Packing specialty coffee (cascara tea) for export at Simexco DakLak Company. (Photo: MINH ANH)
In late November, the Vietnamese Trade Office in Belgium reported that a Belgian importer specializing in supplying coconut milk to supermarkets and the food industry was seeking a Vietnamese coconut milk producer for cooperation. The requirements were that the Vietnamese production company must be large enough to meet industrial demands; the coconut milk products should have varying fat content; and they should be packaged in small cartons for supermarkets and larger bags (10-20kg) for industrial food production.
The products must meet European Union (EU) regulations and have the necessary certifications to access the Belgian and EU markets under the preferential terms of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Specifically, the Belgian company will visit Vietnam in January 2026 to work directly on the approved orders.
According to Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Coconut Association, there is considerable demand for cooperation from foreign partners in processed agricultural products, but many Vietnamese businesses are unable to meet this demand because the majority of goods are exported in raw form. To support businesses in deep processing and building a national brand like "Vietnam Coconut," aiming for international standards such as "Philippine Coconut" or "Indonesia Coconut," appropriate credit policies are needed; and coordination with scientific research institutions is necessary to transfer modern processing technology to businesses and cooperatives.
Overall, in the fruit and vegetable industry, opportunities for deeply processed products are increasingly expanding, especially as Vietnamese businesses are focusing on boosting exports to high-quality markets. Specifically, in the EU market, revenue from dried fruit and vegetable products alone is expected to increase from US$16.2 billion in 2025 to approximately US$35.5 billion in 2035. This growth is driven by the growing demand for convenience, reduced waste, and the benefits of dried fruit and vegetable products.
To support deep processing businesses in building the national brand "Vietnam Coconut," aiming for international standards like "Philippine Coconut" or "Indonesia Coconut," appropriate credit policies are needed; coordination with scientific research units to transfer modern processing technology to businesses and cooperatives is also necessary.
Chairwoman of the Vietnam Coconut Association, Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh
Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung, Deputy General Director of Simexco DakLak , a limited liability company specializing in coffee bean exports, said that as one of the largest green coffee bean exporters in Vietnam, Simexco DakLak is promoting deep processing to diversify products and increase the value of coffee. Simexco DakLak has also successfully exported specialty coffee husks (cascara tea) to the South Korean market at a value of nearly 1 million VND/kg. Normally, coffee husks are discarded after the coffee bean harvesting process, but they are now being utilized to create cascara tea – a beverage suitable for those sensitive to caffeine who want an alternative energy source.
According to information from the Import-Export Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), processed coffee has become a new growth driver for the entire industry, with export turnover reaching US$1.46 billion in the first 10 months of 2025, a 58% increase compared to the same period. This is a strategy for deeper development in the value chain and enhancement of international competitiveness; at the same time, it creates conditions for Vietnam to consolidate its position as one of the world's important coffee supply centers.
As Europe's largest coffee consumer market, Germany records consumption exceeding 6.5 kg per person per year. Notably, the high-quality, processed, and specialty coffee segments are experiencing rapid growth in the country, creating opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to transform their production and capture market share.
Processed products are not just a trend; they have also been a solution for many export items in recent times. A prime example is the remarkable growth in squid and octopus export value. Despite the scarcity of domestic raw materials, by the end of October 2025, Vietnam's squid and octopus export value reached US$627 million, a 19% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The main products are processed items such as ready-to-eat dried squid, sun-dried squid, ready-to-eat processed octopus, and frozen boiled octopus. These products are both easy to use and meet consumers' needs for convenience and food safety.
Many agricultural experts believe that the future of agriculture lies not in producing more, but in producing smarter, more value-added products. Therefore, shifting to deep processing is the path that will help Vietnamese agricultural products enter the global market more confidently and achieve higher profits.
According to Nhan Dan Newspaper
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/kinh-te/202512/tao-gia-tri-gia-tang-ben-vung-cho-nong-san-ab9631d/
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