A journey that began with a leaf
La Sams began with the wish to make something clean, nourishing and distinct enough to give to someone you love.
A Vietnamese food heritage, from one leaf
La Sams brings a familiar dish into modern life through careful products, spaces with a character of their own, and a story that stays with you.
“Not all heritage sits in a museum. Some of it lives in our memory.”
The three nos
- No refined sugar in the jelly
- No preservatives
- No artificial colouring
Mr. Đoàn Minh Tài
MSc · Actor · Founder of La Sams
“It is never too late to begin again with something you truly believe in.”
His first memory of the leaf is of his grandmother in the Mekong Delta: an aluminium basin, a handful of leaves, and hands working them until the liquid thickened. No written recipe, no measurements — only knowledge passed by mouth.
The trouble is that knowledge passed by mouth cannot open a chain. The five years that followed went into answering very specific questions: how long is long enough, at what temperature the sap stops setting, what water ratio lets the jelly set on its own.
What people find at La Sams
Quality under control
Close attention to ingredients, recipe and a consistent experience across every store.
A familiar dish, renewed
Childhood grass jelly presented in a way that feels young and easy to enjoy.
Vietnamese values, made current
A cultural story that stays close to home and fits the pace of today.
Cooling and restoring
Drinks built around lightness and a clear head through the day.
From a basin of leaves to five stores
- 2020 – 2025
Five years of trials
From the memory of a grandmother’s basin to a measured process. Many failed batches, and one decision: never add jelly powder.
- Sep 2025
The first store
La Sams opened at 856 Su Van Hanh, Ho Chi Minh City — where the recipe was finally settled.
- 2026
Four stores in the city
An Khanh, Ben Thanh and Phan Xich Long opened in turn, all sharing one central kitchen.
- 2026
Into the United States
A location opened in Westminster, California, in the heart of Little Saigon.
- By Dec 2026
La Sams Premium
A premium format with an open bar and a gifting range is in preparation.
A team that holds the standard daily
The central kitchen lights up at 4:30 a.m. Baristas train for two paid weeks before they stand at the bar. At closing, whatever jelly is left is discarded — a cost La Sams accepted from the very first store.
What the people involved say
It is never too late to begin again with something you truly believe in. It took me five years to turn my grandmother’s grass jelly into a cup young people would actually pick up.
Đoàn Minh TàiMSc · Actor · Founder of La SamsEvery morning the central kitchen cooks a new batch and sends it chilled to all four stores. Whatever is left at closing, we discard. That is the one rule I hold hardest.
Ms. Anh ThưGroup Manager, La SamsLa Sams served over 1,500 cups across two tournament days without a single one running late. The electrolyte and Pickleball cups suit athletes far better than soft drinks.
Ban tổ chức Pickleball Cup 2026Sports event partnerI drink the Fresh Milk La Sams almost every morning. Gently sweet, never cloying, and eating the jelly keeps me going until noon.
Chị Ngọc HânRegular customer · District 3