Wholesale Cooking Suppliers in Vietnam
Vietnam is the world's number one exporter of fish sauce (nuoc mam) and Vietnamese cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon — the world's most aromatic), a major global supplier of star anise, shrimp paste, rice paper, rice noodles, and dried aromatics. Find verified wholesale cooking suppliers in Vietnam on Towobo.
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Vietnam has built a global reputation as a source of uniquely premium cooking ingredients with unrivalled provenance — Phu Quoc nuoc mam, Yen Bai cinnamon, and Lang Son star anise are internationally recognised origins that command premium prices in specialty food markets. Nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce) is the country's most important condiment export, and Vietnam consistently competes with Thailand for the title of world's largest fish sauce exporter. Vietnam's most prestigious fish sauce originates from Phu Quoc island (Kien Giang province, Gulf of Thailand), where black anchovy (Engraulis sp.) are layered with sea salt and fermented in traditional wooden barrels for 12–15 months to produce fish sauce with protein (total nitrogen) levels of ≥30–40°N — among the highest of any fish sauce in the world. Phu Quoc fish sauce is a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) product under Vietnamese law and holds EU GI protection. Major brands: Red Boat (US-marketed premium brand producing in Phu Quoc), Chin-Su, and Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Manufacturers Association members. Vietnamese/Saigon cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi, also known as Vietnamese cassia or Cinnamomum cassia var. saigonicum) is universally recognised by cinnamon experts as the world's most aromatic and highest-cinnamaldehyde-content cinnamon variety. Vietnam is the world's number one cinnamon exporter by volume and value — production concentrated in Yen Bai province (Northern Vietnam) and Quang Nam/Quang Ngai provinces (Central Vietnam). Vietnamese cinnamon has the highest essential oil content and highest cinnamaldehyde percentage of all commercial cinnamon/cassia types, which produces an intensely warm, spicy, sweet flavour profile. Star anise (Illicium verum) from Lang Son and Cao Bang provinces in northern Vietnam makes Vietnam one of the world's top two or three star anise producers. Vietnamese star anise is characterised by its high trans-anethole content and dark mahogany colour.
Key wholesale cooking ingredient categories from Vietnam
Nuoc mam fish sauce: Grade by total nitrogen: ≥40°N (premium Phu Quoc, Red Boat 40°N Fish Sauce benchmark); ≥30°N (premium grade); ≥20°N (standard); ≥15°N (commercial); Available in retail bottles (500 mL–1 L) and food service/bulk formats (20 L, 200 L drums). Vietnamese/Saigon cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi): rolled sticks (quills), broken cassia, and cinnamon powder; high-oil content Yen Bai cinnamon (essential oil ≥4%) is a premium segment; organic-certified Yen Bai cinnamon available. Star anise: whole dried star anise (8-pointed, Grade A), star anise powder, and star anise essential oil; key producing regions: Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan. Shrimp paste (mam tom/mam ruoc): purple-coloured fermented shrimp paste — mam tom (Hanoi style, fine paste) vs. mam ruoc (Central/Southern style, chunkier); available in jars. Rice paper (banh trang): dried circular rice paper sheets — large (22 cm) and small (16 cm) — for spring rolls and summer rolls; available in 400 g–500 g packs and bulk sacks. Rice vermicelli, pho noodles, bun noodles: dried Vietnamese rice noodles in various widths for export to Asian grocery and food service. Tamarind: Vietnamese processed tamarind (seedless blocks, tamarind candy, tamarind sauce). Dried lemongrass (xa): sliced and dried Vietnamese lemongrass. Dried chili: Vietnamese bird's eye chili (ot chim), dried. Chili sauce (tuong ot): Chin-Su Tuong Ot and other Vietnamese chili sauces for retail and food service export. Black and white sesame seeds: Vietnamese sesame, particularly from the Southern provinces.
