Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s cooking skills were tested during his recent trip to Vietnam when he visited Fonterra’s office in Ho Chi Minh City.
Relishing the opportunity to promote New Zealand’s food and beverage products, the Prime Minister donned an apron and whipped up a local treat with a taste of Kiwi, snails covered with New Zealand cream.
Simon Tucker, Group Director of Global External Affairs, represented Fonterra on the official visit and said the cooperative has plenty of opportunities in Vietnam.
"Vietnam is a fast-growing market for our Foodservice creams, with sales almost doubling in value between 2022 and 2024,” said Tucker, who accompanied the Prime Minister as part of the business delegation.
Plant-based oils have traditionally been used in Vietnamese cuisine, but cream and other dairy products are now more often used in local dishes.
"Besides Western-style dishes, Vietnamese bakeries and restaurants are using our cream, butter and cheese in a lot of the local favourites including sauté sweet snail with salted egg cream sauce.”
As Vietnam's industry continues to evolve, demand has increased for ingredients such as dairy that enhance taste, texture, and quality.
"The rapid growth in demand for our cream reflects the growing appetite for dairy in this market. Our UHT cream plant currently being constructed at our Edendale site in Southland will help meet this rising demand in Vietnam and across the region."
During the PM's visit, Fonterra also signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with MM Mega Market. Tucker said the MOU with the large food distributor will expand Fonterra’s presence in the market.
"Our food service business is already a trusted partner to over 3,500 food service operators in Vietnam, delivering 10,000 metric tons of dairy products annually. The partnership with MM Mega Market will expand access for Fonterra’s high-quality products and dairy solutions to more than 10,000 professional kitchens across the country.”
