Flexible approach pays dividends

Vifon saw around 20 per cent export growth in 2012’s first quarter against the same period in 2011 and its chairman Nguyen Trung Dung attributed the company’s surging exports to a sales agent network ready to move with the times.

Vifon’s instant noodles have now gone to 50 countries and territories around the globe.

“We produced sample products, tested purchasing capacity and then when opportunities arrived we rolled out breakthrough products in both domestic and foreign markets,” said Dung.

Its efforts got due rewards. For example, in 2011, Vifon products won plaudits from Polish consumers as most favoured food products.

When around half of wood processing enterprises are running perfunctory production or face going bust, Minh Phat 2 Company specialising in wooden art work export has emerged as a shining spot with its opened minded approach.

The company’s exports grew 12 per cent on-year in the first quarter of 2012. Three factors helped the company weather the storm in 2012’s first quarter, said its director Dien Quang Hiep.

Striving to retain traditional customers, making product quality and punctual delivery at top priority and restructuring production to boost labourers’ efficiency.

“Though Chinese-made items are now overwhelming the domestic market, this does not mean the door is shut towards Vietnamese goods wanted to enter Chinese market,” said chairman Nguyen Lam Vien at Ho Chi Minh City-based Vinamit Trading Company Limited.

“Like Vietnamese consumers, Chinese consumers also prefer using imported products. So, deeply processed items like those of Vinamit or Trung Nguyen Coffee are deepening roots in this huge market,” said Vien.

Vien is reportedly to lead a Vietnamese business group to join Canton Fair in China from May 2-6 sourcing opportunities to access modern distribution channels and directly contact Chinese partners.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese business group will work with Shenzhen Trading Centre Authority on leasing 6,000  square metres for displaying Vietnamese products. As planned, under the umbrella of Chinese local authority Vietnamese firms showing products there would enjoy special incentives in the first five years.