Winning Concept F&B
Brand Building & F&B Model Development
Turn your F&B idea into a winning model in the market: from brand positioning and customer research to concept, menu & location design. You leave the course with a validated Winning Concept, ready to start implementing right away.
Struggling with your F&B model?
7 situations commonly faced by Restaurant Owners, Ops Managers & F&B Start-ups.
Opening a venue on gut feeling, with no framework
Choosing a concept by personal taste, a menu because it "looks tasty", a location because it "looks nice". There is no structured positioning formula to assess feasibility before investing.
A chain of 3-10 venues, each one different
The brand looks great on the fanpage but poor in the store. The concept gets diluted across branches, and customers do not recognize it as the same brand.
Big investment in a site without knowing if it is feasible
Locking in a site by intuition. No idea which month you break even, and no projected P&L before signing a 3-5 year lease.
A menu driven by inspiration, not leading the concept
Adding and removing dishes to follow competitors and trends. The menu becomes a "list" instead of a "positioning" tool, with no clear signature item for customers to remember.
Having customers but not knowing who they are
The venue is busy but you have no data: why customers come, and what your competitive advantage is. You are guessing, with no real survey to base decisions on.
A fragmented Brand Story between online and offline
Each social post has its own tone, signage looks different, and staff speak in different ways. There is no unified brand voice from digital touchpoints to the in-store experience.
Want to scale or franchise but fear replicating it wrong
The first venue is doing well but you dare not open a second. The model depends on the individual founder and has not been systemized for transfer.
A hands-on course: move from "running F&B by gut feeling" → building your model with a formula
5 differentiators, from model positioning and market research to menu & concept design and financial validation.
The course is led by AAU Academy's core instructor, who has personally built F&B chain operating systems in Vietnam and advised on in-depth case studies. No empty theory.
Learners work on their own F&B model. Real field trips, real customer surveys, real P&L. When the course ends you start implementing right away, not working on simulated cases.
The complete Winning Concept Toolkit, copyrighted by AAU & PEACH: Restaurant Matrix, Menu Matrix, Brief Concept, Brand Story Canvas, P&L Template. Use it immediately after the course.
8 sessions following the exact sequence of a real F&B project: model → customer → field → site → menu → concept → brand → finance. Step by step, nothing missed.
Winning Concept Framework ©: a standardized framework for Vietnamese F&B. Integrates AI (Midjourney, Claude, ChatGPT) to cut moodboard creation, brief writing and menu pricing time by 3-5 times.
Who is this course for?
3 core audiences, and who the course is not yet right for.
F&B Restaurant Owner
You already run an F&B business and want to expand into a professional chain. You are looking for standardized processes so replication does not depend on any one person.
Operations Manager / F&B Manager
Operations / F&B Managers who want to strengthen chain management skills and design a solid operating system. Responsible for Brand & Concept within the business.
Start-up F&B
F&B entrepreneurs with a vision of expanding into a chain, who want to build the brand properly from the start and avoid the common mistakes of opening on gut feeling.
Not sure you really want to be in F&B
The course requires you to have a specific model or idea to apply in every session. If you have not seriously decided yet, this is not the right time.
Looking for a "guaranteed-success venue" formula
No one can promise that. The course teaches a framework so you can proactively control risk and correct mistakes, not a guaranteed-win playbook.
Only need specific execution skills
Bartending, cooking, running ads... are execution-level topics. This course works at the strategic concept level: positioning, model and brand, not hands-on craft skills.
Want to learn fast without doing real assignments
The course includes on-site field trips, a concept brief and a P&L for your project, which take time and effort. It is not suitable for people who only want to hear theory.
8-Session Roadmap: 4 Phases
UNDERSTAND → DIRECT → DESIGN → VALIDATE. Follow the exact sequence of a real F&B project, from model to feasible financials.
