Vietnamese firms join int’t food fair in Russia.

A Vietnamese booth at WorldFood Moscow 2019. - Photo nhandan.com.vn

Among their goods are farm produce such as rice, coffee, tea and cashew nuts, as well as seafood, forestry, canned fruits, dairy products, juice drinks and beer.

Since its inception in 1991, the major exhibition, which serves the global food and drinks industry, has grown to become the entry point for international manufacturers looking to enter the vibrant Russian market.

Every year, the event connects thousands of businesses from around the world with Russia's key food and drink buyers, including retail representatives from Russia’s leading supermarket chains, wholesalers and food manufacturers.

Nguyen Thi My Nhi, president of Tin Thinh Co, which specialises in seafood processing and exporting, said her company’s products were suited to the Russian market, and that the company generates about US$1 million annually from seafood exports in the country as it has met Russian standards of quality, food hygiene and safety.

However, Tin Thinh Co is continuing to seek more customers in Russia and neighbouring countries, Nhi said, adding that it was looking to sell goods directly to supermarkets, which have an increasing demand for Vietnamese products.

Nguyen Mai Phuong, representative of Nafood Group in Russia, said that his company's products had been available in Russia for a year and that the firm's long-term strategy was to build a small-scale factory in Russia, providing dried fruit for customers.

Russia, with its often chilly winter weather, has a high demand for dried fruits. At the same time, Russian visitors to Viet Nam love tropical fruits, and act as an informal "advertisers" for Vietnamese fruits when they return to Russia.

Nafood plans to launch a new factory in Russia based on the actual needs of Russian customers, according to Phuong. The firm will provide the market with dried and fresh fruit in the future, he added.

More than 1,760 exhibitors from 65 countries and territories with 3,200 booths attended the event, which ends on Friday.