How to export food from Vietnam to Europe for the first time: a step-by-step guide for small businesses

If you want to export food from Vietnam to Europe for the first time, work through these steps in order: check that your product may be sold in the EU, prepare food-safety certificates and compliant labelling, obtain an EORI number and a Dutch VAT number, calculate your price, and then choose how to get the goods to buyers. It sounds like a lot, but broken into steps it is realistic for small and medium-sized producers. This article gives you the overall picture before you begin.

Step 1: Check whether your product can be sold in the EU

Do this first, because it decides whether it makes sense to invest further. Europe has common food law, but the level of strictness differs by product. Products of animal origin (meat, seafood, dairy, eggs) are usually subject to separate and much stricter rules than rice, dried spices, tea or sauces. Some product groups, such as nuts and spices, may also be checked more closely for residues or contaminants. Novel ingredients and additives need a careful look too.

Because the rules depend on your specific product, please confirm the details with the competent authority or ask Miss Linh. This article is not legal advice, and we will not guess where we are unsure.

Step 2: Prepare what the producer needs to have

1. Food-safety certificates. European buyers usually want to see HACCP or ISO (for example ISO 22000). This is the producer’s responsibility.
2. EU-compliant labelling and packaging. Labels typically need the product name, ingredient list, allergens, net weight, shelf life or best-before date, producer details and origin. The label language usually has to match the country where the product is sold. Check the exact requirements for your product.
3. EORI number. A registration number used in EU customs procedures.
4. Dutch VAT number. Needed so the goods can be imported and sold properly.
5. Enough shelf life. Sea freight takes time, and the goods then sit in a warehouse and are delivered to customers. The product must arrive with enough shelf life left for European buyers to be comfortable.

Step 3: Calculate your price and costs for the European market

The selling price in Europe is not just your ex-works price plus freight. You need to include packaging, transport, import duty and VAT, storage, delivery and a margin for the reseller. Import duty depends on your product’s HS code, and the EVFTA may affect the rate if you meet the rules of origin. Confirm the HS code and the applicable duty for your product before you fix your price.

Step 4: Transport and customs clearance

The goods must be shipped, cleared through customs and brought to a warehouse in Europe. For a first export this is often the part that worries business owners most. You can work with a freight forwarder, or have a partner handle it (see below).

Step 5: Find buyers in Europe

There are three common routes, each with pros and cons:

How Miss Linh can help with your first export

Miss Linh (Vietnam Food Europe B.V., Oegstgeest, the Netherlands) is a B2B platform and service provider. Vietnamese food producers sell their products in their own name to European businesses: restaurants, caterers, shops, supermarkets and wholesalers. You remain the owner of your products until they are sold. The products are stored in a warehouse in the Netherlands, and Miss Linh delivers them to buyers.

Miss Linh helps you with:

• advice on whether your product can be sold in the EU, and pricing advice;
• setting up VAT and customs, plus transport and customs clearance to the warehouse;
• listing your products on the platform, marketing and sales (newsletters, samples, customer visits, trade fairs);
• order handling, collecting payment, delivery, and complaints and returns.

You still take care of the food-safety certificates (such as HACCP or ISO), EU-compliant labelling and packaging, an EORI number and a Dutch VAT number, but Miss Linh helps you with these steps. Miss Linh focuses on small and medium-sized producers, especially women-led businesses. You can read more on the become a supplier page, see the producers already on Miss Linh, or browse categories such as sauces and condiments and tea to picture where your product would fit.

Where to start this week

1. List the products you want to export, with their ingredients and current shelf life.
2. Check which food-safety certificates you already hold.
3. Photograph your current labels so you can compare them with EU requirements.
4. Get in touch to discuss your product via the contact page. The team speaks Vietnamese, Dutch and English.

Frequently asked questions