What do international buyers seek in Vietnamese goods?

At the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) from September 3 to 5, thousands of meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese businesses took place at VIS 2026, creating opportunities for both Vietnamese and international companies to find new business partners.

Competitive prices, but quality still comes first

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper, Hoang Danh Huu, founder of Miss Ede, said connecting with buyers through sourcing exhibitions like VIS was highly effective. 

He said the company found a US buyer through the exhibition in 2024 and has continued to see strong export momentum in the market.

Sharing his experience, Huu said buyers always pay close attention to price, but that this must be accompanied by transparency and integrity on the part of manufacturers, particularly regarding product origin, sustainable quality and supply chains.

“Buyers are very strict about suppliers’ ability to comply with regulations. For example, for coffee, they require us to be transparent and truthful about where the coffee is produced, which farmers supply it, what certifications the coffee has received and which organizations issued those certifications,” Huu said.

A representative of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce in Australia, a sourcing and business-matching organization, said Vietnamese goods are increasingly competitive, but the most important factor is still their ability to meet the requirements of the Australian market.

Michael, a staff member at the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said the organization came to the exhibition to source a wide range of Vietnamese products because demand in Australia is strong. 

With prices in Australia continuing to rise, companies that can offer competitive prices while meeting all required standards will have strong opportunities in the market.

“As long as your products are competitively priced and meet Australian standards, everything else becomes easier,” he said.

Offering advice to Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to export, Nguyen Dang Khoa, international business director at Tan Phu Vietnam JSC, said Vietnamese companies need to shift from a mindset of “taking orders” to proactively building the capabilities needed to meet global standards.

For the textile and garment sector, Tran Hoang Phu Xuan, CEO of Faslink Vietnam, said production capacity and the ability to adapt quickly are prerequisites for Vietnamese textile and fashion companies seeking to participate effectively in global supply chains, particularly as markets face continued disruption from geopolitical tensions and new tariff policies.

Untapped potential for Vietnamese goods in global markets

Beyond sourcing new products, many organizations also came to VIS to showcase new solutions and find Vietnamese partners, particularly for solutions that can help Vietnamese goods meet sustainability standards.

Siem Schreurs, a representative of startup Rize, said the company is helping rice farmers in the Mekong Delta adopt more sustainable production practices. 

"We are here to connect with the right businesses that are ready to work with us to bring this rice to global markets," Siem said.

Representing the Brazilian market, Nata Oliveira, vice president of the Brazil Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, said sourcing and business-matching events such as VIS are useful for buyers and sellers from Brazil and Vietnam to better understand each other's needs.

Oliveira said such events also give Brazilian businesses an opportunity to visit factories in Vietnam and see their operations firsthand, while Vietnamese suppliers can gain a clearer understanding of demand in the Brazilian market.

"Vietnam and Brazil have significant potential in agriculture. Take coffee, for example. The two countries have strengths in different varieties, such as Robusta and Arabica. By combining our respective strengths, we can develop and further unlock this potential together," Oliveira said.