The United Kingdom’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), in collaboration with the British Consulate-General and British Chambers of Commerce in Vietnam, is leading a high-profile trade mission to Vietnam from September 23 to 25 to promote high-quality British pork and foster long-term partnerships with Vietnamese importers.

The delegation comprises some of the UK’s largest and most reputable pork producers, including GPS Food Group Ltd, Norwest Foods International Ltd, and Dunbia. These companies are renowned for their commitment to quality, food safety, and animal welfare — hallmarks of British agriculture.

There has been an uptick in interest from UK exporters and Vietnamese importers keen to capitalise on this fresh access since negotiating an Export Health Certificate with Vietnam for pork exports in November 2022, United Kingdom’s Agriculture Attaché to Vietnam Matthew Albon-Crouch, who is based in the British Embassy in Hanoi, said.

“British pork is world-class, and I’m proud that the UK has some of the highest standards of production, food safety, and animal welfare in the world, which I know Vietnamese customers value,” he said.

The delegation is visiting Hanoi to engage with the Department for Animal Health and Livestock Production, to learn more about pork production in the UK and Vietnam. The delegation also travels to HCM City to hold a public seminar at the Caravelle Hotel to explain the unique selling points of British pork and the favourable trading arrangements the UK and Vietnam enjoy.

The programme includes keynote speeches on UK-Vietnam free trade agreements, company presentations, business matching sessions, and networking sessions aimed at building sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships.

Exporters in the UK are excited about Vietnam’s dynamic food industry. With growing demand for high-quality meat products, British pork — known for its traceability, flexible packaging solutions, and rigorous standards — is well-positioned to meet the needs of discerning Vietnamese consumers.

According to the “Connecting the UK and Vietnam in Agriculture, Food and Drink” report 2024 by Edelman Public & Government Affairs (EGA), and sponsored by the British Embassy Hanoi, UK food and drink exports to Vietnam surged by 97% from 2020 to 2023, reaching US$154 million.

The UK’s recent accession to CPTPP, in December 2024, is expected to create even more exciting opportunities for local businesses to bring the UK's rich portfolio of consumer products to Vietnamese consumers.

New tariff reductions in Food & Drink, Cosmetics, and Consumer Goods, as well as improved customs guarantees, make it easier and more cost-effective to buy from the UK. Exports of UK goods to Vietnam increased by 9.9% in 2024 and that trend will hopefully continue in 2025, with CPTPP creating new opportunities for Vietnamese importers, retailers, and distributors to source more products from the UK.

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