Vietnam is now a developing country with a population of about 80 million people (ranking 13th in the world). Thus, this is a promising consumer market. With a GDP growth rate of 8 per cent per year and average per capita income continuously improving, the consumption rate is increasing. In addition, Vietnam is at the beginning of its global economic integration; hence, consumer demand for processed industrial products, including beverage products, will see rapid growth in the coming time.
Since its foundation, Interfood Company has been invested in innovative technology lines and diversifying their products. Interfood’s equipment has been well maintained to ensure production efficiency and food safety in the Long Thanh and Bien Hoa plants, Dong Nai. After 16 years of operation, total invested capital of the company has increased over 26 times, from US$ 1.14 million to US$ 30 million, also increasing total revenue and export sales. Interfood is a public company listed in HCMC Stock Exchange since October 2006. In 2005 and 2006 the company invested more than US$5 million in producing canned fruit juice and biscuits, with over 200 kinds of products under the Wonderfarm trademark. The company has continuously expanded the business, contributing to the increased export of two key product categories, canned drinks and biscuits & wafer confectionery. Interfood has been increasing exports to North America, Europe and the Pacific Islands. Their domestic market share now reaches up to 60 per cent, with main products being canned drinks (non-carbonated, carbonated juice drink), biscuits, crackers, wafers confectionery and canned foodstuff. These products are marketed under well-known Wonderfarm, Tops, Zizy and Okayo brand names. Last year, the company achieved turnover of US$ 39.853 million and after tax profit of US$3.698 million for the financial year ending 31 Dec 2006. In the first 6 months of 2007, the company’s turnover was US$23.032 million and after tax profit was US$2.205 as of 30 June 2007.
Wonderfarm has poured investment into producing nutritious food products. Forwarding investment into the Vietnamese market, the company has researched carefully and built raw material areas, seeking available domestic material sources in order to manufacture products favoured by Vietnamese consumers. Building raw materials zones in Vietnam has not only helped stabilize and improve local people’s living standards, but also ensured high quality materials for the factory. Many kinds of nutritious drinks are produced from natural materials, which are more nutritious and suitable for all ages. Vietnamese consumers consider Wonderfarm canned drinks a favourite drink. Such components as natural fruits, white fungus, rock sugar and brown sugar and coconut milk are good for the skin, lungs, liver and other parts of the body. Wonderfarm Korean Ginseng and canned coconut milk is most popular in the northern market.
Wonderfarm Winter Melon drink is extracted from the healthy and nutritious winter melon fruit. Wonderfarm coconut milk/cream often appears in supermarkets, hotels and restaurants and is preferred by chefs. The company is also one of the pioneering enterprises in supplementing nutritive substances (calcium, DHA, vitamins, etc) into biscuits. Nutritious biscuits and crackers with ingredients extracted from natural vegetable and fruits are very suitable to the tastes of Vietnamese consumers. Mr Calvin H.J.Yau, Deputy General Director of Interfood said with pride, “Interfood’s high quality products are present in many countries in the world including demanding markets, and are exported to more than 30 countries worldwide”. In Vietnam, Wonderfarm products are present in numerous distribution channels, both urban and rural areas.
Food technology is the main element creating the difference for Wonderfarm products. The company has been granted the High Quality Vietnamese Products prize for many consecutive years, and reached international-standard quality management criteria. Wonderfarm products are produced with advanced technology lines to HACCP international standard. All products are examined with strict standards in separate steps. Fresh tea products are produced with fresh material from the mountainous area of Sapa, with new production technology of pasteurised bottling in a high temperature. This is Japanese advanced technology first applied in Vietnam, creating a totally different product. The products are packaged in PET bottles using hot fill technology. The products do not use food preservatives. “We are very pleased to bring a nutritious and healthy drink suitable for Vietnamese consumers of all ages, with absolutely fresh materials and advanced production technology, and HACCP-standard food safety. This is the great pride of the producer.
Mr Calvin.H.J.Yau added that Interfood also has advantages in packed products such as biscuits, butter cookies, wafer confectionery and crackers. With experience and stable growth for many years, Interfood is very confident in its position as one of the leading producers in Vietnam providing food products and canned drinks. Mr Calvin said, “The secret of our success is to meet market demand on time, focusing on diversifying products with the best quality and competitive price. Investment in new equipment for updating and maintaining the plant, as well as investment in Research and Development (R & D) is continuously reviewed and improved. We are always researching new products suitable for Vietnamese tastes.” In addition, the company has set up an R & D team to survey market demand and collect opinions from customers, forming the basis for the company’s long-term development strategy. With a modern technology line, (over 80 per cent automated), products with Wonderfarm and Tops labels are supervised closely, from testing input material quality to canning and distributing to consumers with intact natural flavour and food safety.
Demand for necessary consumer goods in the Vietnamese market still accounts for a very high rate of consumption, around 50 per cent, and it is expected to make up a higher rate in years to come when Vietnamese people’s living standards are improved. According to some investors in the beverage sector, Vietnam currently consumes over 5 billion litres of beverages per year and is now a strongly developing market. To meet the demand, Interfood has built a strong and committed management team to design professional and attractive packaging for the company’s products, aiming to establish famous brands. In the coming time, the company will continue to expand production and business in Vietnamese and the international market, affirmed Calvin H.J.Yau.
Ha Thanh
Vietnamese
