Chilean beef, lamb producers target Vietnam’s 100-million-strong market

The event was organized on Thursday by the Chilean Association of Meat Slaughtering, Processing and Preservation Plants (ChileMEAT) in coordination with the Trade Office of the Chilean Embassy in Vietnam.

During the event, Chilean meat companies introduced their production capacity and quality standards and discussed market demand, trade conditions and potential distribution channels with Vietnamese businesses.

Businesses from both countries also discussed packaging specifications, storage and import requirements.

Chile's meat processing industry emphasizes quality control, veterinary hygiene and traceability to meet export standards, according to Chilean company representatives.

Nicanor Allende Manterola, a member of the ChileMEAT board of directors and general manager of Frigorífico Temuco, a Chilean meat distributor and exporter, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper that Vietnam was attracting Chilean businesses because of its population size, economic growth and demand for meat.

Rather than competing directly with major suppliers on volume, Chilean producers are targeting market niches that require specific product quality and specifications.

"We are not focusing on volume, but on quality. We are looking for niche markets where we can develop products and tailor them to customers' requirements," Manterola said.

Chilean beef mainly comes from grass-fed cattle and could appeal to restaurants and food service businesses, he noted.

However, access to supermarkets and wholesale channels would depend more heavily on selling prices.

Manterola said Chile is working to complete the remaining procedures needed to obtain approval to export beef and lamb to Vietnam, a market of 100 million people.

Meanwhile, Chilean companies are seeking local import partners and discussing potential commercial arrangements, he added.

Prices, consumer preferences key to competitiveness

Nguyen Tu Quynh, finance and operations manager at PMI Foods, said demand for imported meat in Vietnam had increased in recent years, particularly among trading and distribution companies.

However, supply shortages in some markets had pushed import prices higher than a year earlier.

"Most customers prioritize price, although some market segments require higher-quality products," she said.

Assessing the prospects for Chilean meat, Quynh said tariff preferences could offer a cost advantage, but actual selling prices and the products' appeal to Vietnamese consumers would remain crucial to their competitiveness.

Additional supplies from Chile would give Vietnamese importers more options, she said, but market success would depend on actual prices and consumer acceptance.

Import procedures are another challenge.

Requirements for certificates and food safety testing can affect costs, as prolonged testing may leave shipments at ports for several additional days, Quynh said.

Businesses in both countries can benefit from trade and tariff preferences under the Vietnam-Chile Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 2014, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, to which both countries are parties.

Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Chile reached approximately US$2.05 billion in 2025, up 40.7 percent from 2024, according to Chilean customs data released by Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade.