Better For You Packaged Food in Vietnam

PROSPECTS

Interest boosted by rising incomes and health awareness, but wider distribution and better marketing is needed to emerge from niche status

Thanks to Vietnam’s strong economy and an increase in average income, Vietnamese consumers have more money to spend for health and education. As a result of having both greater income and greater access to health and wellness packaged food, they are enjoying a higher quality of life along with higher living standards.

Rising incidences of diabetes and cardiovascular problems prompt some consumers to look towards reducing their intake of sugar, fat and salt

One factor that is expected to give rise to greater demand for BFY packaged food over the forecast period is rising consumer awareness obtained through print and social media about diseases related to sugar, fat and salt absorption, although awareness remained limited at the end of the review period. The incidence of people developing diabetes has reportedly doubled in Vietnam over the past decade.

Appreciation for Western products increases likelihood that more imported BFY packaged food products will be well received in Vietnam

Vietnamese people have developed an appreciation of many aspects of Western culture (including Western food) and associate the more developed countries with modern technology, highly educated people and high living standards. The people believe that Western products are of high quality and more advanced.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Vietnamese can choose from a wide variety of BFY products, which are also widely distributed

BFY dairy products are increasingly seen across all of Vietnam’s common retailing channels. Among the products on offer there are, in reduced fat, Vinamilk’s reduced fat 100% Sterilized Fresh Milk; in reduced sugar, Vinamilk 100% Pasteurized Milk Low Sugar in a 1-litre box; sugar; reduced fat soy drinks, So Good Low Fat Soy Milk; and in reduced sugar yoghurt, Vinamilk Yogurt Less Sugar in a blister of four 100g boxes.

Sugar confectionery players adopt strong marketing activities and generate more interest in sugar-free (non-FF) gum by launching new flavours

BFY sugar confectionery gained ground over the review period, with leading players in this category such as Orion, Wrigley Vietnam (Extra) and Lotte Vietnam (Lotte) adopting strong above-the-line and below-the-line activities, expanding their distribution networks and launching new flavours. Among the array of flavours on offer are cinnamon and raspberry and (lately, from Lotte) Lotte Xylitol sugar-free gum in strawberry mint, blueberry mint and lime mint.

Potentially harmful effects of excessive salt intake prompt some consumers to reduce their salt use when cooking, but they still prefer (salty) fish sauce

While Vietnamese consumers have been made increasingly aware of the benefits of consuming reduced salt food, they continue to prefer their traditionally savoury (salty) types of food. However, the consumption pattern may slightly increase since information presented at the French-Vietnamese Medical Conference held on 19 June indicated that, on average, Vietnamese adults consume 9.

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