Rising incomes and shifting diets push Vietnam to top Southeast Asia’s poultry import surge
Vietnam’s appetite for imported poultry is accelerating faster than expected, quietly reshaping global food trade flows and creating new export lifelines for European producers. In a region where food demand is surging alongside income growth, Vietnam has emerged as one of the most strategic markets for the European Union’s agri-food sector—signaling a deeper shift in how emerging economies source protein.
Fresh data from the European Commission shows Vietnam imported more than 56,500 tonnes of European poultry in 2025, ranking second in Southeast Asia behind the Philippines. By January 2026, the country had already moved into the top position, underscoring the speed of demand growth and the country’s rising influence in global protein supply chains.
The trade is dominated by Poland, which shipped over 37,000 tonnes last year, far ahead of France and other suppliers such as Hungary, Italy, and Netherlands. For European exporters facing slowing demand at home, Vietnam has become a high-growth outlet, driven by its expanding middle class and increasing trust in EU-certified food safety standards.
This surge marks a strong rebound from pandemic-era disruptions, when imports fell to roughly 30,000 tonnes annually between 2021 and 2022. Since 2023, volumes have nearly doubled as consumption normalized and supply chains stabilized. European industry representatives point to Vietnam as a “priority market,” reflecting not just short-term recovery but long-term structural demand.
At the core of this growth is a broader dietary transition. Poultry now accounts for 33% of Vietnam’s meat consumption, up from 29% just two years earlier, according to Agro Monitor. Meanwhile, egg consumption remains below global averages, suggesting significant headroom for expansion. Combined with rapid urbanization and rising disposable incomes, these trends are positioning Vietnam as one of Asia’s most dynamic protein markets.
For global investors and agribusiness leaders, the implications extend beyond Vietnam. The country is becoming a case study in how emerging markets can rapidly alter global food trade patterns—redirecting supply chains, influencing pricing power, and opening new competitive fronts between domestic producers and international exporters.
The bigger question now is not whether demand will grow, but who will capture it. As Vietnam’s protein consumption climbs, the race is on between local agriculture and global suppliers to dominate a market that could define Southeast Asia’s next food boom.
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Source: Vietnam Insider