A bowl of pho starts the story.

Mentioning the Vietnamese Pho Festival held in Singapore has sparked great enthusiasm and interest from most diplomatic delegations, ambassadors, Singaporean citizens, and international businesses and organizations.

People enjoy Vietnamese pho at the Vietnamese Pho Festival held in Singapore - Photo: HUU HANH

They said, "Wow! Vietnamese pho. I love it," and asked for more information, showing their fondness and interest in Vietnamese cuisine , especially pho and banh mi.

Hopefully, this festival will not only attract the Vietnamese community in Singapore but also a large number of international friends. This will open up opportunities to promote investment from Singapore in Vietnam as well as from Vietnam in Singapore.

When we talk about pho, we're talking about an entire ecosystem with many related products and services, so the question of how the supply chain works and how distribution is managed so that consumers in Singapore and foreigners can also cook Vietnamese pho needs to be addressed.

We have enormous potential and the future holds the possibility of expanding that supply chain. This would elevate the status of Vietnamese pho in Singapore, and from Singapore to other countries.

When talking about Singapore, some people think of it as a very small country with only 6 million people. But if you look at the number of international tourists visiting Singapore and the number of foreigners living and working there, you'll see it's a very promising market.

In 2025, Singapore expects to welcome over 18 million international visitors. This will transform Singapore into a market that is no longer limited to just 6 million people.

Because from here, companies and trading corporations operating in Singapore will also bring Vietnamese products back to their own markets. We must pay attention to exploiting the strengths we already have in Singapore.

Long lines of people patiently waited to buy pho from early morning on October 19th, the second day of the Vietnamese Pho Festival held in Singapore.

Firstly, the Vietnamese community in Singapore is quite large, and many people are working in the culinary field.

They are crucial contacts, knowledgeable about local market needs, understanding regulations regarding food import and distribution, and the most effective ways to bring products to market.

Secondly, Singaporeans and international visitors have developed a deep appreciation for Vietnamese cuisine here. This is an advantage that not every country is fortunate enough to have.

Singapore is an upscale market with some of the highest incomes in the world . The demand and requirements for cuisine are very high.

There are many Michelin-starred restaurants here, as well as fine dining establishments (high-end cuisine, impeccable service, luxurious ambiance, artistic experience).

However, Vietnam currently lacks restaurant chains that meet these standards in Singapore. This is both a weakness, a gap, and a great untapped opportunity. If a Vietnamese company invests in a way that truly meets international standards and offers fine dining, we will win.

Looking at some countries that have done very well, such as Thailand, South Korea, Japan, and China, it's clear that in the initial stages, they all received significant support and investment from the state, not only in terms of policies but also in mechanisms, capital, and many other resources.

Building a national brand requires proper attention and investment from government agencies. Why don't we have fine dining restaurants here? Because individual resources are limited; and companies and businesses with resources haven't paid attention to this market. They are busy exploiting and developing the domestic market.

We should reconsider this story holistically to develop a comprehensive strategy. For example, South Korea excels in culture, cuisine, art, music , etc.

Recently, Vietnam has begun to pay more attention to the cultural industry. Cuisine is an important pillar within it. We are on the right track, but we need more investment.

Vietnam has many advantages, but the unity and cooperation needed to move forward steadily and with vision are not yet truly evident.

A recent example is the Vietnamese brand Banh Mi Society, which operates in a very systematic and professional manner. Despite only being in Singapore for a few months, it shows great potential and a very correct approach. We should learn from such models and invest in them, instead of going it alone.

Our ancestors used to say, "A betel quid is the beginning of a conversation." Now, with a bowl of pho, you can start any conversation because pho is not only popular domestically and in Asia, but also all over the world.

When people think of pho, they think of Vietnam. The challenge is how to capitalize on that existing advantage. Many other countries covet this strength but lack it. The key is to have proper investment and strategy.

Back to the topic

Tran Phuoc Anh (Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore) - DAU DUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/to-pho-mo-dau-cau-chuyen-20251019081837351.htm