Sojitz’s Domestic Chilled Beef Business in Vietnam:
Forecasting Change to Capture Growing Demand for New Beef Products

In Vietnam, ongoing economic growth has brought about a diversification in the lifestyles of its citizens. Forecasting future changes in Vietnam’s food culture, Sojitz entered the beef products business in Vietnam in 2021 by establishing Japan Vietnam Livestock Co. Ltd. (JVL) in partnership with Vietnam Dairy Products JSC (Vinamilk), Vietnam’s largest dairy manufacturer. JVL’s business model features an integrated system that covers all steps of the beef production process, from the raising of feeder cattle to meat processing and sales. Cattle sourced from Vinamilk is raised and processed using cutting-edge techniques from Japan in order to create chilled beef products for sale on the Vietnam market. This article provides an in-depth look at Sojitz’s beef production, processing, and sales business in Vietnam.

In 1986, the Vietnamese government introduced the Doi Moi economic reforms in an effort to transition to a market economy and spur economic growth. The country went on to implement a range of strategies aimed at opening the economy, including the liberalization of private property and entry into international organizations such as ASEAN in 1995, APEC in 1998, and WTO in 2007. These strategies resulted in rapid economic growth, which also led to rapid transformation in consumer lifestyles in Vietnam. In particular, the food culture began to diversify, with new restaurants offering Western-style and Japanese cuisine emerging across major cities.

Sojitz identified a rising demand for high-quality chilled beef based on factors such as population growth, rising income levels, and diversifying consumer behavior. The company saw an opportunity to provide products like those readily available in Japan and other developed countries with well-established food safety and sanitation practices, and chose this untapped market in Vietnam as the starting point for its new business.

In 1986, Sojitz’s predecessor company Nissho Iwai Corporation became the first company from a country associated with the Western Bloc to establish a liaison office in Vietnam. Since then, Sojitz has spent many years expanding its presence in Vietnam in a diverse range of fields including forestry, power generation, and retail.

Sojitz placed particular focus on the retail sector, entering the market in Vietnam in 2008 through investment in a retail-facing wholesale company. Sojitz went on to invest in a convenience store operator and a commercial food wholesale company specializing in dairy products and also launched a Japanese-style prepared foods business and a four-temperature cold chain logistics company. Through these initiatives, Sojitz has established a comprehensive retail value chain in Vietnam.*2

In 2011, Sojitz entered the livestock sector by establishing Kyodo Sojitz Feed Company Limited (KSF), a compound feed production and sales company, to respond to the increase in meat consumption amidst the ongoing Westernization of diets in Vietnam. In considering development of a new beef business, Sojitz possessed two key advantages—its established retail value chain in Vietnam and its extensive track record as the top importer of North American beef to Japan. After forming a relationship with Vinamilk through KSF, Sojitz was able to combine these strengths and launch its beef production, processing, and sales business utilizing cattle sourced from Vinamilk.

*2: For more details on Sojitz’s retail value chain in Vietnam:
Sojitz’s Retail Business in Vietnam: Building a Comprehensive Value Chain in a Rapidly Growing Market｜Featured Business Projects｜Sojitz Corporation

In Vietnam’s beef industry today, domestic cattle breeds such as zebu are processed during the night in facilities with insufficient sanitation practices before being sold at room temperature. Many retailers and businesses in the hotel, restaurant, café, and catering (HORECA) sector handle their trimming and final cutting processes in-house, and demand grew for cut products processed in a sanitary environment. JVL was able to address this market need by processing its own cattle at its state-of-the-art plant operated under food sanitation standards from Japan. JVL is offering products processed according to client needs and providing new value through chilled beef, a new offering not previously seen on the Vietnamese market.

JVL’s facility is among the largest meat processing plants in the country. The plant launched operations in December 2024 and aims to achieve an output of roughly 10,000 tons of beef products per year. JVL also constructed a cattle farm on land adjoining the plant with a maximum capacity of 10,000 heads of cattle, and the facility began operations in May 2025. Through the plant and farm complex, Sojitz has created a comprehensive framework that incorporates every step of beef production, from cattle raising to meat production, processing, and distribution—a model that enables the company to deliver safe and reliable beef products nationwide. This project, which Sojitz built from the ground up, has now evolved into a full-fledged business operation.

JVL’s system of raising Vinamilk feeder cattle at its own farm has allowed the company to ensure a stable supply of high-quality beef products.
The livestock are raised on the roughly 75-hectare grounds, and the entire process, from meat processing to packaging and shipment, is conducted on-site to facilitate the supply of safe and reliable Vietnam-raised beef.

Sojitz’s plans for JVL’s future growth include expanding its production capabilities to include organ meat—portions of the animal that are difficult for the country’s conventional processing facilities to handle due to the stricter freshness and sanitation requirements. The company has also begun developing new processed products by leveraging methods from Japan in order to make full use of all parts of the animal, eliminate waste, and create a diverse range of products that meet customer needs.

In terms of sales, JVL’s brand of chilled beef processed using Japanese methods is steadily gaining popularity among consumers in Vietnam. Major local supermarket chains carry the brand, and the number of locations selling JVL’s products skyrocketed from 20 to 1,000 stores in roughly six months.*3 In 2026, JVL is planning to launch “Niku-ichi,” a new brand positioned to further increase brand awareness for JVL’s chilled beef among consumers.

Looking ahead, Sojitz aims to expand its business by promoting products that fulfill Vietnam’s demand for chilled beef through existing sales channels in supermarkets and the HORECA sector. At the same time, the company is expanding its product lineup to include organ meat and a range of other cuts. Through this multifaceted approach, Sojitz will continue to create a new culinary culture for beef in Vietnam.

*3: Store numbers as of October 2025.