In recent years, Vietnam has maintained robust economic momentum, recording annual growth rates of nearly 7% from 2010 to 2020. Per capita GDP has followed suit, quadrupling between 2010 and 2022. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which took effect on August 1, 2020, has paved the way for an export boom, with plans to eliminate 99% of customs tariffs between the two trading partners in the coming years and to improve overall trade conditions.
The ranks of Vietnam’s middle and affluent classes have swelled, growing from 12 million to 33 million people over the past three years, accompanied by a surge in demand for premium goods and a notable shift toward elevated living standards.
These conditions have fueled impressive growth in Vietnam’s cheese market, where dairy products—symbolic of high quality and a cosmopolitan lifestyle—are experiencing soaring demand. Cheese is increasingly seen as an aspirational product with the country’s per capita income rising.
The arrival of Pecorino Toscano PDO in Vietnam this November marks an ambitious step for Italian exporters, with promotional events planned to introduce local buyers and consumers to this prized Tuscan cheese. From November 18, Pecorino Toscano will reach Vietnamese distributors and be promoted through B2B events, masterclasses, and tastings.
The promotional mission will make stops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and has been formally included in the program for the Italian Cuisine Week in the World 2024 initiative (scheduled for Nov. 16-22), under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.
“The opening of the Vietnamese market offers a remarkable opportunity to showcase Pecorino Toscano PDO to an increasingly discerning international audience,” says Andrea Righini, director of the Pecorino Toscano PDO Protection Consortium. “Vietnam is a dynamic, fast-growing market; bringing this hallmark of Mediterranean culinary tradition to the country is a milestone in our efforts to promote and enhance the Consortium’s profile globally.”