Vietnam eyes Swedish market for fresh produce exports

Sweden presents a significant market opportunity for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables due to its reliance on imports, noted a representative from Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden.

Prior to 2021, Sweden's fruit and vegetable imports reached approximately one million tons per year. However, in 2023, import volumes decreased to 887,000 tons due to the impact of inflation and reduced consumer demand.

Despite this, the import market share from developing countries has increased to 24%, equivalent to 215,000 tons, creating opportunities for countries like Vietnam.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Thuy, Head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, concurrently responsible for the Nordic region, the Swedish market is currently dominated by major supermarket chains such as ICA, Coop, and Axfood. These chains account for nearly 20% of total retail food sales, equivalent to €5.2 billion (nearly $5.4 billion) in 2023.

In addition to the retail channel, food service providers (restaurants, hotels, catering services) and industrial processors such as Brämhults and Råsaft also play an important role.

The Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden identifies seasonal differences as a major advantage for Vietnamese businesses. While Sweden self-supplies some products, such as cucumbers during the summer, the demand for imports increases sharply from October to May from countries with temperate and tropical climates.

"This is an opportunity for Vietnam's fresh fruits and vegetables, such as dragon fruit, mangoes, passion fruit, and other fruits, to dominate the market during this 'off-season' period," Ms. Thuy emphasized.

Furthermore, the trend of sustainable consumption is gaining increasing prominence. Sweden is the 6th largest importer of organic products in Europe.