Huge potential seed for frozen potato products in Vietnam

Farm and Ranch Report July 20, 2011 Market development work in Vietnam by the U.S. Potato Board only began two years ago and is in the trade awareness and education phase. Susan Weller, who heads up international market development for frozen potato products for the Board, says events they put on prove highly successful, like a recent “Taste of America BBQ.”

Weller: “This barbecue we were expecting about 300 chefs and it turned out to be 470 chefs.”

Weller says the top five food service establishments operating in Vietnam had a net growth of 34% in 2009.

Weller: “They are looking for new products and potatoes fit right in with all of their different types of food.”

Weller says the Vietnamese are very open to new ideas and coming up with new products. For example, at that barbecue event.

Weller: “One of them was a green tea battered hash brown stick because they really like Japanese type of food.”

With a recent economic growth rate near eight percent, Weller is expecting great things from Vietnam for U.S. potato growers.

Weller: “Right now it‘s the 13^th largest export destination for U.S. frozen potatoes, but I suspect that in the future it will move up in rank just simply because of the young population. Sixty percent of the Vietnamese population is under the age of 25 and we are expecting a lot of growth in this market.”

That’s the U.S. Potato Update. Brought to you by the United States Potato Board, maximizing return on grower investment. I’m Bob Hoff for Northwest Aginfo Net.