Several products capture nearly half the market
Recent information from the Viet Nam Trade Office in Sweden shows that the country’s goods exports to the Swedish market reached nearly USD 991 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 16% year on year.
Sweden is one of Viet Nam’s important markets in the Nordic region. The result continues the positive growth recorded in 2025, when Viet Nam’s total goods exports to Sweden exceeded USD 1.61 billion. Notably, several Vietnamese agricultural and food product groups have secured significant market shares in Sweden.
Many Vietnamese agricultural and food products are gaining ground in the Swedish market. Photo: Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden.
In 2025, Sweden imported about USD 30.55 million worth of frozen shrimp. Of this, imports from Viet Nam reached USD 13.58 million, accounting for 44.47% of the market. Shelled cashews also held a significant position, with imports from Viet Nam reaching approximately USD 9.7 million, equivalent to 46.27% of Sweden’s total cashew imports.
In the seafood segment, Vietnamese frozen tuna fillets were worth nearly USD 4.97 million, accounting for 66.18% of the market. Frozen pangasius fillets reached roughly USD 1.48 million, equivalent to 42.82%.
Pepper is another product group with a clear advantage. Ground and crushed pepper alone generated USD 4.86 million in exports, accounting for 52.91% of the market. Whole peppercorns added nearly USD 1.26 million, equivalent to more than 10%.
Some processed product groups have an even stronger presence. In 2025, Sweden imported approximately USD 6.4 million worth of fruit, vegetables, nuts, fruit peels and other edible plant parts preserved with sugar. Vietnamese products accounted for USD 5.35 million, or as much as 83.56%.
These figures show that Vietnamese agricultural and food products have established a relatively strong foothold in Sweden, particularly seafood, cashews, pepper and several processed products.
However, there is still considerable room for growth in Sweden for some of Viet Nam’s key agricultural exports. Unroasted and decaffeinated coffee is one example. In 2025, Sweden imported more than USD 716 million worth of these products, but supplies from Viet Nam amounted to only USD 6.84 million, equivalent to 0.96%. In a similar situation, Vietnamese milled rice reached nearly USD 2.93 million, accounting for 2.83% of the market. Fresh or dried guavas, mangoes and mangosteens generated about USD 830,000, equivalent to 2.84%.
Advantages from FTAs
The flow of Vietnamese goods into Sweden has increased significantly in recent years. According to the Viet Nam Trade Office in Sweden, Vietnamese goods imports were worth approximately USD 1.196 billion in 2019, but had risen to nearly USD 1.613 billion by 2025, an increase of almost 35%.
Imports from Viet Nam alone increased by 30.9% in 2025, while Sweden’s total imports grew by only about 7%. The gap indicates that Vietnamese goods are gaining ground rapidly in the Nordic market.
Business matching and trade promotion activities help Vietnamese companies find partners and expand market access for agricultural products in Sweden. Photo: Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden.
One factor creating favorable conditions is the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Effective since August 2020, the agreement has gradually eliminated most tariffs between Viet Nam and the EU, helping many products improve their price competitiveness in the European market.
The mechanism for taking advantage of these preferences is also being further refined. In 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 14/2026/TT-BCT on rules of origin under the EVFTA, providing an additional basis for businesses to certify the origin of their goods and qualify for preferential tariffs under the agreement.
One thing to note is that when tariff advantages become a common condition, the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods is being determined by requirements beyond the border. As in many Nordic markets, Swedish importers are placing increasing emphasis on where products are made, where their raw materials come from, whether they can be traced, and how production affects the environment.
These requirements are particularly evident for coffee, rubber, wood, cocoa and products covered by the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Demonstrating production areas, providing geolocation data and ensuring traceability are gradually becoming mandatory elements of market access.
In addition, Nordic importers and retail systems are increasingly concerned with packaging, the environment, food safety and social responsibility throughout the supply chain. Therefore, the potential for Vietnamese agricultural products in Sweden depends not only on taking advantage of EVFTA preferences but also more and more on meeting standards, organizing supply chains and aligning products with market demand.
“Nordic consumers are increasingly interested in food with clear origins, natural products that promote good health and products with their own stories. This presents an opportunity for product groups such as rice, coffee, tea, spices, tropical fruits and processed foods from Vietnam to expand their presence in this market,” said Nguyen Thi Hoang Thuy, Vietnamese Trade Counselor in Sweden.
*USD 1 = VND 26,100. Source: Vietcombank.
Translated by Samuel Pham
