To become billion-USD industry, Vietnamese lobster needs to compete on brands

China's lobster market trends

China's lobster market was valued at nearly USD 1.44 billion in 2025. According to forecasts by IMARC Group, the market is expected to reach nearly USD 2.2 billion by 2034, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.85% during the 2026–2034 period.

Key growth drivers in the Chinese market include the rapid expansion of e-commerce and online seafood markets, the growing influence of Western culinary trends, and increasing consumer awareness of the health benefits and nutritional value of lobster. The development of e-commerce platforms and online seafood marketplaces in China has made it easier for consumers to access both live and frozen lobster.

Leading e-commerce businesses such as Alibaba and JD.com, particularly in the fresh food segment, are investing heavily in cold-chain logistics and modern supply chains. On these platforms, consumers can easily purchase a wide range of seafood products, including oysters, scallops, lobster, and abalone, in live, fresh, and frozen forms.

Lobster products are often accompanied by detailed product information and customer reviews, helping boost consumer confidence. In addition, promotional campaigns and seasonal discounts are encouraging more consumers to purchase lobster through online channels.

The widespread adoption of electronic payment methods, together with increasingly efficient logistics systems, is making it more convenient for consumers to access high-quality lobster, thereby supporting market growth.

Growing influence of Western culinary trends

Chinese consumers are increasingly exposed to international cuisine through travel, media, and the growing number of Western-style restaurants. As a result, demand for lobster-based dishes has also increased significantly.

Many high-end hotels and restaurants in major Chinese cities have added lobster to their menus, with the crustacean mainly prepared in Western culinary styles. This trend is also evident in the development of fusion cuisine, in which traditional Chinese recipes are combined with Western cooking techniques, including the use of lobster. In addition, cooking shows, food blogs, and social media platforms are constantly showcasing premium lobster dishes, helping increase the appeal of and consumer demand for this commodity.

A dedicated strategy needed to elevate lobster into a billion-USD industry

China currently accounts for almost all of Viet Nam’s lobster exports. As demand in this market continues to rise and its size is projected to exceed USD 2 billion within less than a decade, this is seen as a major opportunity for Viet Nam’s lobster industry to make a breakthrough.

According to data from the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Viet Nam’s lobster export turnover reached around USD 858 million in 2025, a sharp increase compared with previous years. In the first six months of 2026, Viet Nam’s lobster exports reached approximately USD 585 million, up 44.3% from the same period. This figure was equivalent to 10.1% of total seafood exports and nearly 25% of Viet Nam’s total shrimp exports.

From a relatively small product segment, lobster has accelerated strongly during the 2024–2026 period, emerging as a high-value commodity driven by demand for live and premium seafood in the Chinese market.

In 2025, Viet Nams' lobster exports to China reached approximately USD 841 million, accounting for more than 98% of total lobster export turnover. In the first half of 2026, China continued to account for around 98.5% of Viet Nam’s lobster exports.

Vietnamese lobster has many advantages in the Chinese market thanks to its geographical proximity, which facilitates the transportation of live products, short delivery times, competitive logistics costs, and suitability for the mid- to high-end restaurant segment. At the same time, fluctuations in trade, tariffs, and competition among suppliers such as Canada, the U.S., and Australia, particularly in terms of pricing, are creating opportunities for Vietnamese lobster to further consolidate and expand its market share.

From a market and business perspective, VASEP believes that Vietnamese lobster should be approached as a high-value seafood industry requiring its own development strategy, rather than merely as a short-term growth product group. To achieve this, VASEP proposes addressing multiple issues simultaneously, with four key areas standing out.

First, there should be a clear orientation to develop lobster into a strategic industry targeting billion-USD export turnover, linked to farming area planning, live seafood logistics infrastructure, packing facilities, quality standards, and traceability.

Second, priority should be given to working with Chinese authorities to remove barriers facing spiny lobster, clarify F2 requirements, establish the scientific basis and origin documentation, and explore the possibility of developing a controlled transitional mechanism for commercial products farmed in registered farming areas.

Third, farmers, cooperatives, and businesses should be provided with guidance on meeting market requirements, including farming area codes, packing facility codes, farming logs, control of seeds, feed, and aquatic veterinary medicines, residue levels, quarantine, food safety, and shipment documentation.

Fourth, a specialized market information and early-warning system for lobster should be developed, covering changes in import regulations, border-gate conditions, tariffs, seasonal demand, prices, and competition from Canada, the U.S., Australia, and other supply sources.

With continuously rising demand in China and substantial market potential, Vietnamese lobster is facing a major opportunity to make a breakthrough and become a billion-USD export industry. However, to sustain growth, the industry cannot rely solely on geographical advantages or fast delivery. It needs to build a complete value chain that meets increasingly stringent market standards and gradually establishes the Vietnamese lobster brand in international markets.

According to IMARC Group, demand for lobster in China is rising as consumers become increasingly aware of the health benefits of seafood. Communication campaigns and informational materials highlighting lobster’s nutritional value, such as its ability to provide high-quality protein and support cardiovascular health, have attracted positive attention from Chinese consumers. As a result, lobster is no longer viewed merely as a premium food but also as a suitable choice for a healthy diet, helping drive market growth.