BIOTRADE PROJECT WILL PARTICIPATE IN VIETNAM FOODEXPO 2023

Biotrade has been introduced and implemented in Vietnam since the early 2010s, and in Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia since 2020. The Swiss Government has provided funding through the Swiss State for Economic Affairs (SECO) to support businesses in the natural ingredients sector to produce sustainable products and exports to global markets according to international standards.

Biotrade houses a community of companies that export from Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, as well as import from Europe, USA, Japan, etc. These companies are dedicated to sustainability and biodiversity, prioritizing the values of society, the environment, and people in their trade practices.

At Vietnam FoodExpo, the biggest and most esteemed global exhibition for Vietnam's food industry, organized by the Export Support Center (Trade Promotion Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam) from 22 - 25 November 2023 at the Saigon Exhibition Center (SECC), the co-organizer Center for Rural Economic Development (CRED) and the Helvetas will run a booth at the exhibition at plots E1 - E16 with the theme "Biodiversity: Where Taste meets Variety". 21 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from four countries - Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia - will show and introduce more than 200 products in the industries of spices, nuts, seeds (peanuts, legumes, sesame), rice, coconut, palmyra, tea, coffee and so on, grown and produced following international sustainable standards such as EU-organic, USDA-NOP, JAS, UEBT/RA, Fairtrade, Fair for Life, etc., and combine with the diverse biodiversity from various regions of the country to create the distinctive flavors that are recognized by culinary experts worldwide.

Holding a booth at Vietnam FoodExpo, the Biotrade project provides prospects for enterprises from all four countries to access international buyers. Furthermore, it enables businesses from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia to introduce themselves and enter Vietnam's food market. This is also a venue for industry associations and business support organizations, such as the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), Myanmar Tea Association (MTA), and Myanmar Beekeeping Association (MMA), as well as the Cambodia Pepper and Spice Federation (CPSF) and the Lao Enterprise and Development Consulting Company (EDC). This is also a venue for industry associations and business support organizations, such as the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), Myanmar Tea Association (MTA), and Myanmar Beekeeping Association (MMA), as well as the Cambodia Pepper and Spice Federation (CPSF) and the Lao Enterprise and Development Consulting Company (EDC). These entities, which represent numerous producers and traders, highlight the potential of their respective industries to prospective buyers and exhibition visitors.

On November 23, 2023, the Biotrade stall will host the Match Making and Food Tasting event. Ten varieties of beverages and a selection of finger foods made from organic ingredients supplied by businesses and formulated by bartenders will be available for event attendees, including B2B enterprises, traders, and media outlets.

About SECO:

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is the Swiss federal government`s center of excellence for all core issues relating to economic and labor market policy. SECO aims to contribute to sustained economic growth, high employment, and fair working conditions, by creating the necessary regulatory, economic, and foreign policy framework. SECO's Department of Economic Cooperation and Development is in charge of planning and implementing economic development and cooperation activities in middle-income countries, Eastern European countries, and new member countries of the European Union.

Vietnam is a priority country of Switzerland’s economic development cooperation, which is implemented under the responsibility of SECO. SECO’s main goal is to support Vietnam in achieving market-oriented, sustainable growth. To this end, SECO’s support will focus on promoting reliable economic framework conditions and an innovation-friendly business environment that will allow Vietnam’s private sector to thrive

Website: https://www.seco.admin.ch/seco/en/home.html

About HELVETAS

Helvetas is the largest Swiss-based and one of Europe’s leading development NGOs, established in 1955. We present in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe to support the poor and disadvantaged people and communities to improve their livelihoods, strengthen local actors, and create an institutional framework conducive to sustainable development.

Helvetas Vietnam is part of a network of independent development organizations and is responsible for implementing the Regional Biotrade Project in countries of the Mekong region, of which in Vietnam, Helvetas and CRED are co-implementation.

Website:  https://www.helvetas.org/en/vietnam

About CRED

Center for Rural Economy Development (CRED), a Vietnamese non-profit organization dedicated for the elimination of poverty and greater inclusion of disadvantaged groups including the poor, women, youth, and ethnic minorities through greater participation and benefits from sustainable development and economic growth. CRED is a pioneer organization working with market system development (MSD) which actively encourages CRED to connect the communities, local businesses, and producer groups with high-quality service providers to promote sustainable production practices as well as enhance export readiness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

Website: https://www.cred.org.vn/

BioTrade Project Website: https://www.biotrade-asia.com