The recently published 2025 business results report from Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) reveals that Highlands Coffee's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) reached nearly 2,5 billion pesos, equivalent to over 1,085 billion dong. This marks a 5,7% increase from 2024 and represents the highest level since information was first disclosed in 2023.

On average, this coffee chain generates nearly 3 billion dong in EBITDA daily. Highlands Coffee contributes almost 29% to Jollibee Foods Corporation's coffee and tea segment EBITDA. Across the entire group, Highlands Coffee accounts for over 5,9%.

This improved EBITDA stems from an 8,2% rise in same-store sales compared to the previous year. This metric only considers stores operating for at least 15 months, excluding new openings. Transaction volume also improved by 6%, while average revenue per customer increased by an additional 2,1%.

The report does not specify revenue figures. However, SuperFoods, the entity behind Highlands Coffee and Pho24, reported revenue exceeding 11,9 billion pesos (equivalent to over 4,946 billion dong), an increase of almost 17%. With Pho24 having only 14 stores, this implies that the coffee chain significantly contributes to SuperFoods' revenue.

Highlands Coffee is currently Vietnam's largest coffee chain. By the end of December, the company operated 985 stores both domestically and internationally, encompassing self-operated and franchised models. The brand has 38 franchised stores in the Philippines, its first international market. Compared to the end of the previous year, its operational network expanded by an additional 135 stores. Highlands Coffee states it employs over 10,000 staff and serves over 100 million customers annually.

Customers holding drinks at a store in Tan Thuan ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tat Dat

Established in 1999, the brand began with packaged coffee products in Hanoi. In 2002, Highlands Coffee expanded into a coffee chain model, opening its first store in Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, the chain has steadily grown, becoming a renowned coffee brand operating both domestically and internationally.

In 2012, Jollibee Foods Corporation, a Philippine restaurant group, acquired Highlands Coffee. Speaking to VnExpress in April 2025, founder and CEO David Thai affirmed that this coffee chain remains a Vietnamese enterprise; Jollibee acts solely as an investor and strategic advisor, not involved in daily business operations. The operational management and human resources of Highlands Coffee are entirely under the leadership of David Thai.

JFC is considering plans for an initial public offering (IPO) for Highlands Coffee, projected for Q1 2027. The goal of this plan is to support Highlands Coffee's next growth phase by raising capital, enhancing its corporate image, and allowing it to focus more on strategy and operations.

Tat Dat