 |
| Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken personally prepared delicious dishes with chefs at the Norwegian Seafood Festival. (Photo: KT) |
Last weekend, the Norwegian Seafood Council in collaboration with WinCommerce General Trading Services Joint Stock Company organized the first Norwegian Seafood Festival in Vietnam at WinMart supermarket (B1 Vincom Mega Mall Times City, 458 Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi).
The event was held with the aim of introducing seafood from Norway under the brand “Seafood from Norway” to consumers.
The program was attended by Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken; Southeast Asia Regional Director, Norwegian Seafood Council Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit and WinMart chain operations director Nguyen Trong Tuan.
Ambassador Hilde Solbakken personally prepared delicious dishes with the chefs for visitors and journalists attending the event in the Norwegian tradition of hospitality.
Speaking at the opening of the Norwegian Seafood Festival, Ambassador Solbakken said: "This event will bring Norwegian flavors to seafood lovers in Hanoi in particular and across Vietnam in general."
“The clear and cold seawater gives Norwegian seafood its distinctive flavour and texture. Focusing on the sustainable management of marine resources and meticulous attention to every step of bringing seafood from the sea to the table has created a Norwegian seafood brand that is renowned for its quality worldwide. I believe that seafood consumers in Vietnam will appreciate the quality and will trust and support Norwegian salmon and brown crab products for a long time,” the Ambassador said.
“The event is not only about enjoying the delicious taste of Norwegian seafood but also contributing to promoting and strengthening the partnership between Vietnam and Norway. We see great potential for cooperation in the seafood sector, where both countries can learn, share expertise and create new cooperation opportunities,” said Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit, Regional Director for Southeast Asia, Norwegian Seafood Council.
 |
| Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit, Regional Director for Southeast Asia, Norwegian Seafood Council, speaking at the event. (Photo: KT) |
According to Mr. Asbjorn, Norwegian and Vietnamese people both have a love for seafood and this has opened up opportunities for cultural exchange between the two countries.
"Let's explore with us the outstanding creativity in the harmonious combination of fresh, natural Norwegian seafood with flavorful Vietnamese dishes. This combination can absolutely bring a breakthrough to the culinary scene and unique, interesting experiences for food enthusiasts in both countries," Mr. Asbjorn expressed.
WinCommerce representative, WinMart chain operations director Nguyen Trong Tuan shared: “With reasonable prices, high quality as well as diverse product types, WinCommerce recognizes that Norwegian seafood, especially Norwegian salmon, is currently being consumed quite well in the system. Realizing that Norwegian specialties are increasingly favored and chosen by Vietnamese diners, WinCommerce believes that organizing the Norwegian Seafood Festival will contribute to creating opportunities for Vietnamese consumers to easily access and enjoy seafood imported directly from your country with premium quality and reputable origin."
According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Tuan, accompanying the Norwegian Seafood Council in this event is also an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Norway and Vietnam in the seafood sector, promoting trade between WinCommerce and Norwegian businesses.
Norwegian Seafood Festival also focuses on spreading to Vietnamese consumers the value of the brand "Seafood from Norway" as well as the accompanying values built and widely developed by the Norwegian Seafood Council.
To be assured of the origin and quality of the product, customers can look for the label "Seafood from Norway" on the product packaging. This is a guarantee from the Norwegian Seafood Council that the origin of the product and the quality are strictly controlled, ensuring harmony with the sustainable elements of nature as well as bringing customers special and valuable culinary experiences.
In addition to live cooking activities by the Norwegian Ambassador and chefs, the event also offers visitors many attractive activities such as displaying Norwegian salmon and brown crab; booths to experience seafood flavors or gift giving activities for lucky customers.
According to statistics from the General Department of Customs, in 2022, Vietnam imported about 259.8 million USD worth of seafood from Norway and exported 9.4 million USD, with growth rates of 16.5% and 5.2%, respectively. The potential for cooperation between the two countries is huge as Norway is the second largest seafood exporter and Vietnam is in the top 10 largest exporters in the world.
2022 is a year of impressive seafood sales for Norway, with exports reaching 2.9 million tonnes with an estimated value of around 14.5 billion USD (151 billion NOK). This is a record number for Norwegian seafood exports, equivalent to around 40 million meals a day in a year. The value of seafood exports has increased by around 2.9 billion USD, equivalent to 25% compared to 2021.
Norway has been a pioneer in sustainability for decades. This has inspired many other countries to develop laws to protect fish stocks and share their fisheries management expertise with other fishing nations, aiming to build and maintain sustainable fisheries resources globally.
In 2023, the Norwegian Seafood Council plans to step up promotional activities in Vietnam to bring Norwegian seafood to a large number of Vietnamese consumers, while also building programs to connect and promote trade between importers and exporters of the two countries.
Source
Comment (0)