The event comes as Vietnam and the UK move to translate high-level commitments into concrete business opportunities and practical benefits for companies in both countries.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Do Minh Hung said bilateral cooperation has continued to expand across a wide range of areas in recent years. A major milestone was the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during General Secretary To Lam's official visit to the UK in October 2025.

According to the ambassador, the UK is one of Vietnam's key economic partners, with strengths in finance, banking, innovation, renewable energy, education, and science and technology. These sectors are expected to create new momentum for bilateral cooperation.

Two-way merchandise trade reached about US$ 9 billion in 2025, with Vietnam posting a trade surplus. The growth has been supported by the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), which entered into force in 2021, and the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in December 2024, creating new opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to benefit from preferential market access and expand their presence in the UK.

Hung expressed hope that the promotion week would help further boost bilateral trade while contributing to Vietnam's goal of achieving strong economic growth in the time ahead.

According to Le Hoang Tai, Deputy Director General of the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) is one of Vietnam's 17 free trade agreements (FTAs) and belongs to the new generation of FTAs. Vietnam Products Promotion Week in the United Kingdom is part of a broader trade promotion programme being implemented across key markets worldwide.

According to Tai, the programme is designed to promote Vietnamese brands and products with competitive advantages, helping Vietnamese goods integrate more deeply into supply chains in FTA partner markets. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue working with Vietnam's overseas representative missions to strengthen the promotion of Vietnamese brands in international markets.

Representatives of British industry associations and businesses also shared practical insights into the opportunities and challenges facing Vietnamese products in the UK market.

Paul Rooke, Chief Executive of the British Coffee Association, highlighted Vietnamese coffee as the "best-kept secret" of the UK's coffee industry. He said Vietnamese coffee has played an important role in roasted and instant coffee products in the UK for more than two decades.

The UK imported more than £160 million (about US$214 million) worth of green coffee beans from Vietnam in 2025, excluding Vietnamese coffee processed in Switzerland, Germany, Poland and Spain before being exported to the UK.

Rooke said demand for high-quality Robusta coffee is growing across both the roasted coffee and cold beverage segments, while specialty Arabica offers further growth potential if it meets market expectations for quality and sustainability.

Speaking from a logistics perspective, Aman Surey, Director of AMS Distribution Centre, said the long-term success of Vietnamese products in the UK depends heavily on an efficient logistics network covering transportation, customs clearance, import duties, warehousing and final delivery. He added that these remain major challenges for many small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly first-time exporters.

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