London (VNA) – The Vietnam Promotion Week in the UK 2026 opened in London on July 8, bringing together businesses from both countries to expand cooperation in key sectors including textiles, consumer goods and furniture, while helping Vietnamese products gain deeper access to British supply chains.
Speaking at the opening ceremony at Staybridge Suites London-Vauxhall in Lambeth, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Do Minh Hung said bilateral ties have developed strongly in recent years, culminating in the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lam’s official visit to the UK in October last year.
He described the UK as a key economic partner of Vietnam, particularly in finance, banking, innovation, renewable energy, education, and science and technology, areas expected to drive the next phase of cooperation.
Two-way merchandise trade reached approximately 9 billion USD in 2025, with Vietnam posting a trade surplus. The growth has been underpinned by the UKVFTA, effective since 2021, and the UK’s accession to the CPTPP in December 2024, which has created additional opportunities for Vietnamese exporters.
Le Hoang Tai, Deputy Director of the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the event is part of a broader programme of trade promotion activities in major global markets. He stressed that the objective is not only to increase sales, but also to strengthen the branding of competitive Vietnamese products and integrate them more deeply into local supply chains.
Industry representatives at the event shared first-hand perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing Vietnamese goods in the UK market.
Paul Rooke, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, called Vietnamese coffee the “best-kept secret” of the UK coffee industry, noting that it has been an important component of many roasted and instant coffee products sold in Britain for decades.
British imports of Vietnamese green coffee beans exceeded 160 million GBP (about 214 million USD) in 2025, excluding Vietnamese coffee processed in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Poland and Spain before entering the UK market. Rooke said demand for high-quality Robusta is increasing, while speciality Arabica has significant room for growth if supported by strong quality and sustainability standards.
Logistics remains another critical factor. Aman Surey, Director of the AMS Distribution Centre, said exporting to the UK requires businesses to navigate transportation, customs clearance, import duties, warehousing and delivery, areas that can be particularly challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises entering the market for the first time.
The event also highlighted the international ambition of Vietnamese producers.
Than Van Suu, Chairman of Phong Hai Lao Cai JSC, said Vietnam is home to some of the world’s most valuable tea-growing regions, with the northern mountains preserving centuries-old Shan Tuyet tea forests. By bringing Lao Cai tea to London, the company is not only introducing a product but also telling the story of Vietnam’s tea-growing communities, with the hope that the distinctive flavour of the mountains will find a place in one of Europe’s most demanding markets./.
