As many as 18 Italian food and beverage producers are on a visit to Ho Chi Minh City to explore the possibility of entering Vietnam’s consumer market where they see a high potential for growth.

The visit is part of the Sapori D’Italia (A Taste of Italy) programme in Vietnam, organised by the Italian Trade Commission and the Federation of Italian Chambers of Commerce, to bolster trade ties between the two countries in the area of food and beverages.

So far, 140 appointments have been made to help Italian businesses--whose product lines encompass appetizers, wine, vinegar, olive oil, pasta, vegetables and frozen foods--to establish contact with local importers and distributors in the field.

“With a population of more than 86 million, a stable and high economic growth rate and an increase in the number of middle-class people, Vietnam is a burgeoning market for Italy’s world renowned consumer goods industry”, said Marco Saladini, Italian Trade Commissioner in Vietnam. “The range of available Italian goods is quickly expanding and this implies that prices are also adjusting downwards, making them more affordable for the average consumer.”

Exports of Italian food and beverages to Vietnam stood at 8.8 million EUR in 2008, including 850,00 EUR from wine and 570,000 EUR from pasta./.