Vietnamese firms helped to participate in foreign distribution networks hinh anh 1The training workshop “Assisting Vietnamese Enterprises’ Participation in Foreign Distribution Networks” takes place in Hanoi on May 8. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The training workshop “Assisting Vietnamese Enterprises’ Participation in Foreign Distribution Networks” took place in Hanoi on May 8, gathering 180 exporters from northern provinces.

The event was co-held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Central Group of Thailand, Japan-based Aeon Group, Rungis International Market – the world’s largest wholesale food market – from France.

It is part of the governmental project, namely “Developing Direct Participation of Vietnamese Enterprises in Foreign Distribution System up to 2020”, that seeks to help local firms develop new export channels to directly take their products to consumers in foreign countries. The goal will be achieved via the provision of a series of training workshops for enterprises on management on goods standard and quality, import-export procedures of different overseas markets.

At the workshop, representatives from Central Group and Aeon updated participating firms on activities which will take place as part of the project in the time ahead to connect Vietnamese firms and foreign distributors.

Yuichiro Shiotani, director general of Aeon Topvalue Vietnam advises local companies to add more values to their products before selling them to foreign distribution channels and that the firms should not focus too much on cheap prices or low labour cost which does not generate real values for the products.

He noted that Aeon Topvalu has been working to put a number of made-in-Vietnam products, which are available in Aeon Vietnam retail stores, on the shelves of its stores in Japan.

Shortly after the training sessions, the businesses were provided opportunity to meet with purchasing units of Central Group, Aeon Group and Rungis International Market to seek partnership.

To effective implement the project, the Ministry of Industry and Trade called for the close cooperation between state management bodies, trade promotion agencies, local governments, enterprises and distributors. Furthermore, the ministry has partnered with several foreign distributors to hold Vietnamese Products Week in EU and Asia since 2011.

Last year, the ministry shook hands with Central Group Vietnam and Big C organise the second Vietnamese Products Week in Thailand in July that showcased a variety of Vietnamese products like handicrafts, garment and textile, and farm produce like lichi, dragon fruits and sweet potatoes to be exported to Thailand and other ASEAN countries. The event saw the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.-VNA
VNA