American Market: Promising but Difficult

On the occasion of the 10^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US, VIB Forum interviewed Mr Vo Van Em, VISSAN Director on the access to the American market.

Will you please highlight some of the activities and achievements of your company in recent years?

VISSAN is a leading trademark of processed food in Vietnam. The food has been successively voted a Vietnamese product of high quality. VISSAN supplies fresh, clean and safe meat. Its distribution network is spread throughout Ho Chi Minh City and employs well-trained staff. With an upgraded production line and quality management system of ISO, HACCP standard, the company continues to meet the ever-increasing demand in diversified products such as frozen processed food, sausage, canned food, etc. Our products have become familiar to every family and continue their growth in consumption.

How is the market, are you going to expand into new markets?

The company has opened a branch and several shops in Da Nang to expand the market in Central Vietnam and the Highlands. The company has also developed a distribution network in supermarkets, agents and retail shops throughout the country. Besides which, participation in trade fairs and marketing programmes has attracted more clients and made the VISSAN trademark more famous.

In the coming years, VISSAN will develop branches in Hanoi and Can Tho. It will also expand networks of restaurants and cafeterias serving fast food such as hamburgers, sausages, spring rolls etc. The supply will increase in schools, offices and hotels, ensuring the community of safe food.

To secure quality and safety, the company applies strict control of the materials. It has also provided farmers with good strains and technology. The company will build a farm raising local and imported cattle.  With successful business at home, the company is expanding its market in Russia and has potential markets in Korea, Japan, the US and Canada.

How do you view the American market?

In October 2004, VISSAN conducted a market survey in the US. It is a potential but difficult market in terms of food safety criteria. Besides, as a veterinary agreement is not yet signed between the two countries, VISSAN has exported only sea-products to the US. The company has imported from the US a pig species, some equipment and additional ingredients. I hope that the trade value will increase in the near future.

What about the plan of moving and expansion of the factory?

In implementation of the city’s policy on environment protection, the company will move the slaughter-house to Tan Tao IZ and upgrade the production line with a capacity of 300 pigs and 100 cows an hour. Go Sao cattle farm will be moved to Ben Cat district (Binh Duong) and An Lac market to Binh Dien commercial centre. The moving plan will be carried out smoothly without affecting the production. VISSAN is a pioneer in producing clean and safe food and convincing the people of the safety of the product. Hopefully, similar efforts will be made by other enterprises to improve the environment and public health.

Reported by Van Luong