Nearly 890 Vietnamese food lines enter global retail as Gulf and EU demand grows

Vietnamese products gain shelf space abroad

Vietnamese agricultural and processed food suppliers are expanding their presence in international distribution systems, supported by stronger buyer interest in the Middle East, Europe and Southeast Asia. At a trade seminar held in Ho Chi Minh City on September 4, LuLu International Group’s MAY Exports said it was exporting nearly 890 Vietnamese stock-keeping units. The range covers vegetables, fruit, rice, coconut, coconut water, beverages, confectionery and other processed foods.

LuLu is buying both original-equipment-manufacturing products and goods carrying Vietnamese brands. Mirash Basheer, director of MAY Exports, said the longer-term objective was to make those brands more visible on retail shelves and strengthen Vietnam’s identity as a food-producing country. The group operates about 80 centers and supermarkets in the Middle East, according to Dân Việt. Smaller manufacturers, however, need to improve packaging, presentation and brand development to meet international retail requirements.

UAE offers a route into the wider Gulf

Lootah Group is investing in an Abu Dhabi food distribution center called the Vietnam Food Pavilion. The facility is intended to assemble Vietnamese agricultural and food products for distribution in the UAE and other Middle Eastern markets. Coffee, cashew, fruit and processed food are among the categories identified as competitive. Dân Việt reported that the UAE imports about 80% of its food and agricultural requirements, with imports in this category valued at about $15 billion in 2025.

The UAE also functions as a regional redistribution hub: around 77% of imports handled by Dubai Chambers members are re-exported to Middle Eastern countries, according to Dân Việt. Vietnamese dragon fruit and lime already have a foothold, while bananas benefit from shorter transit times. Basheer said shipments from the Philippines and Ecuador can take about 40 days to reach the Middle East, compared with just over 20 days from Vietnam. This can improve freshness and order responsiveness, although suppliers must still comply with Halal rules, provide traceability and establish durable relationships with distributors.

European access depends on control from farm to pallet

European buyers offer further growth, but their technical requirements are more demanding. Sven Dekker, co-founder of Vietnam Food Europe BV, said his company works with about 25 Vietnamese suppliers. Products entering the EU must be controlled for chemical residues, ingredients, additives, packaging, labeling and traceability. Companies must also consider pack dimensions, pallet configuration and logistics efficiency. Emerging traceability and digital-passport requirements will require investment beginning at the production stage rather than immediately before export.

Export performance provides a favorable backdrop. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said Vietnamese agricultural and food exports grew by an annual average of 15-16% from 2022 to 2025 and exceeded $41.27 billion in 2025. Agricultural, forestry and fishery exports reached nearly $42.8 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up 7.5% year on year. About 80% of Vietnam’s rice exports are now fragrant or high-quality varieties, while shipments to the EU increased by about 16%. The Government Electronic Newspaper separately reported that Vietnam’s total exports reached about $374 billion in the first eight months of 2026, rising nearly 22%, with Ho Chi Minh City contributing about 21%. The opportunity for smaller suppliers is therefore substantial, but lasting access will depend on consistent quality, deeper processing, green production, transparent factory data and recognizable brands—not simply additional volume.