T&G's Orchard Road brand sent the first pallet of California blueberries - 192 trays - to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, this week.

The company says it expects to export multiple pallets of Orchard Road blueberries to Vietnam every week during the season, which lasts until September.

It was able to gain access to this market after Vietnam removed its trade barrier for the category earlier this year.

Following the news, T&G Global says it developed a plan and route to market for its blueberry category.

Vietnam is a fast-growing market of 95 million people. Thus, the corporation comments that it regarded the ability to reach these consumers as a huge opportunity.

T&G's move to 'reinforce' company's presence in Vietnam

While blueberries are a relatively new product for local consumers, research shows that nationals already recognize them as a superfood. Consumers in the Eastern nation also view them as a beauty aid for the skin, says the company.

 Educated consumers in the country are attracted to premium imported fruits with functional benefits, T&G notes. It points out that they also demand higher quality foods that are convenient and easy to eat.

T&G Global commercial manager in North America Piers Hanbury says the company has already been exporting grapes and apples to Vietnam for the past ten years from different supply points.

According to him, adding U.S. berries to the mix only reinforces the company's presence in the market. This in turn allows it to leverage existing customer relationships, he adds.

“We are confident that this will become a significant market in future for us. It will likely take some time to educate consumers about the benefits of blueberries but in time it could take off like it has in China and other Asian markets.”