Phase 1: Understand the market, choose the right playing field
UNDERSTAND: Sessions 1 & 2
Session 1
Model Selection & Segment PositioningBusiness Model Selection & Segmentation
- Overview of popular F&B models: cafe, bubble tea, restaurant, bakery, bar, delivery
- Analyze the pros and cons of each model by capital, management capability and profit margin
- Define customer segments by age, spending behavior and spending level
- Identify 6 common types of USP in Vietnamese F&B from real market insight
- Practice: choose the F&B model that fits your resources & goals
Session 2
Market & Target Customer ResearchMarket Research & Winning Insight
- A standard 5-step process: Overview → Customer → Competitor → Company → Winning Point
- Diverse survey methods: questionnaires, field observation, focus groups, IDI interviews
- Build the target customer portrait in 3 layers: segment → target → persona
- Find Unmet Needs & Pain Points and write a Winning Insight in the AAU format
- Practice: survey 5-10 real customers of your project during the session
Phase 2: Set direction, find the right position
DIRECT: Sessions 3 & 4
Session 3
Field Survey: Model & Concept AnalysisField Study & Concept Benchmarking (FIELD TRIP)
- On-site field trip: the whole class visits 2-3 different F&B venues to understand real business models
- Observe space layout, service flow, table and seating layout and the real customer experience
- Apply the 6-frame Field Survey Form: Location · Customer · Product · Concept · Operations · Finance
- Compare the real venue's concept against its USP & target customers: selective benchmarking
- Group debrief: consolidate insights and compare them with the concept you are building
Session 4
Site Valuation, Legal & LocationLocation Scouting, Legal & Contract
- Classify 7 types of site location: street frontage, alley, office building base, shopping mall, kiosk, delivery hub...
- Site criteria by model: Take-away, Commercial, Casual, Fine Dining
- Standard traffic counting method: 5 sessions × 30 minutes to read passing foot traffic
- Practical site survey method: assess feasibility before signing the lease
- Legal review when leasing a site: lease contract, fire safety, business license
Phase 3: Design the Concept, Menu & Brand
DESIGN: Sessions 5, 6 & 7
Session 5
Menu Concept Development & F&B Item PricingMenu Design & Pricing Strategy
- 4-group Menu Matrix: Signature · Routine (must-have) · Convenience (add-value) · Seasonal
- 5 F&B pricing methods: competitor, cost-plus, % markup, supply-demand, value-based
- COGS + OPEX + Margin formula: control a target margin of 65-70%
- Classify dishes by performance: STAR, PLOW HORSE, DOG, PUZZLE
- AI applications: menu pricing prompts and automatic dish performance analysis
Session 6
Concept Design Development & Architect BriefConcept Design & Architect Briefing
- Clearly distinguish 3 concepts: Concept, Style & Customer Experience
- Popular F&B design styles: Tropical, Industrial, Minimalism, Vintage, Indochine
- Define color palette, lighting and music: the 5 senses in F&B space design
- Concept Brief for the architect: Logo & Guideline → Style → Function → Moodboard → Functional layout suited to each model
- AI applications: Gemini, ChatGPT & Claude to build an F&B venue concept moodboard
Session 7
Building the Brand Story & Brand PositioningBrand Storytelling & Positioning
- Combine model + concept + menu into one consistent brand story
- Build a tagline, communication messages and a distinctive brand voice
- Tell the story through every touchpoint: space, dishes, naming, social tone
- Draft the Brand Story Canvas, a complete brand map
- Connect the brand experience from online to offline: social, website, in-store
Phase 4: Validate and lock in the Winning Concept
VALIDATE: Session 8
Session 8
Financial Feasibility Assessment: Locking in the Winning ConceptFinancial Feasibility & Business Model Pitch
- Build the CapEx: initial investment cost covering design, construction, setup and contingency
- Project the OpEx: monthly operating costs covering staff, ingredients and marketing
- Build the P&L by segment, menu, selling price and table capacity
- Check 3 key indicators: break-even point (BEP), ROI and payback period
- Output: present the complete Winning Concept to a mentor and receive end-of-course feedback
5 key deliverables you take home after the course
A set of practical templates is included. Apply them straight to your own project instead of building from scratch.
Restaurant Positioning Matrix
An F&B model positioning tool with 6 classification dimensions: Country × Cuisine type × Business model × Preparation × Service × Time. Lock in the model that fits your resources & goals.
5 Steps of Market Research
The backbone of market research: a standard 5-step process of Overview → Customer → Competitor → Company → Winning Point. You get a customer portrait backed by data, not guesses.
4-Group Menu Matrix
A formula for designing a menu that leads the concept: Signature · Routine · Convenience · Seasonal. Includes 5 pricing methods and STAR, PLOW HORSE, DOG, PUZZLE classification to control margins.
