The Vietnamese Trade Office in Belgium and the EU (currently Luxembourg) said that EU consumers are more interested in the Vietnamese market when the advantages brought by EVFTA gradually become apparent. The European Union (EU) is one of Vietnam's most important and stable trading partners, the second largest export market after the United States.

2021 is considered an important milestone when fresh fruits such as litchi and longan are directly exported to Western European countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, and the UK by Vietnamese companies after being supported. connect, introduce with import companies.

Currently, many Vietnamese agricultural products are very interested by local businesses and have import demand for distribution in Europe. Typically, the story about the bottles of fresh canned coconut water Cocoxim of Ben Tre Import-Export Joint Stock Company (Betrimex) is imported directly from Vietnam and distributed by the Belgian startup South Export Alliance (SEA). distribution in Belgium, France, Czech Republic (Czech).

Ben Tre coconut water is François Colonval's passion. Six years ago, while working for a Belgian company, François was sent on a business trip to Vietnam by the company. This is also the first time he knows the taste of fresh coconut water, drinking directly from Ben Tre coconuts. "Two months in Vietnam, I often drink coconut water. A friend told me, should I import coconut water to sell in Europe? So I set up a company, just to import Vietnamese coconut water," Mr. François Colonval - General Director of SEA agricultural products import company (Belgium) said.

SEA is currently the exclusive distributor of Cocoxim coconut water for all Asian restaurants and some supermarkets in Belgium.

In the early days of this August, at a bonded warehouse in Louvière province (Belgium), Mr. François Colonval has just completed customs procedures for a new shipment imported from Vietnam. Up to now, every few months, the company imports one 20ft container (25 tons) from Betrimex. SEA became the exclusive distributor of Cocoxim coconut water for all Asian restaurants and some supermarkets in Belgium, wholesale to France and the Czech Republic.

Established South Export Alliance in 2016, François alone sought customers from Vietnamese and Asian restaurants to introduce products. Initially, he only imported a few pallets of Cocoxim coconut water, but the product was quickly received and consumed by customers, especially in the summer. A year later, François boasted that he had sold nearly 60,000 boxes of coconut water.

The natural beverage from Vietnam has gradually grown in the European market thanks to the trend in Europe for several years - consuming healthy food, without added sugar, without chemical additives. Mr. François Colonval said: "I have been importing Betrimex's coconut water for 6 years and have been expanding this product in the Belgian market. Cocoxim Vietnam is gradually becoming the preferred coconut water brand in supermarkets and Asian restaurant here".

Currently, in Brussels, Cocoxim coconut water products are available in places where Vietnamese people frequent such as Kam Yuen supermarket, Tinie's; Pho Pho restaurant, Hanoi Station, L'Apocalypse, Yakitori... Coconut water imported directly from Ben Tre also appears in supermarkets and restaurants in Leuven, Liège, Mons...

His company François Colonval also imported from Vietnam coconut milk for Thai restaurants, coconut oil for hairdressers. But pure fresh Ben Tre coconut water is still the mainstay of supermarkets, restaurants and bars in Belgium. The Free Trade Agreement is opening up new opportunities. After coconut water, François has imported from Vietnam rice vermicelli, rice paper, soy sauce, fish sauce and Saigon beer... Mr. François Colonval plans to recruit more human resources next year in order to expand the scale of agricultural imports. Vietnamese products to Europe.

Up to now, every few months, South Export Alliance company imports from Betrimex a 20ft container (25 tons) of product.

To help Vietnamese goods better access the EU market, the Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium is also connecting Vinamit Group with MCE Company in the Netherlands, the two sides have agreed to sign a partnership to import imported products. jackfruit, fruit and vegetable products processed to the EU. Currently, Vinammit has completed sending samples to the Netherlands, and at the same time, MCE company has worked with the authorities in the Netherlands to complete the inspection of the criteria and send to supermarkets to offer products. .

The deal is also promoting exchanges with Natural Company in Belgium to import organic agricultural products for distribution to a network of 600 specialized organic stores in Belgium, Luxembourg and the northern regions of France. In the coming time, the Trade Office will also organize trade promotion on a digital technology platform for agricultural products. It is expected that the cooperation proposal will turn Belgium into a transit point in Vietnam's e-commerce chain.