Sojitz and Royal Holdings Enter Restaurant Business in Vietnam －Opening of the First Royal Brand Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh to Expand the Retail Value Chain－

Sojitz Corporation (“Sojitz”) and Royal Holdings Co., Ltd. (“Royal HD”) launch THE ROYAL, a Western-style restaurant, which is the first restaurant under the Royal brand to open its doors in Ho Chi Minh on April 18, 2025. Sojitz and Royal HD plan to meet regional needs in Vietnam through joint development of a wide range of restaurants, which will include both Western and Japanese-style restaurants not limited to a single restaurant brand. This opening marks Sojitz’s first foray into the restaurant industry in Vietnam, and Sojitz will collaborate with Sojitz Group’s wholesale, logistics, and food-related businesses in the country to expand its retail value chain.

Sojitz and Royal HD first formed a strategic partnership with a capital and business tie-up in 2021. Together, Sojitz and Royal HD have introduced Europe’s Costa Coffee* brand to the Japanese market and opened the first directly managed Royal Host store in Singapore. Partnering with Choushimaru Co., Ltd., Sojitz and Royal HD are also developing new lines of business centered on the sushi business in the U.S. through the provision of innovative products and services that generate new value.

Vietnam’s restaurant market is the second largest in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia. In metropolitan areas like Ho Chi Minh, there is growing interest and demand for Japanese cuisine. As income levels rise and dual-income households increase, continued market growth is expected.

Sojitz’s predecessor company Nissho Iwai Corporation first expanded its business to Vietnam in the 1970s. In 2006, Sojitz became the first Japanese company to receive a friendship award based on the company’s strong relationship to Vietnam and contribution to the country’s economic development. Sojitz has a strong foothold in the Vietnamese market starting with the wholesale and logistics business that includes manufacturing and retail, and Sojitz will continue to connect the dots of business to build for further expansion. In November 2023, Sojitz Asia Pte. Ltd. and Sojitz Vietnam Company Ltd. jointly acquired full ownership of DaiTanViet Joint Stock Company, which is Vietnam’s largest wholesaler of commercial food. Sojitz is also working alongside its consolidated subsidiary and major consumer goods wholesaler, Huong Thuy Manufacture Service Trading Corporation, to expand sales channels by creating a broadline wholesale food distribution business that supplies independently owned retail stores, mass merchandisers, and mid- to high-end hotels and restaurants. In December 2024, Sojitz began operation of one of Vietnam’s largest meat processing plants, and Sojitz intends to have the plant supply processed beef to THE ROYAL. Additionally, Sojitz plans to start operating a cattle farm near the processing plant that will provide a stable supply of high-quality beef products through an integrated system encompassing all processes from farming to meat processing and sales, which will enrich the food culture in the country.

Royal HD will have Royal Sojitz Vietnam Company Limited (“Royal Sojitz Vietnam”) serve as the management company to handle development of a wide variety of restaurants to meet the needs of the region. Royal Sojitz Vietnam was first established in August 2024 with the aim of expanding the restaurant business in Vietnam. As the first Royal HD restaurant to open in central Ho Chi Minh, THE ROYAL will mainly serve Western-style grilled dishes with a bar & grill concept. THE ROYAL gets its name from Royal HD’s first restaurant of the same name which opened in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1953. In the future, Royal HD plans to expand beyond Western-style cuisine with restaurants offering international dishes and hospitality. Both companies will work together to leverage Sojitz’s existing business foundation in Vietnam, food industry sales capabilities, and wholesale functions together with Royal HD’s restaurant management and development capabilities, with the goal of further expanding the retail value chain.

Moving forward, Sojitz will collaborate with Sojitz Group businesses in the fast-growing Vietnamese market to deliver necessary goods and services and strengthen initiatives for realizing the Sojitz Growth Story.

*Costa Coffee is a registered trademark of Costa Limited.

■ Sojitz’s Promotional Videos

December 17, 2024　Sojitz and Vinamilk Group Begin Operation of Vietnam’s Largest Beef Processing Plant
May 7, 2024　Royal Holdings, Choushimaru, and Sojitz Establish Joint Venture in the U.S.
November 22, 2023　Sojitz Acquires Full Ownership of Vietnam’s Largest Commercial Food Wholesaler
March 16, 2023　Sojitz and Royal Holdings Establish Café Management Company
July 12, 2021　Royal Holdings and Sojitz Conclude Joint Venture Agreement to Establish a Local Subsidiary in Singapore through Joint Investment
February 15, 2021　Sojitz Acquires Stake in Royal Holdings Co., Ltd., Operator of Restaurant Chains such as Royal Host and Tendon Tenya, with Capital and Business Tie-up

Contact: Sojitz Corporation Public Relations Dept.　hodo@sojitz.com