Untapped opportunities for Vietnamese food and beverage in the Netherlands

HÀ NỘI — Experts say there remains an untapped opportunity to ship food and beverage (F&B) products to the Netherlands if Vietnamese cooperatives and companies can find and overcome their weaknesses.
The Netherlands is Vietnam’s second largest trading partner in the EU market after Germany. He is also considered one of the gateways for Vietnamese products to penetrate this vast market.
In addition, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which officially entered into force on August 1, 2020, has also opened opportunities for Vietnamese F&B producers to facilitate exports to the Dutch market.
Limited exports despite high demand
According to Niel Nguyễn, VIEC’s director said demand for F&B products from Dutch people increased after inflation in the country was subdued and no oil shortages occurred.
Nguyễn cited a survey showing that about 50% of Dutch people drink fruit juice every day. Coffee was their favorite drink. This was followed by drinks such as tea and still mineral water. These were all potential Vietnamese products.
However, he said it will not be easy for Vietnamese SMEs and cooperatives to access and conquer the Dutch market, as demand for F&B products is high.
Nguyễn added that despite Vietnam being one of the world’s leading coffee exporters, he could hardly find Vietnamese-brand juices and coffee products on large electronic platforms in the Netherlands.
Dutch F&B products were not cheap. However, he pointed out that unless Vietnamese cooperatives and enterprises can capitalize on their strengths in raw materials and invest in advanced processing, they will not be able to enter this market.
long term export strategy
Trade experts said conquering the Dutch market would help Vietnamese companies and cooperatives dominate many European markets. Demand was very high.
Therefore, domestic companies and cooperatives had to review their current production processes to be on the right track to facilitate exports to these markets.
Companies should also choose direct export methods to dominate the market and enhance brand value. Instead of exporting to importing companies, we must deal directly with distributors in importing countries and have direct contact with consumers.
According to experts, the direct export method took between 2 and 10 days for the company’s products to be available in the Netherlands or some EU countries. After that, it only took about 3-6 months for these products to make an impression on the market.
Experts said it is also important to build trust with Dutch partners through long-term planning. — VNS