On 11 November 2026, our Managing Partner Marco Förster delivered a market briefing to a UK agri-food and drink trade delegation at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Hanoi.
The session was opened by Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and Iain Frew, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Vietnam. The delegation brought together senior representatives of UK industry bodies and exporters across red meat, pork, seafood, animal by-products, dairy and Scotch whisky. Also present was Mark Kent CMG, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, Executive Chair of the Vietnam-UK Network and His Majesty’s Ambassador to Vietnam from 2007 to 2011, returning to his former residence.
A market that is buying more
Vietnam imported close to USD 7 billion of meat, seafood and dairy in 2025, and spending on meat imports rose by more than a third in the first half of 2026. Rising prices, a growing middle class and a busy restaurant scene make Vietnam one of the most dynamic food markets in Asia.
The door is open, but the tariff head start ends in 2027
UK pork has had access to Vietnam since 2024, and live crab and lobster since 2025. At the same time, the competition is catching up. Suppliers from the European Union (EU) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) are reaching zero tariffs, and the Vietnam-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement, signed in Hanoi on 18 October 2026, will give Norwegian seafood duty-free access once it is in force. For spirits, Vietnam’s new excise schedule matters more than the tariff cut.
Partners decide who wins
The briefing’s central message was practical. In Vietnam, the choice of importer matters more than the tariff line. Exporters who succeed pick one partner with its own cold storage, the right licences and real reach into hotels, restaurants and modern retail. They set prices for each channel and invest in regular visits.
Questions from the room
The conversation continued over lunch, with questions taken by Marco Förster and Matthew Albon-Crouch, the UK’s Agriculture, Food and Drink Attaché for Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, who works with Defra from the British Embassy Hanoi. Topics included access for processed animal protein (PAP) now that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is considered low risk, and how British brands can differentiate on quality and provenance rather than compete on price or focus on a few percentage points of tariffs.
Brand building came up too. Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland already features in Vietnamese supermarket advertising for Norwegian salmon, prompting one participant to joke that perhaps Jude Bellingham could be persuaded to carry a trout.
We thank the British Embassy Hanoi, the Department for Business and Trade and BritCham Vietnam for the invitation, and the Minister and delegation for a lively exchange.
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