Connecting Vietnamese products with export markets

Amid fluctuations in global trade, improving competitiveness and expanding markets have become urgent priorities for Vietnamese businesses.

Dong Nai businesses showcase their products at the 2026 Vietnam Outstanding Export Products Fair. Photo: Hai Quan

Diversifying trade promotion channels alongside digital and green transformation efforts will help businesses connect with partners, expand into new markets and enhance their standing in global value chains.

Expanding trade connections

In recent years, a range of flexible trade promotion and business networking activities have been organized, focusing on key industries to help Vietnamese products reach more markets.

One emerging approach is the “on-the-spot export” model, which strengthens ties between domestic businesses and international buyers. Rather than simply displaying and promoting products, the model allows overseas buyers to meet local suppliers directly. This enables businesses to secure orders, build long-term partnerships and better understand the requirements of export markets.

Dong Nai businesses showcase their products at the 2026 Vietnam Outstanding Export Products Fair.

In late October 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), held the 2026 Vietnam Outstanding Export Products Fair. The event featured approximately 750 booths set up by businesses from provinces and cities across the country, including Dong Nai. A key feature of this year's fair was its promotion of the “on-the-spot export” model, which allowed international buyers to visit factories and raw material growing areas and assess local businesses' manufacturing capabilities. This approach helps speed up business matching and negotiations, bringing buyers and suppliers closer to reaching order agreements.

The fair also featured business-to-business (B2B) networking sessions tailored to buyers' needs, along with an online-to-offline (O2O) model that combined in-person exhibitions with cross-border e-commerce. Specialized sessions on sustainable production, green transformation and digital transformation helped businesses keep up with the increasingly stringent requirements and standards of international markets.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Fair, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang emphasized that the event was not merely a trade promotion activity but also a bridge connecting Vietnamese businesses with international buyers. The fair is expected to boost production, expand markets and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods.

Nguyen Van Linh, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, said the city’s delegation at the fair included around 20 businesses, cooperatives and producers participating in the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) program. The center will continue to help local businesses take part in trade promotion events in Vietnam and overseas. In November 2026, it plans to connect local businesses with the 26th International Agriculture Trade Fair (AgroViet 2026) in Hanoi, which will include activities to promote agricultural exports.

The MoIT has issued an action plan to implement the Prime Minister's Decision No. 626/QD-TTg, dated April 6, 2026, on the “GoGlobal program for 2026-2030.” The program aims to provide comprehensive, practical support to help Vietnamese businesses enter and compete in international markets.

Focusing on digital transformation

To become more deeply involved in global supply chains, domestic businesses need to step up technology adoption and advance their digital and green transformation efforts. Green production and exports are gaining momentum as Vietnam integrates further into the global economy, particularly through its participation in new-generation free trade agreements (FTAs). Exporters must therefore meet the requirements of importing markets, comply with relevant technical standards under FTAs and adopt greener production processes.

In Dong Nai, more businesses are paying attention to technology adoption and incorporating green criteria into their production processes to improve competitiveness and meet export market requirements.

Nguyen Viet Vi, Chairman of MitVegan Food Joint Stock Company in Tan Quan commune, said the company focuses on developing green and circular economy models. Its product range includes processed young jackfruit products such as vegetarian spring rolls and pâté. Through export promotion fairs, the company hopes to find overseas customers and business partners and expand into new markets. Business networking activities also give the company opportunities to gather feedback from partners and potential customers, helping it refine its products, improve quality and meet export market standards.

By H.Quan – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha