Connecting Vietnamese products with global supply chains

The year's largest “Viet Nam International Sourcing 2026” event series, aimed at connecting Vietnamese businesses with global supply chains, took place from September 3-5 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), jointly organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and local authorities.

Representatives of Nam Long Co., Ltd. in Long Thanh Ward introduce their products to international buyers. Photo: Vuong The

The event provided Vietnamese businesses with an opportunity to become more deeply integrated into global production and supply chains. It also enabled them to gather market information, keep pace with market trends and adapt to new standards for the green economy and sustainable development amid deeper international integration.

Connecting Vietnamese products with global buyers at home

A total of 580 international buyer delegations from 60 countries and territories attended Viet Nam International Sourcing 2026. Notably, more than 3,000 B2B (business-to-business) meetings were registered directly, with the figure rising to 13,000 when meetings at exhibition booths were included. According to Phan Thi Thang, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, a major difference from previous years was the number of participating provinces and cities. While only three or four provinces and cities participated in previous years, the figure rose to 20 this year. This shows that local authorities have gained a clearer understanding of the program's opportunities.

The MoIT surveyed the purchasing needs of individual international buyers in advance, then identified suitable Vietnamese suppliers and arranged targeted business matchmaking. This approach means international buyers do not have to travel to multiple locations to find suppliers. Meanwhile, Vietnamese businesses can meet major retail chains such as Walmart, AEON, Lotte and LuLu directly without having to travel overseas repeatedly to find customers.

Ho Chi Minh City-based Dh Foods JSC participated in the event for the fourth time. Nguyen Trung Dung, the company's Chief Executive Officer, said he was as enthusiastic about each edition as he had been about the first, as every exhibition had brought new customers and partners.

“This year's exhibition was significantly larger and more vibrant. In particular, the B2B Matching area was well organized, with many buyers from different markets coming directly to seek products and business partners. More and more Vietnamese businesses are participating in the exhibition and making concerted efforts to bring their products to international markets. Buyers are also increasingly taking the initiative to visit Vietnamese booths,” Dung said.

Similarly, Nam Long Co., Ltd. in Long Thanh Ward showcased a range of household, industrial and specialized rubber gloves for the aquaculture and seafood industries. The company's booth welcomed numerous buyers, importers, distributors and international partners who came to discuss products and potential cooperation directly.

Le Bach Long, Director of the company, said that in addition to the products on display, Nam Long also introduced its production and supply capabilities for both domestic and export markets to potential partners. The company continues to focus on three core values: consistent quality, flexible supply capacity and long-term cooperation.

Nam Long is also developing OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) solutions tailored to individual partners, covering product specifications, quality standards, packaging and branding.

Strengthening businesses' capacity to adapt

At the forum titled “Enhancing the adaptability and resilience of Vietnamese enterprises amid global economic fluctuations,” held as part of the event series, experts and international buyers said Vietnamese manufacturers need to shift away from competing primarily on low costs as price advantages become increasingly difficult to sustain. Instead, they should focus on creating higher-value products while maintaining competitive prices.

Representative of Nam Long Co., Ltd. introduces products to partners. Photo: Vuong The

Cha Ji-ho, Director of the Vietnam Purchasing Center under Samsung Vietnam's Strategic Cooperation Division, said global corporations are increasingly prioritizing suppliers capable of ensuring reliable delivery times, consistent quality, rapid technical responses, transparent data management and compliance with sustainability requirements. This trend is exposing the limitations of the traditional contract-manufacturing model.

If businesses simply receive specifications, quote prices and manufacture products to order, their main advantages remain production capability and cost competitiveness. For this reason, Samsung has been working with the MoIT to implement on-site improvement programs, provide specialized training and continue promoting smart-factory models to help domestic businesses strengthen their self-reliance.

According to experts, to meet increasingly stringent standards and requirements from partners, Vietnamese businesses need to shift from waiting for requests to proactively researching and developing products. They need to study target markets, identify consumer needs and develop products based on those needs.

When manufacturers are able to make proposals rather than simply respond to requirements, they have greater opportunities to participate more deeply in the value-creation process. At the same time, businesses need to have the necessary standards and certifications in place. Certifications related to quality, safety and social responsibility should be systematically managed and readily available upon buyer request. These certifications are not only prerequisites for entering markets but also advantages that enable partners to respond more quickly during negotiations.

In an increasingly competitive global market, businesses seeking to establish a stronger position must shift from selling production capacity to selling the value they create by better understanding markets, taking greater initiative in product development, and meeting buyers' requirements more comprehensively.

By V. The – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho