A Formidable Rival in the Mid-Autumn Mooncake “Race”

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Vietnamese publishers and bookstores are experimenting with new ways to bring book content into products, services, and experiential activities.

A mooncake gift box is designed to resemble an oversized book. Inside are a copy of Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather and four mooncakes. Priced at around VND 1 million, the product was developed by a Vietnamese book company.

Beyond selling books, many publishers and book distributors in Vietnam are also developing products, services, and experiences tied to special occasions throughout the year, with the Mid-Autumn Festival being a notable example.

Bookstores Sell Mooncakes

Speaking with Tri Thức – Znews, industry representatives said these initiatives are part of efforts to expand product offerings, diversify bookstore spaces, and explore new ways of engaging audiences with book content. The model also raises questions about the potential for leveraging intellectual property in the publishing industry, as books are increasingly connected with other cultural and entertainment products.

“Mooncakes are sold everywhere, so we are not selling them simply to compete in the conventional mooncake market. Our bookstore chain focuses on products that carry cultural significance and complement other product categories available in our stores,” Phạm Thị Hóa, Deputy General Director of FAHASA, told Tri Thức – Znews.

Since late August, FAHASA has incorporated mooncakes and other Mid-Autumn Festival-related products, themed books, and children’s items into its seasonal product range. According to Ms. Phạm Thị Hóa, this approach builds on the bookstore chain’s existing product ecosystem and customer base.

In addition to its retail activities, FAHASA organizes book-reading sessions, lantern-making workshops, and other activities for children during the festival.

This approach places mooncakes within the same retail ecosystem as books and family-oriented products. Bookstores, of course, remain places to buy books, but they are also becoming destinations where parents can shop for gifts, toys, and children’s products during the festive season.

One example is a product developed by Đông A that combines mooncakes with Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. Priced at more than VND 1 million, the mooncake box is designed to resemble a book and contains a copy of the novel along with four mooncakes.

Nguyễn Thủy Hằng Giang, Executive Director of Đông A, said the decision to feature The Godfather was inspired by the work’s prominent place in both literature and cinema.

“Mario Puzo’s The Godfather is a classic that has had a profound influence on both literature and cinema. Developing a product inspired by the novel is our way of bringing its story and values to a wider audience through a different format,” she said.

Publishing Industry Expands Reading Experiences for the Mid-Autumn Festival

In addition to adding mooncakes to their product offerings, publishing companies are stepping up initiatives that connect books with children, families, and traditional culture.

Trẻ Publishing House plans to release Festival Stories – The Mid-Autumn Festival, a book for children aged six and above. The book introduces the origins and significance of the festival, along with familiar traditions and cultural symbols such as lanterns, tò he (traditional Vietnamese figurines made from colored rice dough), papier-mâché masks, lion dances, lantern processions, and phá cỗ, the tradition of sharing and enjoying the Mid-Autumn Festival feast. The title is part of a series of books about traditional festivals, designed to help children discover Vietnamese customs through age-appropriate reading.

Meanwhile, Kim Đồng Publishing House is hosting a series of livestreams titled “Stories Under the Moon,” featuring children’s books about the Mid-Autumn Festival, Vietnamese fairy tales, and folk culture. By bringing book presentations to online platforms, the initiative allows parents and children to explore the content from the comfort of their homes.

Reading promotion initiatives are also being designed to encourage families to participate together. TIMES Books is organizing a program titled “Stories Under the Full Moon,” allocating VND 50 million to book donations and support activities under its Family Bookshelf initiative. Rather than simply encouraging parents to buy books as holiday gifts, the program focuses on parents reading together with their children.

In public spaces, the Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library is hosting the “Full Moon Festival 2026” for children and families. The program combines storytelling with lantern-making, mooncake-making, musical performances, lantern processions, and phá cỗ — the traditional sharing and enjoyment of a Mid-Autumn Festival feast. These activities place books and libraries within the broader context of cultural life, giving children opportunities to discover traditional customs through hands-on experiences.

Ho Chi Minh City Book Street is also co-organizing the “Celebrating Birthdays with Books” program under the theme “Shining Stars.” Alongside the Vietnamese folk tale “The Legend of Chú Cuội on the Moon,” the program features games and Mid-Autumn Festival activities for children, as well as birthday celebrations for children born in September. The free program aims to bring children and families closer to books, reading culture, and Vietnamese folk tales.

Taken together, these initiatives show how the Mid-Autumn Festival is becoming an opportunity for Vietnam’s publishing industry to broaden the ways it engages young readers. Festival-themed books are not only being published as seasonal titles but are also being incorporated into storytelling programs, livestreams, family activities, and community cultural spaces.

Source: Tri Thức – Znews, “A Formidable Contender in the Mid-Autumn Mooncake Market”