Kagoshima, one of the three prefectures with the largest Wagyu cow herds in Japan, is rolling out a plan to boost its beef sales in Vietnam.

The prefecture is raising some 350,000 Wagyu cows and picking Ho Chi Minh City as a strategic destination for Wagyu beef consumption.

Erena Ikoma, deputy technical director and head of livestock promotion at the Kagoshima Government Meat Export Federation Office, visited the southern Vietnamese metropolis at the end of November researching market expansion.

She said Kagoshima chose Vietnam for Wagyu beef promotion this year, following promotion campaigns in Taiwan and the U.S..

Kagoshima's Wagyu beef exports to Vietnam have surged to 39 metric tons in 2024, a difference of two metric tons a decade ago.

Erena Ikoma emphasized that Kagoshima realized the tremendous potential in the Vietnamese market, where many consumers are willing to purchase premium products to elevate their culinary experiences.

Currently, there are 99 certified Wagyu beef retail outlets worldwide, with two in Vietnam. 

According to Lam Thi Hoang Truc, a representative of Phan Thanh Akuruhi Company, one of the two certified distributors of Wagyu Kuroge beef in Vietnam, the main buyers are restaurants and hotels.

Wagyu beef is priced at VND2-5 million (US$78.7-196.8) per kilogram at supermarkets in Vietnam, and many customers have chosen the product as a gift.

In addition to expanding its distribution network in Vietnam, Kagoshima will organize more promotion events to introduce Wagyu beef and other agro-fishery products to Vietnamese consumers, such as Shochu Kojika wine, amberjack, and red sea bream.

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