Ho Chi Minh City supports businesses in building brands

	Ho Chi Minh City promotes new economic models towards sustainable development
	Ho Chi Minh City stimulates consumption

Production activities at Secoin Company factory. Photo: Provided by the company

High export value

According to data released by the General Department of Customs, among the major export localities in the past 7 months, Ho Chi Minh City is still leading with a turnover of nearly 26 billion USD. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, as of August 15, 2024, the export turnover of goods in Ho Chi Minh City reached 37.2 billion USD, an increase of 9.48% (an absolute increase of about 3.22 billion USD) compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 33.98 billion USD. Positive signals about exports in Ho Chi Minh City show that the world market is recovering, increasing orders have helped domestic enterprises export goods to achieve many positive results. Many enterprises said they are not worried about a lack of orders in the last months of the year, even until the beginning of next year.

Excitedly sharing with reporters, Mr. Pham Quang Anh, General Director of Dony Garment Company, said that last year's inventory has dropped to an extremely low level, and many partners from the United States, the Middle East and Southeast Asia have increased their orders again. "In the remaining months of this year, even by February 2025, Dony has orders at over 70% capacity. With orders that are still being negotiated and signed and are in the final stages, the company will certainly be at full capacity and this year may be a year with results that surpass expectations," Mr. Pham Quang Anh emphasized.

To seize the opportunity amid the export market recovery, Mr. Tran Lam Son, General Director of Thien Minh Company Limited, said that since the beginning of the year, the company has proactively produced and sought customers instead of waiting for orders like before. Accordingly, the company has many export orders to the US and European markets. In addition to traditional customers in Germany, the company has also expanded and directly approached customers in Denmark and Finland. Currently, the company is producing signed orders until early September and preparing to receive the next orders until the end of the year for the Spring-Summer season. Orders have recovered, but the company is facing difficulties due to increased production costs and shipping costs, so the company must find ways to minimize costs.

Creating unique value for export products

Sharing on the 35-year journey of the company's operation and development, Ms. Vo Thi Lien Huong, General Director of Secoin Joint Stock Company, said that Secoin's products have been exported to 60 countries around the world. Although the company has received many appraisals, Secoin thinks that this is just the first step to building a Vietnamese brand in foreign markets.

Many of the company's products are sold through distributors and they often do not talk about their origin or only say that the product is "made in Vietnam" or designed in the US, Australia... Therefore, Secoin wants to escape the shadow of only processing for big brands. Our aspiration is to work with Vietnamese businesses to build a truly "made in Vietnam" image, 100% pure Vietnamese, instead of processing for another party. To do this, the company's products must have quality, uniqueness, authenticity and a willingness to choose an exclusive international market to gradually build a brand, Ms. Huong emphasized.

The real stories of Vietnamese brands show the efforts of businesses in preserving and promoting their brands, especially in the current context of green trade. However, according to businesses, the reputation of product brands and the reputation of Vietnamese businesses in the international market are still not confirmed, even though the quality is very good. This is not only a major concern for businesses only, but also a story of the nation and the national brand which require connection and cooperation from the state's policies to the efforts of businesses, to create a bright spot on the map together.

Concerned about the issue of building brands for Vietnamese goods, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Business Association (HUBA) raised the question of whether it is necessary to find new factors for Vietnamese products, create new features for Vietnamese products and Vietnamese brands to go further. That new factor, according to him, is the "green" factor.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoa, in recent years, the green transformation trend has ceased to be a movement but has become a strategy and mandatory criteria for businesses to change and respond to the market, overcoming technical barriers, competition, etc. Keeping up with the trend of green transformation investment by businesses still faces many difficulties. Therefore, along with meaningful activities to honor and encourage, Ho Chi Minh City is also implementing a green credit package - lending with 0% interest rate for businesses investing in green transformation solutions. Hopefully, this will provide meaningful "leverage" resources for businesses in the global green competition.