Banh Mi Vs Burger and a brief history of Banh Mi.

Fun thought for today: Why has the McDonald's Burger been so slow to develop in Vietnam? has it got something to do with the well-established Vietnamese Banh Mi? (baguette with filling) When McDonalds first arrived in Vietnam in 2014, there was a long queue of 400,000 customers waiting to tantalite their taste buds on the new breed of burger. It seems like McDonald's was going to be a big thing in this Southeast Asian country. However, in business, the reality is often very different than the predictions. Currently, McDonalds only have 16 outlets in Ho Chi Minh city and 5 outlets in Hanoi compared to their target of 100 store by 2024. And it's not just McDonals-there are a number of other well-know international fast food chain who have very low market penetration in Vietnam as compared to most other countries. La Saigon Cafe in Singapore www.lasaigon.com focuses on specialty Vietnamese coffee and sourdough Banh Mi has listed out a few fun facts and observations below: On the important issue of taste, Vietnam is country that has a very strong and independent food culture and deep sense of pride for it own unique cuisine. You may notice, for example, that the Vietnamese people will always seek out Vietnamese food or coffee regardless of whichever country they are visiting. The fast-food selling point speed has no value in Vietnam as the concept of fast-food has exited there for a long time. The locals get faster service from many traditional Vietnamese street food outlets serving fresh local ingredients. Last but not least, Western models of fast food can't compete with the Vietnamese Banh Mi which is well-know as the King of Street food in Vietnam. You can have the fresh and affordable crispy Banh Mi everywhere with a mixture of many fresh flavours in just one bite. When it comes to Vietnam cuisine, few dishes ar as iconic as the famous Banh Mi. It is the quintessential Vietnamese sanwhicrh and a snack you just can't miss if you're heading to the country. It is easy to get lost in the flavours of this delicious bagguette, Banh Mi also has fascination history, which has cemented its position and importance in Vietnam's evolving food scene. The history of the Banh Mi sandwich began, oddly enough, with the spread of Christianity in Asia in the early 17 century and the colonial rule of the French in the south of Vietnam. It wasn't feasible to ship large amounts of food all the way from France so the French began to introduce crops and live stock to Vietnam to service their European tastes. Things like coffee, milk and charcuterie (deli meat), but its s not easy for wheat to growth in Vietnam so it had to be shipped and as only the French could afford it, it was not for the Vietnamese. When the Second World War broke out in Europe, the warehouse of two large German exporters were stored there flooded the market in Saigon at a price that everyone could afford. And for the first time, many poor Vietnamese could afford to eat cold cut meats, cheese and baguette. After the French left in 1975, the Vietnamese in the south were free to modify French dishes at will and introduce local ingredients. Mayonnaise replaced the more expensive cold cut meats. The Banh Mi was created and became a dish that everyone could afford. Along with pho, the famous Vietnamese noodle soup, Banh Mi has gone from very humble beginnings on the streets of Saigon to become a global phenomenon-mirroring the history of modern Vietnam. By Ly Bui