For many Vietnamese businesses, the Vietnam-China Lao Cai trade fair is not simply a product display event. This is a test of the international market in the most direct way: meeting traders, meeting distributors, meeting customers from China and neighboring provinces. In the context that Mind Connector has accompanied many businesses in strategic planning, communication restructuring, channel deployment and product development, the 2025 fair shows more clearly how businesses step into the international market with serious preparation.
Lao Cai – not just a border but a gateway to test the market
The Vietnam-China Lao Cai Fair has very different characteristics from fairs in big cities. This is where businesses not only “introduce” but also have to directly face market questions: what do Chinese customers ask? What do they care about? What is a reasonable price? What certifications do they require?
There is no corporate stage. There is no polished rhetoric. Everything is direct, fast, and the feedback is almost instantaneous.
Businesses see this as a “test market” where they test strategies that have been in the works for months, even years.
Businesses that appear at the fair with a well-planned strategy
It is not difficult to recognize that some businesses have made serious investments – many of which are customers who have accompanied Mind Connector.
Central Highlands coffee businesses brought two product lines to the fair: one for the domestic market and one specifically for the Chinese market, with full packaging standards and label information. Booths are always crowded because they not only sell products, but also bring farming stories, transparency of growing areas and inspection processes.
A Northern medicinal herbs enterprise, after a period of strategic restructuring, appeared for the first time at the fair with a set of standardized active ingredients. They do not sell in the style of “folk herbs” but in the industrial way: standard ingredients, full testing papers, and a development story based on science.
An agricultural processing enterprise in Dong Thap presented a soft-dried product with a long shelf life, packaged according to export standards. The Chinese were excited to try it and placed large orders on the spot.
These enterprises made it very clear: they did not come to the fair “for fun”. They came with preparation, with strategy, with the ambition to expand the market.
Trade shows are a real test of brand strategy
Businesses who attend trade shows typically have three main objectives:
- Meet Real International Customers
- Find Distribution Partners
- Verify Your Positioning Strategy and Brand Story
Customer compliments or indifference are not just emotional, but data for businesses to re-measure their strategies.
Many businesses that have worked with Mind Connector share that the fair generates extremely “clean” responses: want – don’t want, like – dislike, high price – low price. This is the type of feedback that no online channel can accurately measure.
“Before the fair, we thought the Chinese would like a strong scent,” said one herbal tea company. “But in fact, they asked for a lighter, easier-to-drink product.” And after just two days of the fair, they adjusted their product positioning to their target market.
Quick meetings that open up great opportunities
This year’s fairgrounds saw hundreds of small business contacts taking place continuously. Some took place at tables, some in front of shelves, and some were simply exchanging business cards and making plans to work together later.
Some businesses sold large quantities on the spot. Some businesses sold nothing but got a few import leads. Some businesses realized that their products lacked certificates, packaging standards, and Chinese sub-labels – loopholes that needed to be fixed before actually exporting.
This is the greatest value of the fair: businesses do not guess but see for themselves.
The Difference Between a Strategically Prepared Enterprise
At the fair, the difference between a “prepared” enterprise and a “following the trend” enterprise was very clear.
Businesses with a clear strategy:
– Neat, beautiful booth, consistent brand story
– Sales staff capable of explaining products in two or three languages
– Clear introductory materials, with QR codes, bilingual catalogs
– Products with full certifications
– Pricing appropriate to each target market
Businesses go for the sake of presence:
– Temporary display booth
– No product story
– Inconsistent designs
– Sub-labels not up to standard
The difference is not one of “budget”, but of strategic thinking.
Fairs help businesses rethink their export vision
Many Vietnamese businesses still have the mentality that “export is a big playground, difficult to participate in”. However, the 2025 fair shows the opposite: small and medium-sized businesses can completely access the international market if they know how to prepare.
Lao Cai – with its special location – helps businesses start exporting in a soft way: meeting the border market first, understanding the demand first, then moving on to more difficult markets.
Some businesses shared that only when they came to the fair did they realize their products were competitive enough. What they lacked was not quality, but brand structure, storytelling and positioning.
The fair is a meeting place for businesses to see themselves
The 2025 Vietnam – China Lao Cai International Trade Fair is not just a place for businesses to put products on the shelves. It is a place for businesses to review their strategies, meet the real market, and see opportunities more clearly.
For businesses that have accompanied Mind Connector from strategic planning to implementation, the fair is like a stage for them to step out, demonstrate their maturity and international competitiveness.
For new businesses, this is a reminder that exporting doesn’t start with a big shipment, but with small meetings, real feedback and serious preparation.
The fair has ended, but its echoes for businesses still linger: opportunities, data, and the belief that Vietnamese products can go far – if done properly.
