The Business of Sustainable Food: Economic and Financial Implications of Eco-Friendly Culinary Practices in Vietnam

This study focuses on the food and beverage industry in Vietnam, a rapidly growing sector that also faces many challenges in terms of environmental sustainability. In the context of increasing pressure from consumers, legal regulations and global trends, the study aims to assess the economic and financial impacts of adopting sustainable food practices. Using two theoretical approaches based on the Relational View and the Natural Resource-Based View, the study collected data from 217 managers and business owners in the industry to identify the factors that promote and hinder the transition to sustainable practices. The results of the study show that four sustainable practices such as using organic ingredients, saving energy, separating food waste, and optimizing green supply chains all have positive and significant impacts on the economic and financial performance of food service enterprises in Vietnam. In addition, structural factors such as enterprise size and geographical location, although still having some influence, become less important when enterprises implement sustainable practices, suggesting that green strategies can help narrow the gap between large and small enterprises. The study recommends that food businesses in Vietnam should integrate green strategies into their business operations, such as using organic ingredients, saving energy, managing waste, and optimizing supply chains. These measures help reduce costs, enhance brand recognition, increase customer trust, and expand markets. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises can apply simple but effective green solutions to increase their competitive advantage. At the same time, sustainable practices also help businesses be more ready for international integration and access support from green policies and capital.