In 2025, Vietnam aims to export 65 billion USD worth of agricultural, forestry and fishery products, aiming for 70 billion USD. However, fluctuations in global tariffs and non-tariffs since the beginning of the year have put this target in front of many difficulties and challenges. This reality requires functional sectors to be quick to innovate and diversify the methods of consuming agricultural products; focusing on bringing Vietnamese agricultural products into the international retail system to increase the number of customers and product value.
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| Vietnamese seafood is one of the products available in retail systems in many countries around the world . (Photo: DUC AN) |
Rarely seen on international retail shelves
According to the Trade Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in many countries around the world, Vietnamese agricultural products are now available in a number of foreign supermarkets and retail systems, such as Walmart, Costco, Target (USA); Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's (UK); Carrefour (France); Lidl and Aldi (Germany); Aeon, Ito Yokado, 7-Eleven (Japan); E-Mart, Homeplus, Lotte Mart (Korea); Woolworths and Coles (Australia); Big C, Tesco Lotus (Thailand); Carrefour and Lulu Hypermarket (Middle East)... with main products being fruits, rice, coffee, spices and processed products.
However, the amount of Vietnamese agricultural products entering international retail channels is currently not much. Vietnamese agricultural products are still mainly exported in the form of B2B (Business-to-Business) between enterprises.
In this model, Vietnamese enterprises provide products or services to other enterprises and distributors. As for the retail channel, enterprises will sell directly to individual consumers using the B2C (Business-to-Consumer) method.
| The amount of Vietnamese agricultural products entering international retail channels is currently not much. Vietnamese agricultural products are still mainly exported in the form of B2B (Business-to-Business) between enterprises. In this model, Vietnamese enterprises provide products or services to other enterprises and distributors. As for the retail channel, enterprises will sell directly to individual consumers in the form of B2C (Business-to-Consumer). |
According to Mr. Paul Le - Vice President of Central Retail Vietnam Group, on foreign retail supermarket shelves , the presence of Vietnamese agricultural products is still very limited because Vietnam has long focused mainly on the output factor in exports. Accordingly, products are often exported in large quantities to distributors, from which they package the products and create their own brands when they reach customers.
Specifically, for fruits, if they want to enter retail supermarkets, the products should be divided into small boxes, each price level corresponding to the quality, the packaging should be beautiful, and should suit the tastes of consumers. However, currently, not many fruit exporting enterprises can do this.
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| Processing mangoes for export at Kim Nhung Limited Company ( Dong Thap province). (Photo: HUU NGHI) |
Regarding rice, Vietnam is currently the world's leading rice exporting country, but choosing a Vietnamese branded rice product on international retail supermarket shelves is very difficult.
As one of the few enterprises that has been able to bring Vietnamese rice brands into international supermarket systems, Mr. Huynh Van Thon - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Loc Troi Group Joint Stock Company said that from 2022, Loc Troi rice under the brand name Com Viet Nam Rice has been able to enter Carrefour and Leclerc supermarkets - two leading distribution systems in France.
According to Mr. Thon, this is not easy and takes a lot of time working with international partners to approach the hypermarket retail system - the final segment of the most complex retail distribution system in Europe and the world. When approaching consumers directly, businesses will have a large number of customers, especially for high-quality products with unique use value. However, the demands from retailers are often very high and detailed, specific with many required items.
A representative of Sao Ta Food Joint Stock Company (Fimex VN) said: Khang An Foods - a subsidiary of Fimex VN has just received a very large seafood order from the retail chain Costco (USA). This is the third largest retail chain in the world.
To get this order, Khang An Foods is one of the companies that meets all international standards such as BRC-grade A, internal lab ISO 17025, ASC sustainable raw material area.
Khang An Foods is also a member of Sedex - the world's leading organization in improving the working environment, business ethics, and social responsibility - with reports according to Smeta standards evaluated annually.
Trade promotion, branding
According to Ms. Ngo Tuong Vy - General Director of Chanh Thu Fruit Import-Export Corporation, in order for Vietnamese agricultural products to penetrate deeper into international retail chains, product quality must be given top priority. The company's leaders and staff have participated in international agricultural fairs as well as observed retail supermarket systems in many countries and have realized that consumers today choose products based largely on quality, not price. Although there are periods of general economic difficulties that cause consumers to cut back on spending, eating delicious, clean, and healthy food is an increasingly popular trend in the food industry.
“On the other hand, customers at retail chains are particularly interested in product brands. Once a brand is established, it will create trust for consumers to choose by default. When consumers are willing to pay for quality products, it will encourage retail systems to increase imports again,” Ms. Vy affirmed.
| "Customers at retail chains are particularly interested in product brands. Once a brand is established, it will create trust for consumers to choose by default. When consumers are willing to pay for quality products, it will encourage retail systems to increase imports again." Ms. Ngo Tuong Vy - General Director of Chanh Thu Fruit Import Export Corporation |
Sharing the same view, Ms. Tran Nhu Trang - National Representative of the Swiss Import Promotion Program (SIPPO) in Vietnam said that quality and brand are two important factors for the existence of agricultural products in international retail systems. However, to have quality, there must be standard raw material areas and a concentrated sales source with large and stable quantities. In Vietnam today, production is still fragmented and small-scale, so purchasing products from a single source is not easy.
Therefore, cooperatives need to have production links with each other and with large enterprises to form a closed production and consumption chain to ensure the quality and quantity of goods. The closer to the retail channels, the higher the requirements for product quality, including not only measurable physical quality but also other factors that determine consumer choice such as corporate social responsibility, product humanity or interesting stories about the land and people who make the product. These are also the differences in the form of bringing goods directly to consumers compared to the form of exporting to agents, distributors or raw material importers.
In addition, according to Deputy Director of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development Le Thanh Hoa, to improve the ability to access the global retail system for agricultural products, trade promotion plays a key role. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to annual national trade promotion programs, businesses should proactively and actively connect and participate in international agricultural and food fairs, thereby having the opportunity to meet directly with the world's leading retailers, and even quickly negotiate and sign export contracts.
This is also the most cost-effective way to promote products for businesses while still effectively reaching a large number of customers in a short time.
( According to nhandan.vn )
Source: https://baoapbac.vn/kinh-te/202504/dua-nong-san-viet-nam-vao-he-thong-ban-le-quoc-te-1041140/
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