Vietnam's Meat Industry on the Road to Modernization with New Consumption Trends

According to Cimigo, 61% of consumers said they are following a healthy diet, 72% are willing to spend more for products that meet VietGAP or Organic standards. The combination of the “eat well - live well” trend and the expansion of modern retail is creating new room for growth for the branded processed meat industry.

Safety and health: Top criteria in food selection

Vietnamese consumers are increasingly cautious about food of unknown origin, especially after fluctuations in livestock diseases and food safety. This is the driving force behind the increasing demand for branded products, strict quality control and transparent traceability.

According to Cimigo’s (2022) study on healthy eating trends in Vietnam, 61% of consumers said they were following a healthy diet and 72% of those who were aware of food standards were willing to spend 10% more to buy products certified by VietGAP, Organic, ISO. This shows that safety and health have become the top factors in Vietnamese people’s purchasing decisions.

The combination of the “clean eating - healthy living” consumption trend and the rapid development of modern retail channels is opening up great growth opportunities for branded processed meat products, which fully meet the requirements of quality, origin and convenience.

With a portfolio of chilled meat and processed meat that meet quality standards, and a wide distribution system within the Masan ecosystem, Masan MEATLife has the opportunity to directly benefit from this trend.

Accordingly, in addition to strengthening cooperation with WinCommerce, Masan MEATLife (MML) also has early preparations to adapt to new market standards and trends through the 3F integrated meat value chain development strategy (Feed - Farm - Food). This chain includes farms, animal feed factories, modern slaughterhouses and processing facilities, to strictly control the entire process from breeding to final products.

This unit owns the MEAT Ha Nam factory, which has been in operation since 2018, and is the first complex in Vietnam to produce chilled meat according to European standards. With a capacity of 140,000 tons of meat/year, the factory has achieved BRC certification - a global standard for food safety. In 2020, MML continued to put into operation the MEATDeli Saigon factory in Long An , with a similar capacity and aims to expand processed meat output to 25,000 tons/year.

In addition, MML invested in operating a high-tech pig farm in Nghe An (200 hectares in size, capacity of 250,000 pigs/year), meeting GLOBALG.AP standards. This farm applies international standards on good agricultural practices, and uses a biogas power generation system to self-supply energy, contributing to environmental protection and ensuring biosafety.

Strong recovery in consumption, a catalyst for businesses

According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), Vietnam's GDP grew by 8.0% in the second quarter of 2025; total retail sales of goods and consumer services in the first 7 months reached nearly 3,993 trillion VND, up 9.3% over the same period. The average income per capita in the first 6 months reached about 2,625 USD, up nearly 8%, bringing Vietnam closer to the 5,000 USD mark, the "golden time" for the boom in consumption of high-value food products.

In that context, the need to “eat well - live well” is increasingly becoming a priority for consumers. The trend of choosing branded, safe, and traceable food continues to spread, creating conditions for MML to consolidate its leading position in the market.

In addition, in July, WCM opened 36 new stores, bringing the total number of new stores opened since the beginning of the year to 354, completing more than 50% of the yearly plan (400-700 stores). About 75% of these are WinMart+ stores in rural areas, contributing to changing consumer habits. This growth momentum not only strengthens WCM's position but also acts as an important catalyst to help MML expand its coverage, as chilled and processed meat products reach more and more people in both urban and rural areas.

Thanks to the synergy with WCM and the strong recovery of consumer trends, MML is converging all the elements to expand coverage, enhance product value and maintain sustainable growth momentum.

In July 2025, MML's average daily revenue at each store in the WCM chain reached nearly VND2.3 million. In the case that MML is present in all 4,100+ WCM stores, the estimated average daily revenue could reach nearly VND9.5 billion, reflecting significant growth potential from the modern retail channel. In addition, MML also contributes 69% to total meat revenue at WCM, up from 62% in Q2/2025 and much higher than previous years (49% in 2023 and 55% in 2024). This shows the growing role of MML in driving meat revenue at WCM, while reflecting a sustainable and positive growth trend.

Source: https://www.masangroup.com/vi/news/masan-news/Vietnam-Meat-Industry-on-the-Path-to-Modernization-Amid-New-Consumer-Trends.html