Digital trade promotion helps Vietnamese agricultural and food products thrive

As part of Viet Nam Foodexpo 2025, on November 12, the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade) coordinated with Alibaba.com and partners to organize an international conference titled "Viet Nam food brand: Breakthrough from digital trade promotion". This activity is part of the Viet Nam National Brand Program, which aims to promote Vietnamese food products globally, not only through quality but also through data, traceability, digital platforms, and modern business methods.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang emphasized that the food and beverage industry plays a crucial role in national economic development, serving as a bridge between agriculture and the processing industry. This role contributes to increasing product value, promoting agricultural consumption, and enhancing producers’ income.

In the context of globalization and deep integration, enhancing competitiveness, ensuring sustainable development, and building strong brands for Vietnamese products have become urgent tasks that affirm the industry's position in the international market.

"There has been a strong shift from traditional trade promotion methods to digital environments, where Vietnamese businesses can connect directly with international partners and expand markets quickly and effectively. At the same time, they can optimize costs, shorten transaction times, and measure promotion outcomes more transparently.

Boosting digital trade promotion, especially on e-commerce and B2B platforms, has opened unprecedented opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises to advertise, assert the quality, reputation, and added value of Vietnamese food products," said Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang. She affirmed that this approach not only aligns with global and standardization trends but also provides a concrete solution to implement Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation.

According to Nguyen Thanh Duong, Deputy Head of the Capacity Development Division (Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency), Vietnam currently ranks among the top 10 food-exporting countries, with the food industry estimated to reach USD 79.2 billion in 2024, up 7.4% from 2023.

Particularly, Vietnam has abundant raw materials, favorable climate and soil conditions, and is a major exporter of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products. Its competitive production costs come from lower labor and land expenses compared to many other countries. Moreover, participation in multiple FTAs allows Vietnam’s processed foods easier access to international markets with preferential tariffs.

However, how can businesses access markets faster and more transparently? Addressing this concern, Nguyen Thanh Duong said the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency is building a "digital trade promotion ecosystem" that includes digital fairs and exhibitions, trade connection systems, industry databases, the Vietrade Edu training platform, and especially the iTrace247 traceability system using blockchain technology. The agency also organizes training sessions on digital sales and promotion.

Nguyen Viet An from the National Agency for Technology Innovation (Ministry of Science and Technology) noted that cross-border e-commerce was valued at USD 477.5 billion in 2024 and could reach USD 2,000 billion by 2034. The fastest-growing segments include food and beverages, especially health-oriented, organic, and traceable products.

Vietnam already has a strong goods base. Its cross-border e-commerce was estimated at USD 3.4–3.5 billion in 2023 and could reach USD 12 billion by 2027. However, to "run faster", enterprises must innovate throughout the entire value chain: standardizing products, packaging, and quality; using data to select target markets; and applying intelligent promotional tools on B2B platforms instead of relying solely on traditional marketing.

As one of the enterprises exporting aloe vera and coconut jelly products to 27 countries, GC Food JSC has built a processed food ecosystem by proactively developing raw material areas, employing automated production lines that reduce losses by 10–12% while maintaining consistent quality, and designing flexible packaging suitable for industrial, OEM/ODM, and retail orders.

As a result, the company supplies approximately 50,000 tons of food annually and has obtained Halal and FSSC 22000 certifications, enabling it to confidently access markets in Korea and Japan, and sell across B2B and cross-border e-commerce channels.

According to Hoang Minh Chien, Deputy Director of the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade) and Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietn Nam National Brand Program, management agencies will continue to invest in digital infrastructure, training, and connectivity. Meanwhile, enterprises should leverage e-commerce platforms, traceability systems, packaging standardization, and storytelling about Vietnamese products. From there, Vietnam can build an image associated with high-quality, safe, creative, and value-added products, contributing to elevating the brand of Vietnamese food on the global map.