Confectionery and cereals products now make up a greater proportion of the country’s total export revenue, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The export revenues of confectionery and cereals products has risen from 276 million USD in 2009 to almost 293 million USD in 2010, making up around 0.5 percent of the nation’s total.
With improved quality, modern packaging and a more diverse range of goods, Vietnamese confectionery is now exported to Cambodia, China, the US, Japan, UAE, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In particular, Cambodia has become biggest importer of Vietnam’s confectionery for many consecutive years.
However, China is seen as a huge potential market for Vietnamese confectionery and cereals in the future.
Many confectionery businesses have found partners in several other countries to promote and sell their products. At present, products made by the Huu Nghi High Quality Confectionery Joint Stock Company (Huunghifood) are sold in Russia, the UK, Spain, Singapore and the US while the Bibica Corporation exports its products to more than 20 countries and territories.
Domestic sweets and biscuits have become more popular with domestic consumers, even those who prefer imported confectionery, due to their improved quality and packaging and their prices are normally 20 percent lower than imported products.
Ninety percent of the sweets and biscuits sold at supermarkets and trade centers during the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) were made in Vietnam, according to a recent survey conducted by the ministry.
The ministry has also asked businesses to focus on distributing goods in rural and border areas and to pay more attention to post-sale services and staff training./.
