Nguyen Vu Thuan, food merchandise director of MM Mega Market, saidgoods must ensure traceability of their origin and farm produce and freshproducts must meet VietGap, Global Gap and HACCP standards.
Firms that want to supply supermarkets need to understandretailers’ business strategy as well as who their customers are to determinewhich products are suitable for supply, he said.
Businesses should sit down with retailers to negotiate and makejoint business plans like producing retailers’ own brands instead of justfocusing on their products, he said.
Pham Thi Ngoc Ha, director of San Ha Company, which has over 30years’ experience in the meat industry, said the company used to make productsfor Vissan in the early stages.
It also focused on developing its own brands, she said.
During the co-operation with Vissan, her company got plenty ofexperience in production and trading, which greatly contributes to its currentsuccess, she said.
Tran Van Lieng, chairman of Vinacacao, said if small- andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have innovative and unique products, the moderntrade channel should be their target.
He also shared his experience in developing co-branded productsfor Lotte and Starbucks, saying this is a good chance for a company to promoteits brand.
Thuan said MM Mega Market wants to co-operate with suppliers andpartners to serve its horeca (hotels, restaurants and catering) customers, momand pop stores, large offices and manufacturers.
It also wants to partner with enterprises to produce exclusiveproducts, he said.
Businesses will have the opportunity to export their productsthrough Thailand’s TCC group, which owns MM Mega Market, he said.
Four containers of farm produce like dragon fruit and sweet potatoare being shipped to Thailand every month, and more Vietnamese farm producewould be consumed in that market in future, he said.
The supermarket prefers to source from businesses that producesustainably, he said.
It has co-operated with more than 650 farmers so far, offeringthem market information, advice and technical support to get VietGapcertification, and buying large volumes regularly at steady prices, he said.
Tran Le Thuy Trang of Nguyen Tat Thanh University saidsupermarkets are now very supportive of small businesses, but the latter mustoffer good quality products and steady supply.
Producers at the event also complained about the long timesupermarkets take to make payment, causing difficulties for small firms.
Thuan said the supermarket has different payment policies fordifferent suppliers based on scale and business segment, adding for SMEssupplying fresh food, payment is made in five, seven or 10 days.
Some delegates said distributors’ payment policy would be hard tochange, and the Government should set up a fund to support firms supplying moderndistribution systems.-VNA