The Vietnam Trade Office and New Zealand Trade Centre (NZTC) worked together successfully to host the Hanoi trading company, Hapro, in Wellington on Friday 20th May 2016. The meeting went so well, that by days end a “Bilateral Partnership Agreement” was signed by the parties.

Vietnam Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr Nguyen Viet Dzung, witnessed the agreement. The Ambassador was enthusiastic about recent increasing development of diplomatic and trade relationships between the two countries.  Sharing his wisdom, Ambassador Dzung said “that real trade relationships will prosper when the two countries not only trade together, but united as one, they begin to use their shared skills and resources together, to create products and services for other countries”.

Hapro is widely known as the Hanoi Trade Corporation. The company’s core business is international trading and commercial services.  Harpo has developed a chain of 21 domestic supermarket chains, 20 convenience stores, 19 food stores as well as 99-fashion retail outlets, including a commercial centre. Chairman, Mr Nguyen Huu Thang led the delegation and was supported by the Director of Hapro Supermarket Co., Ms Mguyen Thuy Duong.

Over the day, NZTC presented a range of premium New Zealand products to Mr. Thang and Ms.  Duong who were impressed with the food quality and food safety of the NZ food manufacturing businesses. Products presented included Talley’s integrated range of products, Tasti Snack bars, Just Juice, Mrs Higgins biscuits, Fruit Hitz, Greenz Dairy Milk Powder, KGF Manuka Honey, Black Gold Molasses, Clearview Wine and Townshend Craft beers to name a few.

NZTC suppliers were also invited personally to present to Harpo. Mark Fankhauser, Managing Director of Oceania Sourcing Ltd, representing Talleys, Greenz Dairy Milk Powder and KGF Molasses, introduced seafood, frozen vegetables and ice cream exporting opportunities to Vietnam. General Manager of the Living Green Group, Sigrid McLisky, held the attention of the delegation. She was passionate about her NZ manufactured range of natural cleaning and beauty products and discussed the market suitability of their products for Vietnam. Kurt Renner of GO Healthy dropped in and spoke of the brand success of GO Healthy and their market strengths as NZ’s number one Health Supplement Company. Adam Martin also represented JP Turners and JP Exports to introduce the global fruits procurement potential working with Vietnam market.

Later in the afternoon, the delegation enjoyed a site visit to Wellington snack manufacturer Rutherford and Meyer, NZ’s No.1 supplier of premium cheese and wafer biscuits and spreads, who currently export 60% of their total production to the USA. Impressed with the flavors and taste, the conversation continued to discuss market entry and distribution opportunities.

Throughout the meetings, Mr. Thang and Ms. Duong introduced their core business plans for internationalizing NZ products into the Vietnam market. Their plan is to open a New Zealand product trade centre in Vietnam, selling New Zealand’s products through their strong retail channels and network.

Mr. Thang believes that trade is a two-sided coin and that the delegation came not only to purchase NZ goods, but it also came to promote Vietnamese products, such as coffee beans, cashews, peppers and rice. NZTC will be looking to develop and establish a platform to present these products through NZTC’s export store, targeting the NZ domestic market.

Overall the day was huge successful, we all the parties freely exchanging their opinions on the international trading industry and Vietnam market, in the light of the signed TTPA agreement. It was agreed that a long term stable relationship for mutual benefit should be formed.

NZTC is working with VTO (Vietnam Trade Office) to arrange 2 delegations visiting Vietnam market in mid July and late September. Any supplier interested please contact us.