A panel discussion at the launching event of Flavours Vietnam 2023 in Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of the company

HÀ NỘI — Mastercard and Vietcetera on March 1 officially announced the launch of Flavours Vietnam 2023, the fourth annual gastronomy series and the most flavorful celebration of Vietnamese cuisine in Việt Nam.

Themed “Taking Vietnam’s Food & Beverage industry to the next level”, the fourth and largest edition of Flavours Vietnam features enticing events, such as the Vietnam Food & Beverage Conference, Bánh Mỳ Awards, Vietnam Restaurant and Bar Week, and Rising Chefs Challenge.

One of the major highlights is the long-awaited Vietnam Restaurant and Bar Week, which has been upgraded with an extension to run for two weeks, an expansion to the beach city of Đà Nẵng, and an increase in the number of restaurants and bars, promising an exciting and priceless culinary exploration that taps into each touch point and pays tribute to the local food culture.

“Flavours Vietnam is a significantly meaningful project through which we can have an impact by helping foster a strong, progressive, youthful F&B community in Việt Nam. From a modest award ceremony in a small restaurant in District 1 of HCM City to a large-scale event with thousands of guests and partners across different cities, our evolutionary journey bears a resemblance to how Bánh Mỳ has made its way from a common street food to a symbol of Vietnamese cuisine. Every year, we aim to shine the spotlight on ‘flavours’ as part of our effort to bring the world to Việt Nam and Việt Nam to the world,” said Thùy Minh, CCO, Vietcetera.

Since the beginning of the partnership, Vietcetera and Mastercard have inspired both consumers and partner merchants and restaurants to go cashless, using Mastercard Tap & Go contactless payment technology. The goal will extend throughout the course of Flavors Vietnam 2023, in which Mastercard cardholders can enjoy exclusive access to attractive privileges and discounts for payments and experiences. This will be a remarkable opportunity to drive further the cashless habits in F&B consumers and businesses, as well as encourage more micro, small and medium enterprises in the sector to enter the cashless economy.

“Mastercard is delighted to extend its partnership with Vietcetera on Flavours Vietnam 2023. With its recognition and establishment, the programme is an incredible opportunity to shine a spotlight on the encouraging achievements of the F&B industry in Việt Nam, while bringing people together for a celebration of the exquisite local cuisine,” said Winnie Wong, Country Manager, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, Mastercard.

According to the Mastercard Economics Institute, consumers are prioritising eating out – both in-person and via food delivery – to cooking at home, with spending at restaurants up 16 per cent in August 2022 from January 2022 levels. This has created positive momentum for the F&B industry in Việt Nam to continue to grow and thrive, and emerge as one of the most dynamic culinary markets in the world. — VNS