Digital technology transforms Vietnam’s food industry
Amidst robust digital transformation across all sectors, the food processing industry has tapped such digital technologies as Internet of Things, AI, blockchain and Big Data to optimise production process, control supply chain, and meet consumers’ demands.
TH has become a pioneer in providing data on NDA Trace, a product traceability solution developed by Vietnamese experts under the National Data Association (NDA). With this technology, each product batch is assigned a unique QR code, ensuring safety and enabling easy verification at every stage—from production, import, and quality inspection to packaging, transport, and retail. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Amidst robust digital transformation across all sectors, the food processing industry has tapped such digital technologies as Internet of Things, AI, blockchain and Big Data to optimise production process, control supply chain, and meet consumers’ demands.
Over the recent past, many enterprises have embraced advanced solutions to modernise manufacturing and strengthen competitiveness.
A prime example is Vinamilk, which has invested in Industry 4.0 technology to track data around the clock, ensuring cattle health, high milk yield, and quality control. Each cow is fitted with an electronic chip to monitor its health, reproductive cycle, and a diet specially tailed to its age group.
At TH Food Chain Joint Stock Company, a traceability system has been put in place from farm to table with barcode and QR code technology applied across its products, providing consumers with easy access to detailed information about the milk’s origin, production process, and quality standards.
Modern equipment system has been invested at Nutifood Nutrition Food Joint Stock Company to meet stringent requirements of its production process, notably Aseptic technology having been used to prevent bacteria from entering during production, ensuring minimal loss of product quality and nutritional value.
According to Dang Tran Tho from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, food processing technology applications have progressed significantly, yielding remarkable results in improving product quality and enhancing value in the supply chain. Yet, challenges remain, he said, elaborating enterprises face shortages of capital for digital investment and workers proficient in digital technologies.
To address these issues, Ly Kim Chi, Chairwoman of the Food and Foodstuff Association of Ho Chi Minh City (FFA), advocated for strong investment in production line, automation, digitalisation in management, and research and development activities. She called for the State’s credit incentives to support businesses’ investment as well as completion of legal frameworks regarding food safety, technical standards, and product traceability requirements.
🌜 Developing digital infrastructure is crucial, creating a foundation for digital transformation for the whole sector, she stated, suggesting the State arrange trade promotion events together with technology renewal programmes, helping enterprises expand their international markets./.
The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) is among the pioneering news agencies in the Asia-Pacific region in digital transformation and innovation, particularly in the application of artificial intelligence (AI), according to Hwang Dae-il, President of the Republic of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
Green growth in manufacturing is essentially the restructuring of production activities to improve resource and energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste. This transformation involves adopting clean technologies, developing environmentally friendly products and services, and creating green jobs, all aimed at decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation.
The Party and the State have identified digital transformation as one of the three strategic breakthroughs for the new era, as set out in the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation.
The State Bank of Vietnam must launch an official gold price information portal, study the establishment of gold exchanges, and issue guiding documents to implement the Government’s decree on the management of gold trading activities.
According to the World Bank Group, Vietnam will need approximately 368 billion USD in investment for climate adaptation and carbon reduction projects by 2040. Yet, as of the end of 2024, green credit accounted for just 4.5% of the country’s total outstanding loans.
The French side pledged to share technical guidelines and safety standards, with the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) ready to provide training for Vietnamese specialists.
Vietnam now has more than 940,000 private enterprises and over 5 million household businesses, contributing approximately 50% of GDP, over 30% of state budget revenue, and employing 82% of the national workforce.
Businesses underlined the need for expanding green credit and non-collateral concessional loans for circular agriculture projects, facilitating their participation in national key projects, and fostering alliances among Vietnamese enterprises as well as cooperation with regional partners.
State-owned Vietcombank currently leads the banking system with total assets exceeding 85 billion USD and a market capitalisation of over 20 billion USD, while maintaining strong financial safety indicators. Its non-performing loan ratio remains the lowest in the sector at 0.97%.
Malaysia is Vietnam’s third-largest trading partner in ASEAN and ninth globally, as well as a key investor with 731 valid projects worth about 13 billion USD. Bilateral trade reached 9.23 billion USD by July 2025, up 8% year-on-year, nearing the 18 billion USD target.
Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang noted that free trade agreements such as the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) have expanded opportunities for businesses in both countries.
Lotte Shopping currently operates three department stores and 16 supermarkets in Vietnam, alongside one department store and 48 supermarkets in Indonesia. The company highlighted the success of its flagship Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, which opened in 2023, describing it as a model for future premium complexes. Kim said the group intends to replicate this concept in other major Vietnamese cities.
In the EU, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains a major obstacle to Vietnam's efforts to have the European Commission (EC)'s “yellow card" lifted. The bloc’s dense and constantly changing regulatory framework also affects farming zones, production processes and quality standards.
The Vietnam Private Sector Forum 2025 (VPSF 2025) opened in Hanoi on September 15, packing in over 1,500 entrepreneurs, economists, and international organisations across four thematic sessions to reshape Vietnam’s private sector landscape.
The economic picture in the first eight months of 2025, whether viewed from the overall economy or from a local perspective, is very positive. Major economic centres have recorded extremely impressive growth in the period, the Ministry of Finance stated in its recent report on the socio-economic situation, sent to the Government.
Cross-border e-commerce is set to become one of the strategic pillars in Vietnam’s national master plan for e-commerce development during 2026–2030, as the country looks to build a sustainable digital export ecosystem and enhance global competitiveness for its businesses.
The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 25,208VND/USD on September 16, down 8 VND from the previous day.
The shift of global supply chains, coupled with the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is opening up both opportunities and challenges for the Vietnamese economy.
According to preliminary statistics from Vietnam's Customs Department, as of August 15 this year the country's shrimp exports to China (including Hong Kong) surged by up to 76% over the same period last year, reaching nearly 767 million USD and accounting for nearly 29% of the country's total shrimp export turnover.
Exquisite craftwork, diverse dishes, and vibrant music have captured the attention of international visitors at the National Entrepreneurs Day (HUN) 2025 held in Kuala Lumpur from September 12-16.
The 13th Mekong–Republic of Korea (RoK) Business Forum provided a platform to seek solutions for strengthening collaboration, overcoming economic challenges, and expanding opportunities for sustainable development in a volatile global environment.
