Vietnam is the leading supplier (claiming the first or the second place in the market) for a number of goods, such as cashew nuts (96%), pepper (65%), basa fish fillet (100%), frozen shrimp (27%).
Regarding seafood (HS code 03), in 2020, Vietnam's seafood export turnover to this market reached NZD 16.6 million, accounting for 9% of the market share, ranking fourth after China, Norway and Australia.
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Market share of Vietnam’s agricultural products. |
Vietnam’s foods and processed foodstuffs are distributed in New Zealand through importers, wholesalers and retailers.
Due to the small size of the market, big importers in New Zealand are also the distributors and their customers being secondary wholesalers, chains of retailing supermarket, retail stores and restaurants. Some importers, distributors have the dominant market share of products, such as:
Distributors of foodstuffs, spices, canned dry foods are Davis Trading, Gilmours Wholesale Food, with stores operating like Cash’nCarry model and 2 major partners of Foodstuffs - Toops and Trents. Regarding spices and cocoa, that is Sherratt Ingredients.
There are Shore Mariner and King Fisher in the distribution system of frozen seafood.
There are Lim Brothers Import & Export, Soung Yueen, Tai Ping in the distribution system of Asian foodstuffs. Vietnam’s agricultural products, foodstuffs and foods are imported and distributed by these enterprises.
It is estimated that the importers and wholesalers import up to 80% of the goods while the retailers import 20% left. Some wholesalers are also importers, distributors of domestic products, such as King Fisher distributes 90% of domestic products and imports only 10%.
In the food industry, supermarkets and retail stores account for 30% of the goods distributed, the rest is of food service chains, restaurants, hotels, fast food chains, etc.
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Bag of fresh bamboo shoot sold in New Zealand. |
Most importers, distributors work directly with foreign exporters; some work with parent companies or trade agents in third country like Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, etc.
Regarding frozen or specially preserved goods, the importers and distributors hold the leading role and do all the logistics activities to transport goods to supermarkets, retail stores or restaurants.
The importers and distributors also do the packaging and attaching their brands on dry goods and foodstuffs imported in large batches but repackaged in smaller size for retail. Goods from warehouses of importers and distributors are transported directly to supermarkets and retail stores based on planned distribution.
Source: VAN