Mooncakes are a traditional treat synonymous with the Mid-Autumn Festival, symbolizing reunion and prosperity. This year, in addition to traditional mooncakes, the market is buzzing with character-shaped and pet-shaped mooncakes. Among them, Labubu and Capybara mooncakes are proving especially popular with parents and children.

Thanh Huyen, a bakery owner in Can Tho, said her 100 boxes of Capybara and Labubu mooncakes sold out quickly, even though the Mid-Autumn Festival is still 1.5 months away. "Not only are they eye-catching and trendy, the fillings and crusts are also innovative and less heavy than traditional mooncakes, making them particularly appealing to families with young children," Huyen said.

According to Huyen, a 120-gram box of Capybara mooncakes sells for 135,000 VND, while a box of 9 Labubu mooncakes, each weighing 60 grams, costs 270,000 VND, roughly 30,000 VND each. Compared to regular 150-200 gram mooncakes, typically priced at 40,000-70,000 VND each, these prices are considered quite high. However, according to retailers, most of these products are imported from factories in Ho Chi Minh City and include additional costs, so customers are willing to pay a premium for these unique mooncakes.

This craze stems from the Capybara and Labubu collecting trend that spread across social media last year. Young people, accustomed to collecting accessories, now view these mooncakes as a must-have novelty item. Many customers buy them not only to eat but also to photograph, display, or give as unique gifts.

Capybara mooncakes at Dung's factory. Photo: Tien Dung

Capybara mooncakes at Dung's factory. Photo: Tien Dung

Smaller bakeries have been quick to capitalize on this trend, and even established businesses are adapting to meet the changing demand. Tran Tien Dung, the owner of a mooncake bakery on Ho Bieu Chanh Street in Phu Nhuan District (Ho Chi Minh City), has been making mooncakes for over 10 years, primarily focusing on artistic floral mooncakes or corporate logo mooncakes. Last year, he experimented with Capybara-shaped mooncakes, following the social media trend, and was surprised by the positive customer response.

"Initially, only a few customers inquired, so we made samples and took photos. Unexpectedly, after posting the pictures online, orders flooded in, spreading through word-of-mouth," he said.

According to Dung, last year's late product launch limited sales to around 3,000 mooncakes. "This year, with an earlier launch, I expect to sell 5,000-6,000 during the peak Mid-Autumn season," he shared. Currently, his bakery has sold over 1,000 Capybara mooncakes, each weighing 120 grams and priced at 100,000 VND. Many customers buy them for their children to both play with and eat.

These Capybara mooncakes are entirely handmade, a much more labor-intensive process than mold-made mooncakes. "5-6 bakers can only make a few hundred each day, while mold-pressed mooncakes can be mass-produced by machines in the thousands at a lower cost," Dung explained.

What sets Dung's Capybara mooncakes apart is their unique "water-wood" crust, developed in-house from white beans instead of wheat flour. When baked, the crust retains its beautiful color without turning yellow. Inside are traditional sweet fillings, a long-standing specialty of the bakery. The white beans undergo multiple processes: soaking, steaming, grinding, drying, and washing, to remove any odor and preserve the natural color of the crust.

In addition to smaller bakeries, larger brands are also gearing up for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Tran Le Nguyen, CEO of KIDO, said the group's mooncakes will be distributed at approximately 1,000 retail locations and through e-commerce channels. This year, the company is also focusing on developing its chain of miniBAO mooncake stores to guarantee quality, combat counterfeiting, and assist consumers with invoices and taxes following the July 1st regulations.

Orion Vietnam is also shifting its strategy. Instead of adding a lower price segment, the company is targeting the mid-range segment, with mooncakes priced between 300,000 and 500,000 VND per box. New, trendy fillings like green bean with young rice flakes and matcha red bean are also being explored.

Despite the excitement, the mooncake market this year still faces risks from homemade mooncakes with undisclosed food safety information or ingredient origins. Market authorities advise consumers to purchase from reputable establishments and avoid unregulated products to ensure quality and protect their health.

Thi Ha