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Identified by Ireland as a priority growth market in 2017, Vietnamese market access opened to Irish beef exports in January 2026. Just a few weeks ago, that beef was on the menu in Ho Chi Minh City for the very first time. There, Bord Bia launched Irish beef with a butchery demonstration with John Stone Fine Foods followed by a serving of Irish grass-fed beef to key Vietnamese chefs, restaurant owners, local distributors, and media.

The opening of the Vietnamese market follows several years of engagement between Irish and Vietnamese authorities and is supported by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, which provides Irish beef with tariff-free access to the market. Ireland's grass-based production systems, rigorous quality assurance standards, and internationally recognised sustainability credentials position Irish beef strongly within Vietnam's growing premium imported beef segment.

The opportunity extends beyond premium steak cuts as research undertaken by Bord Bia shows Vietnamese consumers utilise a wide range of beef products across foodservice, in hotels and restaurants, to the retail sector for home cooking.

In May 2026, Bord Bia published its Beef Market Entry Guide for Vietnam, providing Irish exporters with comprehensive insights into Vietnam’s rapidly evolving beef market, including consumer trends, competitive dynamics and route-to-market opportunities. The guide identified significant potential for premium Irish beef in Vietnam’s growing foodservice sector, where demand for high-quality, traceable and sustainably produced products continues to rise.

 

Demand outpacing supply

Lorna Allen, Bord Bia Southeast Asia manager, said the introduction of Irish beef into Vietnam comes at a time when consumer demand is increasingly outpacing domestic supply. She added: “Hotpot chains, together with Korean and Japanese barbecue restaurants, are among the largest consumers of imported beef, creating demand for premium beef cuts across the hospitality sector. Vietnam's foodservice sector has expanded significantly in recent years and now comprises an estimated 350,000 to 400,000 hotels, restaurants and café outlets.”

 

Delegation

In August this year, Bord Bia welcomed a delegation of leading Vietnamese beef buyers to Ireland. Representing both premium foodservice and retail channels, the buyers visited Irish family farms, processing facilities, and beef suppliers, gaining first-hand experience of Ireland's grass-based production systems, quality assurance standards and sustainability credentials.

 

Why is Vietnam a promising market? 

• Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, averaging 6 per cent annually over the past 15 years.

• Rising incomes and a growing middle class are driving demand for higher-quality sources of nutrition.

• With limited domestic production and food service expansion, beef is seen as a premium protein.

• Beef consumption in Vietnam is forecast to grow by approximately 4.6 per cent annually until 2028. 

• Hotpot and Korean/Japanese barbecue restaurants are among the largest consumers of imported beef in Vietnam.

 

Sources: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Bord Bia.