Consumption trend and competitiveness of Vietnamese shrimp in EU market

SHRIMP IMPORTS INTO EU-28

Total quantity: 541,501 metric tons (2017)

Total value: 4.17 billion euros (2017)

Source: EUROSTAT

TARIC product codes: 160521, 160529, 030617

Main exporters of shrimp to EU-28 Quantity (metric tons)

Main exporters of shrimp to EU-28 Average Price in Euro per kg

TOP 7 MAJOR SHRIMP IMPORTING COUNTRIES IN EU-28

SPAIN

Majority on HOSO format: Cooking industry

Major retail chains: Mercadona, Carrefour, DIA, Alcampo (Auchan), Hypercor (El Corte Ingles), etc…

Vietnam shrimps:

- Smaller sized CPD and CPDTO, heavily treated and glazed products

- Competing with lower priced Chinese shrimps.

FRANCE

Predominantly HOSO format from South American and Madagascar shrimps for the cooking industry in France where the end product is for the fresh C-HOSO for the retailers.

Wholesales & Ethnic market importing mostly from India, Bangladesh and Vietnam.  Predominantly treated, raw & cooked, glazed peeled vannamei shrimps. Mostly focused on price.

Major retailers in France:

Retail boxes for HOSO format in 800g and 400g net boxes

Retail bags for cooked and raw peeled shrimps, IQF, 100% net weight.

Focused on food safety, traceability, social issues and quality.

Growing demand for Organic shrimps despite limited supply.

UNITED KINGDOM

RETAIL MARKET

Major retailers: Tesco-Booker, SASDA (Sainsbury’s & Asda), Morissons, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer's, Lidl, Aldi, etc…

Chemical free, smaller size, certified cooked vannamei shrimps cooked in the UK

Traditionally a strong market for coldwater prawns (Pandalus borealis) from Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, United States, etc…

UNITED KINGDOM

WHOLESALES & ETHNIC MARKET

The UK ethnic retail and restaurant market for shrimps accounts for nearly 50% of all European ethnic markets alone.

Chinese, Indian, Bangladesh, Thai and Japanese restaurants and supermarkets.

Block frozen , treated HL and  PD vannamei shrimps

High glaze IQF treated cooked & raw vannamei shrimps

ITALY

Italian market appreciates the quality of South American shrimps (Ecuador, Argentina, Panama) mainly in HOSO and HLSO format. (wholesales, retail and industry)

Asian origin: (India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and China)

            - Heavily treated

            - Heavily glazed,

            - Raw, blanched or cooked, peeled shrimps

            - Small sizes

Difficult market due to traditionally mislabelling products with glaze and  complicated supply chain with the presence of “buying agent”.

In general is a market where there is the “very high quality” vs  “very low quality” products depending of the end customer. 

Major retail groups: Coop Italia, Conad, Selex, Esselunga, Carrefour, Eurospin, Auchan, Lidl, Despar

NETHERLANDS

Ahold is the most important retail, closely followed by the German discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Major port of destination for shrimp importation therefore the volumes might not reflect directly their own domestic consumption. A large part of this shrimp will end up in other neighbouring countries.

Major reprocessing facilities located in Netherlands also supplying other markets such as Germany, Italy, France, UK retailers and wholesalers.

BELGIUM

Major retail groups:  Colruyt, Delhaize, Carrefour, followed by Aldi, Lidl, Makro.

Despite being a small population (around 11 million), they do consume a lot of shrimps but still a large part of the imported shrimps ends up with the major reprocessing facilities supplying other countries such as France, Italy, Germany and UK

GERMANY

Major retail groups: EDEKA, REWE, Lidl, Kaufland, Aldi and Metro Cash & Carry.  Predominantly untreated, cooked and peeled shrimps with increasing trend to adopt certificates focused on environment and social sustainability schemes. (ASC and GlobalGap)

The retail market in Germany, after the UK, is one of the most demanding market for food safety, environment and social certifications, quality and traceability. At the same time, one of the toughest markets in terms of pricing, as the German consumer in general, assumes that the above requirements should be a norm without having to pay extra for it.

German wholesale market still have good demand for black tiger shrimps.

PORTUGAL

Despite being being a very small country with a population of around 10 million people, it’s the no.1 in Europe consumer of fish & seafood  in terms of kg per person.

Portugal market is famous for its IQF HOSO packed in 5kg cartons

Major retailers: Jeronimo Martins, Sonae and Intermarche.

EUROPEAN RETAILERS RANK BY TURNOVER 2017

SHRIMP CONSUMPTION TREND IN EUROPE

Growing demand for cooked at source products destined for MAP (Modified Atmosphere Products).

Certifications schemes focused on environment, social issues as well as food safety.

Food safety – focus on medicines usage in aquaculture shrimp and sterilisation of products.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIETNAM SHRIMP EXPORTERS TO EUROPE

Increasing number of farms and factories certified for good farming practices, food safety, environment and socially responsible standards.

Growing number of factories upgrading its cooking line to meet EU retail standard requirements.

Heavy investments on secured and more controlled super intensive farm operations.

Taken over the customer base in Europe previously buying from Thailand. Chemical free  and medicine free high quality products.

Availability of qualified staff as well as highly skilled labour force.