California blueberries grown under the T&G Orchard Rd brand are being sent to Vietnam for the first time.
The pallet of the blueberries (192 trays) went from LAX in Los Angeles to Ho Chi Min City in mid-June, according to a news release. Weekly shipments are slated to follow, according to the release, through the end of the season in September. Until earlier this year, U.S. blueberries were not allowed into the country.
T&G Global, a New Zealand grower and apple exporter, works with multiple supply regions, including California. Orchard Rd Blueberries will also be shipped from Oregon and Washington.
T&G has been exporting grapes and apples to Vietnam for 10 years, said Piers Hanbury, T&G Global commercial manager of North America.
“We are confident that this will become a significant market in future for us,” he said in the release. “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,” Hanbury said in the release.
