Kahala Brand, the parent company of the owner of the Cold Stone Creamery brand, announced that Vietnam will become the next international destination to open multiple Cold Stone Creamery locations with master franchisee, TNC Holdings JSC. TNC plans to open 30 stores over the next five years, with the first store opening in the metropolitan area of Ho Chi Minh City.
"With the rapid increase in youthful consumers demanding higher quality products we are thrilled that Vietnam will be the next international market delivering the Ultimate Ice Cream Experience," says Eddy Jimenez, senior vice president of international operations and development for Kahala. "We are excited to team up with CS Vietnam Ice-Cream Co Ltd., which is the leading and most experienced company in Vietnam. We know they will do a wonderful job at exemplifying what the Cold Stone Creamery brand is and they will continue to carry on the amazing culture we have developed worldwide."
CS Vietnam Ice-Cream Co Ltd is a subsidiary of TNC, which specializes in branding, distribution, and manufacturing of fast-moving consumer goods, which includes beverages, specifically coffee and tea, and personal care products. TNC also specializes in owning retail brands and franchises, including convenience stores, supermarkets, and F&B chains. TNC has a vision to be one of the top 10 consumer and retail companies in Vietnam, grossing $1 billion by 2020.
"Cold Stone Creamery is a premium American ice cream concept and the product will be very inviting to the Vietnamese people," says Phan Duc Binh, CEO of TNC. "However, it's the in-store experience and the fun environment Cold Stone Creamery creates that keep people coming back. The mission of making people happy, a very energetic culture and core values shared among all the stakeholders in the system is why TNC pursued Cold Stone Creamery."
Cold Stone Creamery has continued to make strong key moves into the international market in recent years. The international growth of Cold Stone Creamery began in November 2005 when the brand opened the first international store in Tokyo, Japan. Today, Cold Stone Creamery stores are operating in nearly 300 international locations and over 25 countries, including the Philippines, Cyprus, Kuwait, Qatar, Trinidad, Nigeria, Egypt, and Indonesia.
