Representatives cut the ribbons to open the programme. — VNA/VNS Photo

LONDON — A programme to introduce Vietnamese goods and foods in the UK is underway at Longdan Supermarket in Crawley, about 45km south of London.

The week-long event, which started on Sunday, is hosted by the Vietnam Trade Office under the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK, in collaboration with the Vietnam Business Association in the UK (VBUK), and Longdan and EUTEK groups.

As part of activities in the trade promotion programme of the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the event aims to promote high-quality Vietnamese products that are benefiting from the UK-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) to British retailers and consumers.

Handicraft products, coffee, fresh and dried fruits, canned fruit juice, vermicelli, dried noodle, rice papers, cashew nuts, and fragrant rice from reputable export enterprises of Việt Nam are being displayed at the supermarket and Vietnamese markets in Nottingham.

Some of the Vietnamese products at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo

At the event, Sao Thái Dương JSC became the first Vietnamese enterprise to set up a showroom in the UK to introduce its herbal healthcare and beauty products.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ambassador Nguyễn Hoàng Long said that the programme will promote the image of Việt Nam’s culture and people to the UK, and help Vietnamese businesses there bring more products to the European country.

According to Trade Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy Nguyễn Cảnh Cường, the programme attracted the attention of many British retailers and consumers.

Huỳnh Xuân Long, Chairman of Longdan – the biggest importer of Vietnamese goods in the UK, said the event offers a good chance to promote the image of Việt Nam as a country with many quality and diverse agricultural products.

Vietnamese manufacturers and exporters need support from the State and should develop long-term market development strategies, so that Vietnamese goods can strengthen their foothold in the UK market and around the world, Long stressed.

As a major Vietnamese product distributor in the UK for many years, Longdan has a lot of experience in market development and is ready to act as a bridge to help domestic businesses promote their exports to the UK market, he added. — VNS