Brand Story Canvas
A consistent brand map: combine model + concept + menu into one brand story. With a tagline, a distinctive brand voice, and connected online ↔ offline touchpoints.
CapEx · OpEx · Projected P&L
Financial feasibility assessment: build the CapEx investment cost, monthly OpEx and projected P&L. Calculate BEP, ROI and payback period before committing capital.
Hands-on Learning Experience
Learn not just from slides, but by "going to the market", "visiting stores" and "doing it for real".
Visit 2-3 real venues in Session 3
The whole class visits real venues with different models. Observe, fill in the Survey Form, taste the food and count traffic. Back in class, the group debriefs & benchmarks against the concept being built.
Personalized support
Instructors support learners during and after the course to implement the real model. Connections to investors and suppliers in the PEACH ecosystem.
Small classes of 10-15 learners
Ensures every learner gets personal attention. Instructors have time to hear each person's real case and give direct feedback.
AAU Alumni Community
Connect with restaurant owners & F&B experts who have studied at AAU: Q&A, sharing operating experience and opportunities to collaborate and grow.
Practical toolkit
Receive the set: Survey Form, Concept Brief, Menu Matrix, Site Lease Contract, COGS Spreadsheet, AI Prompt Library, ready to apply to your project.
Course Instructors
Directors and Founders from Vietnam's largest F&B chains.
Mr. Tien Tien
Founder AAU Academy & PEACH Consulting
15+ years of strategy & operations consulting for Vietnamese F&B chains. Has led 100+ F&B projects, from small chains to large brands expanding through franchising. Philosophy: "transfer the system so the business can run itself", independent of any individual.
What do learners say?
Real feedback from people who have "been through" AAU Academy.
I find the course very suitable for people who want to start a business like me. It is a solid foundation to run your own project professionally and methodically and build your own F&B business.
What impressed me first was the mentors and the AAU curriculum. Every lesson solves important problems that not everyone knows about.
A very well-structured training center with practical, easy-to-understand content. Instructors are enthusiastic and always support and answer questions promptly.
AAU Offers and Commitments
Coaching 1-1
An additional 1-on-1 coaching session with the instructor to resolve obstacles in implementing your Winning Concept after the course.
Retake the next course for free
The right to retake the Winning Concept F&B course in the next intake at no cost. For learners who want to review or add to their knowledge.
AAU commits to training quality and 3 months of support after the course, but does not guarantee business results, as success depends on the market, team, resources and timing.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to common questions before you register.
I have no F&B background, only an idea. Can I still learn?
Absolutely. Sessions 1 & 2 are designed from zero, helping you understand the industry overview, choose the right model and find your target customers. In fact, 40% of learners are new start-up owners just beginning.
I already have 5 years of F&B experience. What is new for me to learn?
The course focuses on systems thinking, which many experienced owners still lack. You will learn how to turn experience into a framework, which is useful if you want to expand or franchise.
I work in Marketing, not as an owner. Is it suitable?
Very suitable. Brand & Concept is part of the Marketing Lead's work in F&B. The course helps you understand more deeply the work of the Founder/COO, so you can work in better step with them & advance faster.
What materials & templates do I get after the course?
You receive the full Winning Concept Toolkit: the 6-frame Field Survey Form, 4-part Concept Brief, Menu Matrix, Winning Insight Format, Cost-Plus Pricing Sheet and an AI Prompt Library of 30+ prompts.
Can I learn online, or is it offline only?
The Winning Concept course is an in-person class in Ho Chi Minh City (because of the Field Trip & on-site Workshop). Every session is recorded and uploaded to the LMS, so absent learners can rewatch. Hybrid support is available for learners in other provinces.
What support is there after the course ends?
Join the AAU Alumni community and connect with investors and suppliers in the PEACH ecosystem. Enjoy a priority 20% discount on the next in-depth courses in AAU Academy's 13-course pathway.
Is there a certificate after completion?
Yes. After completing all 8 sessions, learners receive the AAU Academy Winning Concept F&B Certificate, recognized within the PEACH Consulting ecosystem.
Let AAU Academy walk with you
The journey of building a successful F&B brand starts with a Winning Concept. Leave your details and the AAU team will contact you for a free consultation within 24 hours.
Or call now 056 566 7686 (Mon–Sat, 9h–18h)