The Vietnam Trade Will Seek to Persuade Leading US Retailer Walmart to in 2014

The Vietnam Trade Office in the US will seek to persuade leading US retailer Walmart to source goods, including apparel, from Vietnam in 2014, Vietnam Industry & Trade Information Center said on its website Asem Connect.

Vietnam is hopeful of successfully persuading Walmart to source its goods from the Southeast Asian nation, following its success last year in persuading Kroger, the second-largest supermarket chain by revenue in the US.

In 2013, due to efforts of the Vietnam Trade Office in the US, Kroger inked a memorandum of understanding with some of the businesses in Ho Chi Minh City for supply of goods.

The Vietnam Trade Office is planning to approach Walmart and invite its representatives to take a tour of Vietnam in 2014, said Dao Tran Nhan, the Minister Counselor at the trade office.

Nhan added that the San Francisco branch of the Vietnam Trade Office plans to arrange a meeting between Walmart deputy president and local officials in Vietnam.

He informed that the trade office is also planning to invite Walmart’s merchandise manager to attend a trade conference in Vietnam.

Nhan, however, said that it would not be easy for Vietnamese manufactures to have their products on shelves at Walmart stores, as they would have to meet the strict requirements of the retailer.

Vietnamese businesses would have to meet Walmart’s stringent requirements related to product’s quality, origin, label, barcode, and safety and environment-friendly standards.

However, Vietnam’s clothing items are among the most likely products that would be able to enter Walmart chain, according to Nhan.

Walmart has 11,000 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2013 sales of approximately US$ 466 billion, Walmart employs 2.2 million associates worldwide, according to the company’s website.