Opening a Vietnamese Restaurant or Café Chain in Indonesia: PT PMA Setup for F&B Brands

Why Vietnamese F&B Brands Are Looking at Jakarta

Vietnamese food is no longer new in Jakarta. Yeu Saigon Group opened its first Saigon Cafe in 2015 and has since grown into several brands, including Saigon Delight, across Jakarta malls. Pho 24 also runs several outlets in the city. Most recently, Vietnamese coffee chain Cong Ca Phe was reported to be preparing its first Indonesian outlet at Gandaria City, South Jakarta, in the second half of 2026.

This shows that diners already know pho, banh mi and Vietnamese coffee. It also shows that malls welcome these concepts. For a founder, that lowers the education cost. It does not lower the legal work, so the setup needs to be right from day one.

Why a PT PMA Fits an F&B Chain

A PT PMA is Indonesia’s foreign-owned limited liability company. It is the legal vehicle that lets foreign individuals or companies own shares directly. A restaurant chain needs an entity that can sign mall leases, employ staff, open a bank account, register for tax, issue invoices and pay suppliers. A PT PMA does all of this. You can compare it with other entry routes in our guide to foreign company registration options in Indonesia, and learn the basics in what a private limited company in Indonesia is.

A PT PMA must have at least one director, one commissioner, at least one foreign shareholder and a registered business address in Indonesia. Founders also need a clear business activity code, which brings us to KBLI.

Choosing the Right F&B KBLI Codes

KBLI is Indonesia’s business activity classification. Your codes decide your risk level, your licenses and your foreign ownership limits. Our guide on how KBLI codes work explains the system in detail.

Smaller street-style food stalls are reserved for micro and small businesses, so a chain should not plan around those codes. Coffee, tea and beverage-focused concepts fall under separate codes in the 563 group, so confirm the exact code for your menu before filing. A wrong code can lead to the wrong license category.

Capital and Investment Rules

Indonesian rules set two numbers that surprise many founders. First, the PT PMA needs paid-up capital of at least IDR 2.5 billion. Second, a PT PMA generally invests above IDR 10 billion, excluding land and buildings, per five-digit KBLI per project location. For food and beverage services, the rule is applied per two-digit KBLI code per location, and one location means one regency or city. This helps chains: several outlets in the same city under the same code share one investment threshold.

Treat these as planning figures and confirm them with a licensed adviser, because rules change often.

Licenses You Will Need

Every company starts with the NIB, issued through the OSS system. Read more in what the NIB is and in our complete guide to business licenses and permits in Indonesia. For restaurants at medium-high risk, expect to add:

• A Standard Certificate, verified through OSS, for tourism-related restaurant business.
• A hygiene and sanitation certificate (SLHS) from the local health office.
• An RPTKA approval if you will employ foreign workers, such as a head chef or operations lead.
• Location and building approvals, which are coordinated with local government offices.

The company setup itself follows a clear order: name and notarial deed, Ministry of Law approval, OSS and NIB, tax registration, bank account and beneficial ownership reporting. See our overview on how to register your company in Indonesia. Also decide early whether you need a virtual or physical office, since F&B outlets need real premises but your head office may differ.

Importing Ingredients: BPOM and Halal

Many Vietnamese brands want to bring in sauces, spices, coffee, tea and noodles from home. Two systems apply. BPOM, the food and drug authority, must register processed food before it is sold or distributed, and a foreign brand cannot hold a BPOM registration directly. It must use a local entity or importer, which is another reason to set up your PT PMA first. Imported processed food receives an ML number.

Halal certification, run by BPJPH, has been mandatory for F&B sold in Indonesia since October 2024. Products that cannot be halal, such as those with pork, may still be sold but must carry a clear non-halal label. Pay attention to the imports timeline: Indonesia’s economic ministry announced in October 2026 a two-year extension of the halal deadline for imported food and beverages, from 17 October 2026 to 18 October 2028. Some older sources still show the 2026 date, so check the latest status before you plan shipments.

For a Vietnamese chain, halal awareness is also a menu issue. Pho broths, fish sauces and shared kitchen tools all need ingredient review. Many successful local operators avoid pork entirely to reach the widest customer base. Weak compliance is a live concern: in November 2026 the Ombudsman reported that 49.1% of 159 sampled products were non-compliant with halal assurance rules.

Operating Rules After Launch

A PT PMA must hold annual shareholder meetings and file reports. Learn the duties in our guide on shareholder meetings in Indonesia (AGMS and EGMS). If you plan a joint venture with an Indonesian partner for faster mall access, set the share split and governance rules in advance.

Steps to Open Your Chain

1. Pick your menu and list your imported and local ingredients.
2. Choose KBLI codes and confirm foreign ownership rules.
3. Choose a company name and form the PT PMA.
4. Fund the paid-up capital and open the corporate bank account.
5. Get the NIB and the Standard Certificate through OSS.
6. Sign the site lease, then obtain SLHS and local approvals.
7. Register BPOM and halal for products, then train staff and open.

Plan Your Indonesian Launch

Rules on capital, KBLI and halal change often, and a wrong code can delay your first outlet by months. A company establishment consultation helps you confirm your structure before you sign a lease. Get a free quote from EZPZ Indonesia and start your PT PMA setup.