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Coffee and gastronomy: a potential ‘marriage’? The case of Vietnam

Oanh Thi Kim Vu (School of Business and Management, RMIT International University, Hanoi Campus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Abel Duarte Alonso (School of Business and Management, RMIT International University, Hanoi Campus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Wil Martens (School of Business and Management, RMIT International University, Hanoi Campus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Lan Do (School of Business and Management, RMIT International University, Hanoi Campus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Luong Ngoc Tran (Faculty of Tourism, Hoa Binh University Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Thanh Duc Tran (Faculty of Tourism Studies, Phenikaa University, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Trung Thanh Nguyen (Faculty of Tourism, Hanoi Open University, Hanoi, Vietnam)

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

ISSN: 0959-6119

Article publication date: 28 October 2022

Issue publication date: 11 May 2023

549

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to gain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between a national product (coffee) and gastronomy. Moreover, incorporating the resource-based view of the firm framework, the importance of coffee is examined, as is the extent and potential to “marry” coffee and gastronomy into a tourism activity, and the need to develop such potential.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured, face-to-face and online interviews were used to gather the viewpoints of 79 chefs and coffee shop owners/managers operating in Vietnam, the world’s second-largest coffee producer and home to a vibrant coffee shop industry.

Findings

The selected inductive analysis identified 11 dimensions, including “coffee infrastructure”, “coffee-based innovation”, “coffee-trigger” and “coffee resources”, emerged. These dimensions reveal a strong potential for a coffee and local gastronomy “marriage”. Furthermore, nine of the 11 dimensions provide direct guidance concerning the importance, the potential for “marriage”, coffee tourism development and what is needed to fulfil this potential.

Practical implications

The study affords understanding of Vietnam’s coffee industry, in particular its resources, and how these can be leveraged to combine with the nation’s gastronomy and produce more fulfilling food and beverage experiences.

Originality/value

Gastronomy, hospitality and tourism represent a well-defined partnership that can result in memorable consumer experiences. While the strength of this partnership is recognised, little is known about the potential to “marry” a national product such as coffee and local gastronomy. The study breaks new ground in this area and concludes with various theoretical and practical implications that contribute to more understanding of the coffee–gastronomy relationship.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

No conflict of interest has been noted/identified in this research, and no funding was received.

Citation

Vu, O.T.K., Duarte Alonso, A., Martens, W., Do, L., Tran, L.N., Tran, T.D. and Nguyen, T.T. (2023), "Coffee and gastronomy: a potential ‘marriage’? The case of Vietnam", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 35 No. 6, pp. 1943-1965. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-04-2022-0440

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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