Vietnamese seafood processors are in dilemma regarding their products as they are seeking new routes to market. Till now supermarkets are the only distribution channel for processed seafood. Nguyen Thi Hai, the owner of Hanoi Supermarket Chain said that consumers nowadays have high requirements for the quality of products. Therefore, consumers only pay money for the seafood products which can meet strict requirements on food hygiene and safety during the production and distribution.
Distributing through supermarket means little business for the processors. Only 10 percent of suppliers of seafood to supermarkets have HACCP certificates (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and they have good preservative facilities, including pasteurization machines and cold storage system. This is the reason seafood producers are not happy with it because supermarkets are located in bug cities and urban areas, which mean that consumers in rural areas and remote areas cannot purchase the products.
Le Thi Thanh Lam, deputy general director of SGFisco, opined that the company once made heavy investment in upgrading shops and running a cold store, but it was ineffective. Now the seafood processors have agreed to solve the issue jointly and boost their sales. They have decided to go to the consumer directly and sale together. They have also decided to open retail chain and put their products on sale.
