F&B events to offer gateway for Vietnamese businesses

This event serves as a crucial platform for Vietnamese businesses to forge global connections, discover new possibilities, and broaden their market presence. It will highlight the latest trends, innovations, and products, offering Vietnamese companies key insights and tools to enhance their market competitiveness.

Vietnam is emerging as a dynamic export market with a burgeoning dining scene, drawing interest in sectors like caviar and fast-moving consumer goods, including international whisky brands.

The relationship between Vietnam and Singapore is strengthening, evidenced by the popularity of Singaporean brands like Pepper Lunch and premium spirits in Vietnam.

This upswing in the dining sector is fuelled by the growing middle market for experiential offerings.

According to Informa Markets, Vietnam's wine market is expected to grow robustly, outpacing global trends, thanks to increasing affluence and a developing wine culture with a penchant for premium selections.

"Over the last decade, Vietnam has experienced a remarkable surge in alcohol consumption, particularly in the wine sector. From 2010 to 2020, the country's consumption of alcoholic beverages increased by an impressive 95 per cent, with wine playing a significant role in this growth. The top five sources of imported wines in Vietnam include Australia, Chile, France, Italy, and the United States, reflecting a diverse range of global flavours being embraced by Vietnamese consumers," said Janice Lee, event director of the FHA event at Informa Markets.

Lee also emphasised, "This uptick in alcohol consumption can be largely attributed to the rapid expansion of Vietnam's middle class, which is projected to swell to 95 million by 2030. This growth, noted as the fastest in Southeast Asia, is reshaping consumer habits. As incomes rise and tastes evolve, there is a noticeable shift towards a preference for higher quality alcoholic beverages."

The partnership has led to an influx of high-quality ingredients and products in Vietnam, including local delicacies and international brands like San Pellegrino and Penfolds wine.

Technology plays a pivotal role in this growth, with companies like Pepsi and Heineken leveraging tech advancements for more efficient operations. FHA and ProWine 2024 present an excellent opportunity for Vietnam to tap into Singapore’s expertise in certification and quality sourcing.

FHA is renowned for showcasing food innovations and educational resources for current and future F&B stakeholders. Specialised zones, such as Sustainable Food Future and Technology & Services, feature cutting-edge technologies and novel food solutions addressing sustainability challenges.

The event also provides educational seminars on topics like Halal certification and achieving zero-carbon footprints.

Highlights of FHA 2024 include the inaugural Ultimate Meat Challenge, the first FHA Awards celebrating product innovation in six categories, the second Edition of Young Talents Escoffier – Singapore Selection, the second Edition of its Beer Awards, and various seminars and workshops.

“The hosted buyer programme resulted in over 3,800 meetings in four days, demonstrating a high demand and connections built over novel foods and innovations. We expect to see higher traffic in the 2024 edition as the global F&B industry continues to grow and demands from consumers continue to drive trends,” said Ian Roberts, vice president of Informa Markets.

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Coffee chain ups and downs persist As some global coffee chains aggressively enter the Vietnamese market, others recalibrate strategies or exit, highlighting the volatile yet alluring food and beverage landscape of Vietnam.

The Tao of Coffee by Warner Bros. Discovery promotes Vietnamese coffee On November 30, the documentary The Tao of Coffee, produced by global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, aired on the Discovery Channel in Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, India, and other countries and territories in Asia.

Nestlé promoting Vietnamese coffee to the world Nestlé Vietnam organised a trip for international media to visit coffee gardens under the NESCAFÉ Plan model and its coffee processing factories.