooncake designs are inspired by the autumn colors of the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel.
In keeping with the spirit of art, Sheraton Hanoi West launches the "Moonlight and Flower Cake" collection – an interplay between moonlight and floral hues, between memory and the present. Each cake is likened to a small, preserved piece of memory, while the two gift box designs, "Moon Gazing" and "Wall Garden," evoke two contrasting moods: one representing the tranquil, profound stillness of an autumn night; the other the joyful, vibrant atmosphere of togetherness.
The collection comprises six flavors, ranging from mixed nuts, black sesame with salted egg yolk, lotus seed with salted egg yolk, red bean with salted egg yolk, to novel options like matcha and oolong tea combined with bamboo charcoal, creating variations between the familiar and the modern.
The Moonlight Collection at Sheraton Hanoi West is inspired by the interplay between the moon and flowers.
Meanwhile, Capella Hanoi offers an artistic experience with its limited-edition Minh Nguyet Thanh Ca collection, inspired by Ca Tru – Vietnam's intangible cultural heritage. Designed by architect Bill Bensley, the collection mimics rhythmic clapping, paper fans, and lacquerware, creating a space reminiscent of the melodious, sometimes deep, sometimes high-pitched singing echoing under the moonlight in ancient Thang Long.
Hidden beneath the exquisitely crafted crust are four flavors, like four different tones of sound: a rich and classic mixed salted egg yolk, a gentle coconut coffee and mung bean blend like a spoken song, a bright and energetic almond and cranberry blend, and a calm and profound red apple and black sesame blend. More than just a pastry, the entire gift box is a harmonious blend connecting cuisine and music, transporting the connoisseur into the world of traditional Vietnamese folk singing through their own taste buds.
The mooncake product, inspired by Vietnamese traditional folk singing (ca trù) and designed by a foreign architect, brings a breakthrough to this year's Mid-Autumn Festival market.
Chef Luong Manh Hung at Capella Hanoi shared with Travellive: “Coffee is a very familiar flavor, but incorporating it into this year's mooncakes creates a completely new aftertaste. When enjoyed with tea, that flavor is awakened, both familiar and surprising. The combination of modernity and tradition creates a memorable culinary experience for each diner.”
The gift box conveys the message that enjoying mooncakes is like savoring the melodies of traditional Vietnamese folk singing with your taste buds.
This year, Meliá Hanoi presents the "Nguyệt Chiêu Dao" collection, inspired by moonlight, pomelo blossoms, and goldfish – three symbols deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture. The luxurious handcrafted gift boxes, such as Thanh Hoa Nguyệt Ảnh, Nguyệt Chiêu Vũ Ngư, Chu Loan Dạ Nguyệt, Song Ngư Vọng Nguyệt, and Nguyệt Hoa Lạc Thủy, evoke memories of a traditional full moon night with moonlight illuminating a small alley and the faint scent of pomelo blossoms.
The collection combines 3 to 6 mooncakes with tea or wine, featuring flavors ranging from traditional mixed nuts, lotus seed and salted egg yolk, coconut milk and salted egg yolk, apricot, bamboo charcoal oolong and salted egg yolk to premium abalone, showcasing a blend of traditional essence and contemporary creativity.
Meliá's Nguyệt Chiêu Dao collection is a blend of traditional essence and contemporary creativity.
At Hanoi Daewoo, the Floral Reverie collection embodies a modern and free-spirited aesthetic. Lunar Bloom is designed like a luxurious handbag, with exquisite leather straps and vibrant embossed floral patterns; the bright orange version evokes the image of a bird of paradise flower in full bloom, while the emerald green version is adorned with delicate lilies and orchids. Conversely, Sakura Dream opts for a gentle pastel purple hue, an elegant box shape like a jewelry box, highlighted by cherry blossoms blooming under the golden moonlight, both romantic and sophisticated.
Not only is the presentation meticulously crafted, but the flavors are also carefully considered by our team of 5-star pastry chefs. Six traditional flavors are retained: elegant lotus seed, fresh blueberry, crunchy mixed nuts, refreshing green tea, nutritious chia seeds, and sweet and creamy roasted taro with sesame. In addition, Sakura Dream introduces two new flavors for the first time: coconut milk and pandan leaf with shredded coconut – modern variations that still evoke the pure, gentle spirit of autumn. Each box of mooncakes is like an exquisite jewelry box, transforming the Mid-Autumn Festival gift into a luxurious expression of gratitude.
Daewoo Hotel Hanoi once again presents exquisite mooncake boxes, like pieces of jewelry.
Each hotel tells a different story about the Mid-Autumn Festival, but the common thread is the meticulous design, the exquisite flavors, and the aspiration to transform a traditional gift into an emotional experience. Therefore, Mid-Autumn Festival in the high-end segment is not simply about giving a box of mooncakes, but about conveying an art of living, culture, and heartfelt sentiment.
It's clear that mooncakes in Northern Vietnam in 2025 are not just a seasonal culinary product. The distinct stratification from common to high-end, coupled with the "healthy" consumer trend and the demand for food safety, has transformed the Mid-Autumn Festival into a market reflecting aesthetic taste and lifestyle. With gift boxes like Hoa Ca or Minh Nguyet Thanh Ca, the giver is not only sending wishes of family reunion but also affirming their cultural choices and refined values in every detail.
