Key factors helping firms export to demanding markets: DH Foods exec

Don’t treat business as a week-to-week or month-to-month affair. To go the distance, you must conduct business ethically, writes Nguyen Trung Dung, CEO of DH Foods.

Prioritizing product quality, sending multiple samples, and treating partners with sincerity are essential steps for any business aiming to export to demanding markets.

Product quality

Product quality must always come first - that’s obvious. If you use natural ingredients, cultivate them using sustainable practices, and produce in an environment that ensures food safety, your products will almost certainly meet export standards. Even better, if you apply the same quality standards to both domestic and export goods, it will greatly enhance your reputation.

Once the product meets quality expectations, you must also ensure your customer service is of the highest standard. This is both easy and hard - easy because anyone can do it, but hard because few are ever taught how to do it properly.

Good service

From the very first offer email, your communication must be concise yet complete, clearly stating your name, title, and company, as well as the name and position of the recipient. Avoid sending generic emails. Transparency, clarity, and goodwill are huge plus points - no one likes dealing with vague companies or those that send out careless, copy-paste messages.

Service quality is also reflected in how you send product samples. Many people have a very dangerous mindset: they think only the contents matter, while packaging or labeling can be sloppy. I’ve seen even large companies make this mistake. It’s a major error. If your partner receives a sample that’s poorly packaged or missing essential information, chances are it will end up in the trash.

Samples should be produced and packaged as carefully as official products. Ideally, the sample should be fully labeled and packaged exactly as the export version would be. If you want to conquer a demanding market, don’t hesitate to invest in printing labels and packaging in English - or in the local language of your target market. In short, the level of care you put into a full 40-foot export container should also go into your samples.

Don’t be afraid to send multiple samples

Don’t rush to charge for samples or shipping - even if the partner offers to pay. You must be ready to send samples not just once, but several times, because consumer preferences and tastes vary slightly across markets.

Be willing to pay for testing your samples according to your client’s requirements — even if that means testing for 2,000 different compounds. Understand that these demands are not meant to trouble you, but are necessary for your partner to comply with their own market’s regulations. Never show frustration - always cooperate with a positive attitude.

You also don’t need to fear being scammed. If a partner’s intent were to cheat you, they would skip testing and quality verification, instead pushing for you to ship as quickly as possible while delaying payment.

If you are unable to fulfill any specific requirement, notify your partner immediately and clearly explain why.

Think long-term

Don’t treat business as a week-to-week or month-to-month affair. To go the distance, you must conduct business ethically. Never sacrifice long-term profit for short-term gain.

Whether it’s a sample or an official export order, always deliver the quality you’ve promised. If you cannot, inform your client immediately. Don’t think it’s okay to “cut corners a little because the customer won’t notice.” That mindset is wrong.

And once your customer approves your sample and places an order, never increase the price - even if the cost of raw materials goes up. That’s an absolute no-no. You can temporarily reduce your profit margin to maintain the agreed price. If the costs become truly unsustainable, the best approach is to suspend the contract and compensate the customer for any losses.

That’s how you build lasting trust - and earn your place in the world’s most demanding markets.