Chinese Investors establishes a beverage factory in Vietnam

According to data published by the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Finance, as of the end of the first nine months of 2025, Vietnam had attracted investment flows from 105 countries and territories. Within this overall landscape, China continues to be one of Vietnam’s key investment partners, with total registered capital reaching approximately USD 3.42 billion, reflecting the growing confidence of Chinese investors in Vietnam’s investment environment, FDI attraction policies, and the development potential of the Vietnamese market.

In terms of the number of projects, China ranked first in newly registered investment projects, accounting for approximately 30.42% of the total number of licensed projects, demonstrating an increasingly clear trend of Chinese enterprises expanding their manufacturing and business presence in Vietnam.

During the same period, foreign investors injected capital into 18 out of 21 sectors of the national economy, reflecting the diversity of sectors attracting investment. Notably, the manufacturing and processing industry continued to play a leading role, ranking first in both investment capital and number of projects, with total registered investment capital reaching nearly USD 16.8 billion, accounting for approximately 58.9% of the total registered FDI capital, while recording an increase of 7.4% compared to the same period in 2024.

These figures demonstrate that Vietnam not only maintains an open policy and favorable conditions for Chinese investors, but also affirms its position as an attractive destination for manufacturing projects, particularly in the processing and manufacturing sector, including the beverage production industry.

For an investment project involving the establishment of a beverage manufacturing plant in Vietnam, in order to ensure that production activities are implemented in compliance with regulations and to minimize potential legal risks, Chinese investors should clearly understand the procedures and key legal requirements outlined below.

1. Process of establishing a factory

In order to implement and put a manufacturing plant into operation in Vietnam, investors may consider two investment options, depending on the project scale, implementation timeline, and specific business strategy. Each option corresponds to different procedures and legal requirements, and investors must comply with Vietnamese laws accordingly.

The procedures for each option are outlined below.

1.1. Option 1: Establish a direct project and factory

Under this option, the investor establishes a new investment project and enterprise to directly build, manage, and operate the manufacturing plant in Vietnam.

The basic procedures include:

Step 1: Selecting and preparing the location for the manufacturing project
The investor needs to survey and select a location that is consistent with land use planning and industrial park planning.

Step 2: Apply for an Investment Registration Certificate;

Step 3: Apply for an Enterprise Registration Certificate and engrave the company seal;

Step 4: Open a bank account and contribute capital;

Step 5: Apply for fire prevention, construction, and environmental licenses to meet requirements before starting production.

1.2. Option 2: Establish a distribution company and then establish a manufacturing factory

Step 1: Find a location to establish a company;

Step 2: Apply for an Investment Registration Certificate for distribution activities;

Step 3: Apply for an Enterprise Registration Certificate and engrave the company seal;

Step 4: Open a bank account and contribute capital;

Step 5: Research the market and find a suitable beverage production location;

Step 6: Establish a branch at the production location and apply for an Investment Registration Certificate for the production project or change the headquarters address on the Enterprise Registration Certificate and project implementation location on the Certificate Investment Registration Certificate to the beverage production location.

Step 7: Apply for fire prevention, construction, and environmental licenses to meet requirements before starting production.

1.3    Advantages and disadvantages of each option 

In short, each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, investors need to consider the purpose and progress of the project to choose the appropriate option.

2. Conditions of location and capital sources 

2.1. Location 

Currently, Vietnam has numerous industrial parks across different provinces and cities, each with specific industry planning conditions.

Therefore, investors should conduct market research and evaluate industrial parks in different regions in order to select the most suitable location for establishing a beverage manufacturing plant. 

2.2. Capital 

For manufacturing activities in general, including beverage production, Vietnamese law does not prescribe a minimum investment capital requirement.

However, the investment registration authority will assess the project scale and implementation schedule to determine whether the registered capital is appropriate for the proposed project.

For investment projects in Vietnam, the total investment capital normally includes two components: 

2.2.1.  Investor's contributed capital: This is the amount of capital that the investor commits to contribute within a specified period, and the investor must demonstrate sufficient financial capacity to contribute this amount.

2.2.2. Mobilized capital: This refers to the capital that the investor plans to mobilize in the future to serve the project’s operations. Possible sources include:

1. Loans from credit institutions.
2. Capital mobilized from shareholders, members, and other entities.
3. Capital mobilized from other sources (specify source).

When registering mobilized capital, the investor must also provide documents proving the ability to obtain such financing, such as:

1. Financial support commitment from the financing party;
2. Bank statements demonstrating the financial capacity of the financing party with an amount equal to or greater than the expected mobilized capital.

In conclusion, a manufacturing plant investment project is a large-scale project that requires investors to carefully study both legal regulations and the Vietnamese market, in order to select the most appropriate investment structure, business plan, and financial strategy.

With a team of lawyers having more than 10 years of experience in investment and corporate law, Lexsol is ready to accompany clients, provide detailed consultation, and deliver comprehensive legal solutions to help enterprises and investors successfully implement their overseas investment strategies.

Contact Lexsol today to receive in-depth legal advice and full guidance on investment procedures abroad.