British pig meat exporters are eyeing Vietnam as the next big growth market in Asia, with a new trade mission aiming to boost sales and widen the UK’s red meat footprint overseas.
The three-day visit, led by AHDB and supported by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), set out to give UK exporters deeper insight into Vietnam’s fast-developing market and to connect them with key contacts in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The mission comes as UK red meat exports, including offal, rose nearly 10% in the first half of 2025 to £966 million.
Asia is now one of the fastest-growing regions for UK red meat, with markets such as China, the Philippines and South Korea already making up a large share of trade.
Demand is especially strong for cuts and offal products less popular at home but prized in Asian cuisines. Pig meat is central to this growth, not only in volume but in helping farmers “balance the carcase” by finding value for lower-demand products.
Although exports of pig meat to Vietnam remain modest — worth just over £68,000 in the first half of 2025 — industry leaders believe there is significant scope for expansion.
Vietnam’s growing middle class, rapid urbanisation and high demand for pork, both fresh and processed, make it a promising target for UK exporters.
Susan Stewart, AHDB’s head of international trade development, said pork export work adds around £56 per head to the sector, underlining the value of diversification. “Maintaining a wide portfolio of markets is key to ensuring the industry optimises the opportunities available,” she said.
She explained that Vietnam has a particular appetite for offal. “The focus of the mission to Vietnam has been very much on offal products which are in high demand,” she said, adding this shows “the value of balancing the carcase and developing markets for products that don’t command major demand domestically in the UK”.
British plants are already approved to export to Vietnam, and AHDB hopes to expand that trade while also strengthening links across Southeast Asia.
Stewart emphasised the importance of understanding consumer trends and building in-market relationships, which she described as “critical in helping our pig meat exports thrive”.
The Vietnam mission forms part of AHDB’s wider international programme, which also includes participation in major trade shows, inward buyer visits to the UK and ongoing market access work for red meat and dairy.
Stewart said AHDB’s work overseas is well supported by the sector. “AHDB’s export work is highly valued by our levy payers and our aim is to build on the successes of recent years to help ensure our red meat exports continue to thrive globally.
"Collaboration is key and we will continue to work with industry and government to help deliver tangible outcomes for the sector.”
