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The Joy and the Unease as More Than 300 Global Retailers and Distribution Chains Arrive in Viet Nam

27/08/2025

The participation of over 300 buying delegations is the result of efforts by more than 60 Viet Nam Trade Offices worldwide, carried out under a comprehensive campaign to help domestic enterprises diversify export markets—especially in high-potential emerging regions such as the Middle East and Africa. It is a source of pride, but also a matter of reflection for businesses and policymakers alike.

One of the highlights of VIS 2025 is the strong presence of buyers from emerging markets such as the Middle East and Africa.

Nhà mua hàng quốc tế tại VIS 2024.

International buyers at VIS 2024. Source: Internet.

According to Truong Xuan Trung, Acting Head of the Viet Nam Trade Office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), attracting these reputable partners required targeted promotion strategies.

“We proactively approached major retail groups and supermarket chains in the region, especially those with strong demand for agricultural products, food, textiles and high-quality consumer goods from Viet Nam,” Mr. Trung said.

He noted that amid global supply chain disruptions, Viet Nam is increasingly viewed as a reliable destination for supply diversification. The Trade Office has emphasised this advantage to attract businesses from the Middle East and Africa, helping them reduce risks associated with over-dependence on a limited number of markets.

Trade Offices have also actively promoted Viet Nam as a trusted supplier, capable of meeting strict requirements for quality, sustainability and traceability.

VIS 2025 tập trung vào làm việc B2B, thống nhất yêu cầu kỹ thuật, tiêu chuẩn chất lượng... Ảnh tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

VIS 2025 focuses on B2B meetings and alignment of technical and quality standards. Source: Internet.

“The Trade Offices also provide extensive support with visa formalities and coordination with relevant authorities to ensure partners have the smoothest experience when attending the exhibition,” Mr. Trung added.

Nguyen Huu Quan, Head of the Viet Nam Trade Office Branch in Nanning (China), said VIS 2025 is a highly practical initiative that draws foreign importers to Viet Nam for business discussions, market surveys and product sourcing.

To better meet the needs of international buyers, Mr. Quan suggested boosting promotion on new digital platforms such as TikTok and WeChat, and establishing a VIS-branded e-commerce platform enabling year-round (365 days) trade interactions—creating a new promotion channel for Viet Nam’s key export industries.

Alongside emerging markets, VIS 2025 is also a destination for buyers from traditional high-standard markets such as Germany and Japan.

Dang Thi Thanh Phuong, Commercial Counsellor of Viet Nam in Germany, noted that Viet Nam is becoming an increasingly preferred option for German companies seeking supply chain diversification.

The German delegation includes representatives from leading retail chains seeking Vietnamese suppliers across food, household goods, wooden furniture, pet products and mechanical items such as screws and bolts.

VIS 2025 focuses on B2B engagement and alignment of technical and quality requirements. Source: tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn

According to Ms. Phuong, the German market offers significant room for Vietnamese exporters, given its large population, high income levels and especially its pet-related product segment.

“In 2024, Germany had 34 million pets living in households, and 44% of families owned at least one pet. This is a massive potential market for Vietnamese companies,” she said.

VIS 2025 tập trung vào làm việc B2B, thống nhất yêu cầu kỹ thuật, tiêu chuẩn chất lượng... Ảnh internet.

Additionally, the sizeable Vietnamese and Asian communities in Germany, together with rapidly expanding distribution networks for Asian products, are promising gateways for Vietnamese goods entering Germany and the European market.

Ta Duc Minh, Commercial Counsellor of Viet Nam in Japan, reported that Japanese buyers are focusing on agricultural products, processed foods, seafood and green, sustainable products.

“Japan places extremely high requirements on traceability and food safety certifications,” Mr. Minh stressed.

To support Vietnamese exporters, the Trade Office has been active in providing market intelligence, updating import standards, analysing consumer trends, arranging B2B matchmaking and advising on packaging, labelling and Japan-specific market strategies.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam’s overseas Trade Offices and international partners successfully invited more than 300 buying delegations from over 60 countries and territories, representing both major and emerging export markets such as the U.S., Japan, South Korea, China, the EU, Australia, Canada, the Middle East, India, South Asia, Africa, Latin America and ASEAN.

Among these 300 delegations are many of the world’s leading corporations, retail chains and global brands, including Uniqlo, AEON (Japan), H&M and IKEA (Sweden), Walmart and Amazon (U.S.), Coppel (Mexico), Central Group (Thailand), LuLu Group (UAE) and others.

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