CMA, in partnership with Austrade, has successfully delivered its first Australian complementary medicines delegation to Vietnam, bringing together nine Australian companies in Ho Chi Minh City from 21–23 September.
The three-day program provided delegates with direct access to Vietnamese regulators, retailers, distributors, buyers and industry experts, while building a deeper understanding of the market and its evolving regulatory environment.
The delegation commenced at the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City, with a market briefing and presentations from Austrade and leading local industry experts, including DKSH Vietnam, AIG-ACC and OnPoint. Sessions covered Vietnam’s trade and investment landscape, the food and health supplement market, distribution and market entry, regulatory requirements, ingredients for local manufacturing and the rapidly developing e-commerce channel.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited FPT Long Chau and Pharmacity, two of Vietnam’s leading pharmacy retailers. These visits provided valuable first-hand insights into the local retail and distribution landscape and the growing presence of health and wellness products in Vietnam.
On days two and three, delegates attended Pharmedi Vietnam 2026, where one of the key highlights was a dedicated session with the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA).
VFA Director Mr Chu Quoc Thinh presented directly to the Australian delegation on food and health supplement registration requirements in Vietnam. The session was particularly timely as Vietnam’s regulatory framework continues to evolve and Australian exporters seek greater clarity around registration requirements and the processing of product applications. Delegates had an important opportunity to raise questions directly with the VFA, discuss practical registration challenges affecting their businesses and seek clarification on the implications of regulatory developments for Australian products.
The discussions also reinforced the strong reputation of Australian complementary medicines in Vietnam, including recognition of Australia’s highly regulated manufacturing environment and strong safety and quality standards.
The program also provided insights into Vietnam’s growing private hospital sector, where complementary medicines can be supplied through private hospitals, highlighting an additional potential market channel for Australian companies.
Delegates also participated in the Australian–Vietnam B2B Connect, beginning with a presentation from CMA on the Australian complementary medicines industry, safety standards and quality controls, followed by company pitches from participating Australian businesses. This was followed by highly active and productive B2B matchmaking, enabling delegates to engage directly with Vietnamese distributors, buyers and potential business partners.
The delegation also participated in a seminar exploring Vietnam’s Silver Economy and healthy aging. CMA joined Vietnamese healthcare and industry experts to discuss elderly healthcare, healthy ageing and emerging models of care, sharing insights into Australia’s complementary medicines industry and the role of complementary medicines in supporting healthy ageing.
B2B matchmaking continued on the final day, allowing delegates to continue to connect with additional Vietnamese businesses.
Overall, the three-day delegation delivered a highly productive combination of market insights, regulatory engagement and direct business connections, providing participating companies with practical knowledge and valuable contacts to support their activities in Vietnam.
CMA sincerely thanks Austrade, the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City, Pharmedi Vietnam, the Vietnam Food Administration, our speakers and local partners for their support in delivering the program.
We would also like to thank our nine participating companies — AWS360, Blackmores, Gnosis, Life-Space, Lipa Pharmaceuticals, Longevity Life Sciences, PharmaCare Laboratories, Swisse Wellness and Witsbb — for their enthusiastic participation and engagement throughout the delegation.
This delegation was delivered with support from the Accessing New Markets Initiative (ANMI) initiative and forms part of CMA’s ongoing work to support the international growth and diversification of Australia’s complementary medicines industry.
ANMI is a $55 million program helping Australian businesses diversify and grow their exports, designed and jointly delivered by Austrade and industry.
As Australia’s second-largest export market for complementary medicines, Vietnam remains a key priority for CMA and our members. This delegation is just the beginning, and CMA looks forward to building on the relationships established during the program and continuing our engagement with Vietnamese regulators, industry and business partners.
