On November 12 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Viet Nam Retailers Association, held a program titled "Connecting Domestically Produced Food Products with Distribution Channels." The event was part of the third Domestic Trade Policy Forum (VDTF 2026), held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) alongside Vietnam Foodexpo 2026. 

The program aims to help high-quality Vietnamese food products with clear origins and reliable supply capacity gain greater access to modern distribution networks. It also seeks to strengthen linkages between manufacturers and processors and retailers, distributors, food store chains, food service providers, and large-scale buyers.

The event was organized to implement the Government's Resolution No. 88/NQ-CP dated April 5, 2026, on promoting domestic market development, stimulating consumer demand, and advancing the "Vietnamese People Prioritize Vietnamese Goods" campaign. It also supports the Prime Minister's Decision No. 2069/QD-TTg dated October 29, 2026, approving the "Vietnamese Goods for Vietnamese Consumers" Program for 2026 - 2030.

The program's focus is to move beyond encouraging consumers to prioritize Vietnamese products and instead create conditions for domestic goods to become more competitive, meet distribution network standards, and respond effectively to market demand.

USD 269 billion retail market offers significant opportunities for Vietnamese food products

According to the 2025 Viet Nam Domestic Market Report published by the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam's retail market reached approximately USD 269 billion in 2025. This represents substantial potential for domestic food manufacturers and processors.

Notably, in the first 10 months of 2026, total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue at current prices were estimated at VND 6,618.9 trillion, up 13.5% year over year. Retail sales of goods increased by 12.9%, while revenue from accommodation and food services rose by 17%.

These figures indicate that the domestic market continues to maintain strong growth, while highlighting the need to improve product quality, distribution efficiency, and the ability to meet increasingly sophisticated consumer demand.

In his opening remarks, Phan Van Chinh, Deputy Director-General of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, said Vietnamese consumers spent more than VND 5.1 trillion per day on food and groceries through retail channels in 2025, equivalent to approximately VND 1.88 quadrillion for the year and accounting for more than one-third of the country's total retail sales of goods.

Given this scale of consumer spending, the challenge is not simply to expand the market but also to improve the ability of Vietnamese businesses to participate in distribution networks, creating more opportunities for domestically produced food to reach consumers.

As export markets continue to face considerable volatility, expanding market share at home is considered an important solution to help businesses strengthen their adaptability and sustain production and business operations.

However, bringing Vietnamese food products into modern retail systems remains challenging. Many products already meet the stringent standards of export markets but have yet to gain access to domestic distribution networks. Meanwhile, retailers continue to seek suppliers capable of meeting quality standards, maintaining stable output, and ensuring product traceability.

According to Phan Van Chinh, three key gaps need to be addressed: information, standards, and trust. In particular, manufacturers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and cooperatives, often lack a clear understanding of retailers' demand and supplier selection criteria. Conversely, distributors do not always have sufficient information about high-quality domestic suppliers.

Furthermore, entering modern distribution networks requires more than product quality. Businesses must also meet requirements concerning product standards, traceability, packaging, labeling, storage, delivery, and supply continuity. Building fair, long-term partnerships between manufacturers and distribution networks, while strengthening consumer confidence, is also essential to the sustainable development of the domestic food market.

Directly connecting manufacturers with retail networks

To address supply-demand mismatches, the program brought together government agencies, associations, manufacturers, food processors, buyers, and distribution networks.

This year's event featured major retail systems, including Saigon Co.op, BRG, WinCommerce, Bach Hoa Xanh, MM Mega Market, Central Retail, AEON, SATRA, VISSAN, GS25, and Vong Tron Do, alongside businesses seeking Vietnamese food suppliers.

A key component of the program was a series of presentations and discussions on consumer and food distribution trends, as well as the challenges businesses face when seeking access to retail networks.

Discussions focused on buyers' practical requirements concerning product quality, specifications, delivery capacity, supporting documentation, branding, and commercial policies.

At the event, a representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Trading Cooperatives presented the food sourcing needs of its retail system and recommendations for suppliers. Meanwhile, a representative of Quang Ngai Sugar Joint Stock Company shared the company's proposals for developing the domestic market for food products.

A representative of MM Mega Market Vietnam Co., Ltd. also discussed the domestic food market, sharing opportunities, challenges, and directions for strengthening supply-demand connections.

To promote substantive business linkages, distributors were encouraged to provide clear information about their sourcing criteria and demand, while ensuring fair opportunities for high-quality Vietnamese products. Manufacturers and processors, meanwhile, need to take a proactive approach to standardizing products, improving supply arrangements, and maintaining credibility in business partnerships.

For its part, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will receive businesses' feedback and recommendations to address issues within its authority, improve mechanisms and policies, and incorporate relevant proposals into the implementation plan for the "Vietnamese Goods for Vietnamese Consumers" Program.

In addition to the presentations, a discussion session on opportunities and solutions for strengthening supply-demand connections brought together representatives from government agencies, associations, and distribution businesses to address practical challenges directly.

Notably, one-on-one B2B matching sessions were organized to enable manufacturers and food processors to meet with procurement teams and distributors.

Through these meetings, businesses had opportunities to present their supply capabilities, introduce product portfolios, discuss partnership conditions, and explore pathways for bringing their products into suitable distribution channels.

Held alongside Vietnam Foodexpo 2026, the program helped expand business networking opportunities across the food industry. The exhibition runs from November 11 to 14, 2026, and is expected to bring together more than 500 domestic and international businesses.

Through the program, the organizers expect to promote substantive commercial partnerships between manufacturers and distribution networks, enabling Vietnamese food products to expand their sales channels and better meet consumer expectations in terms of quality, price, and preferences. These efforts will contribute to building a more efficient and transparent domestic food supply chain, reducing distribution costs, and unlocking the potential of the domestic market.