US state governor leads delegation to Vietnam to promote trade
A visiting delegation from the US state of Nebraska led by its Governor Jim Pillen visited MM Mega Market in Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc city on July 11 to learn about what Vietnamese customers look for at the grocery store and distribution networks in Vietnam.
Governor Jim Pillen of the US’s Nebraska state and a trade delegation which he is leading to Vietnam visit MM Mega Market in HCM City on July 11. (Photo courtesy of MM Mega Market)
HCM City (VNS/VNA) - A visiting delegation from the USstate of Nebraska led by its Governor Jim Pillen visited MM Mega Market in Ho ChiMinh City’s Thu Duc city on July 11 to learn about what Vietnamese customerslook for at the grocery store and distribution networks in Vietnam.
Other members of the team include Nebraska Department ofAgriculture Director Sherry Vinton, Chancellor Joanne Li of the University ofNebraska – Omaha and agribusiness executives, academics, and governmentrepresentatives.
Bruno Jousselin, Managing Director of MM Mega Market Vietnam, andhis staff shed light on the requirements of Vietnamese people and the pricesthey are willing to pay.
The delegation also had the opportunity to try some agriculturalproducts, including durian, and was quite interested in the taste of Vietnamesefruits.
They also attended a food demonstration by MM chef brandambassador Steven Long mainly with ingredients from Nebraska.
Pillen said: “We are in the centre of the United States andagriculture drives our entire economy.”
“Our objective is to help Nebraska businesses and companies makeconnections in the Vietnamese market. Nebraska has been able to cultivate somegreat relationships with quality Vietnamese businesses in the last severalyears, and we are hoping to expand upon that.
“Getting to visit MM Mega Market is a real treat. It is veryinformative to learn about what the Vietnamese customers are looking for at thegrocery store and for us to see how our products are displayed. Understandingthe two will allow us to cater more specifically to the desires of theVietnamese consumers.”
The delegation has a goal of growing trade with a country thatalready buys goods worth almost 1 billion USD from Nebraska.
"We hope to highlight beef from Nebraska, corn gluten,soybean meal and other quality agricultural products. Additionally, we will bepromoting efforts to bring high-quality grain storage infrastructure fromexpert companies located in Nebraska to Vietnam's fertile agricultural areas.
"Further, we have representatives from our University ofNebraska system that are looking to make connections at the Vietnam NationalUniversity of Agriculture'" he said.
Nebraska is one of the biggest producers of cattle, pork, dairy,corn and soybeans in the US./.
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Governor Jim Pillen of the US’s Nebraska state and a trade delegation which he is leading to Vietnam visit MM Mega Market in HCM City on July 11. (Photo courtesy of MM Mega Market) 