Certifications and standards for Vietnamese cooking suppliers
Vietnam's food export certification and compliance system is administered by several agencies. Key bodies: MARD (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) — oversees food safety standards for agricultural and fisheries exports through its agencies: NAFIQAD (National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department) — inspects and certifies fisheries products (fish sauce, shrimp paste) for export and issues health certificates; Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) — regulates processed food safety. Phu Quoc fish sauce PDO: Protected by Decision No. 428/QD-TTg (Vietnam), and EU GI registration — requires production in Phu Quoc using traditional methods; fish sauce bearing the Phu Quoc GI must be certified by the Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Manufacturers Association (Hiep Hoi Nuoc Mam Phu Quoc). Vietnamese cinnamon (Saigon cassia): VITAS (Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association) and provincial Forest Protection Departments manage legal and certified cinnamon sourcing; FSC-certified Vietnamese cinnamon is available for buyers requiring sustainable sourcing certification; organic certification for Yen Bai cinnamon is available from USDA NOP and EU Organic accredited certifiers. Halal certification: HALAL Vietnam (a MARD-affiliated agency) issues Halal certificates for Vietnamese food products. ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000: Major Vietnamese food manufacturers (Chin-Su/Masan Consumer, Vissan, Bibica) hold food safety management system certifications. HACCP: widely held by medium-to-large fish sauce and processed food manufacturers. Certificate of Origin from VCCI (Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
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For fish sauce buyers: Vietnam's Phu Quoc nuoc mam is the world's most prestigious single-origin fish sauce — 12–18 month traditionally fermented anchovy fish sauce with ≥30–40°N protein content, PDO protected, and sought by premium restaurant groups, specialty food retailers, and food manufacturers wanting a premium fish sauce story. Standard Vietnamese fish sauce from non-PDO producers (Chin-Su, Masan Consumer) offers competitive pricing for food service and general retail. For cinnamon buyers: Vietnamese/Saigon cinnamon from Yen Bai province is the benchmark for maximum cinnamaldehyde content and aromatic intensity — food manufacturers using cinnamon as a flavour ingredient (bakeries, confectionery, beverage) routinely specify Vietnamese cassia for consistent high-aroma performance. Organic Yen Bai cinnamon is available for natural food and clean-label product applications. For star anise buyers: Lang Son and Cao Bang star anise offers some of the highest anethole content of any commercial star anise origin, essential for premium spice blends, chai tea, and flavour manufacturing. For food manufacturing ingredient buyers: Vietnam's rice paper, dried noodles, and tamarind are cost-competitive bulk ingredients for Asian food manufacturing. Towobo connects buyers with verified Vietnamese cooking ingredient exporters — Phu Quoc fish sauce producers, Yen Bai cinnamon exporters, Lang Son star anise dealers, and processed condiment manufacturers.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Phu Quoc fish sauce different from other Vietnamese and Thai fish sauce?
Phu Quoc fish sauce (nuoc mam Phu Quoc) is distinguished by three key characteristics: Species — Phu Quoc fish sauce is made exclusively from ca com (black anchovy, Engraulis japonicus or related species) caught in the coastal waters of Phu Quoc island; the cold monsoon upwelling of the Gulf of Thailand produces particularly fatty anchovies; Protein content (total nitrogen) — Phu Quoc fish sauce is graded by protein content, with the highest grade (special) at ≥40°N (degrees total nitrogen per litre), which is significantly higher than standard commercial fish sauce at 20–25°N; Traditional fermentation — Phu Quoc fish sauce is fermented in large traditional wooden barrels (thung go) for 12–18 months, which produces a more complex, less pungent, and more umami-forward flavour compared to shorter fermentation periods or modern stainless steel tanks used in large commercial production. PDO protection (Phu Quoc GI) means that only fish sauce produced in Phu Quoc from local anchovy using traditional methods can bear the Phu Quoc name. Red Boat 40°N is the globally best-known brand of premium Phu Quoc fish sauce, marketed to premium chefs and specialty food buyers worldwide.
What is Saigon cinnamon and why is it the most aromatic cinnamon in the world?
Saigon cinnamon (Cinnamomum loureiroi, also called Vietnamese cinnamon or Vietnamese cassia) is a specific cinnamon species native to Vietnam. It is distinct from Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum — 'true cinnamon', from Sri Lanka) and Chinese cassia (Cinnamomum aromaticum/cassia). Key characteristics that make Vietnamese cinnamon uniquely aromatic: Essential oil content — Vietnamese cinnamon bark essential oil content is the highest of all commercial cinnamon types (typically 4–5% essential oil vs. 2–3% in Ceylon cinnamon and Chinese cassia); Cinnamaldehyde content — the essential oil is 80–95% trans-cinnamaldehyde (the main flavour compound in cinnamon) — the highest of any commercial cinnamon type; Flavour profile — a combination of high cinnamaldehyde, beta-caryophyllene, and eugenol creates a characteristically warm, intensely spicy, sweet, and slightly peppery flavour profile. Yen Bai province in Northern Vietnam is the premium production region for Vietnamese cinnamon — the mountainous terrain and specific soil and climate conditions produce bark with the highest essential oil content. For buyers: Saigon cinnamon is an excellent choice for maximum cinnamon flavour in baked goods, chai tea, mulled wine, confectionery, and cinnamon-forward spice blends.
What are the main grades of Vietnamese cinnamon available for wholesale?
Vietnamese cinnamon (Saigon cassia/Cinnamomum loureiroi) is graded and sold in several forms for wholesale: By form: Broken cassia (BC) — broken pieces of bark in 2–5 cm pieces, the most common bulk export form; Split cassia (SC) — whole bark segments split lengthwise; Cassia quills (rolled sticks) — rolled cinnamon sticks in 6–8 cm or 10 cm lengths; Cinnamon powder — ground cinnamon of various mesh sizes; Cassia chips/featherings — small pieces and bark fragments for industrial use. By essential oil content grade (Yen Bai): Super Special: ≥5.5% essential oil; Special: ≥4.5% essential oil; Grade AA/A: ≥3.5–4.0% essential oil; Commercial grade: ≥2.0% essential oil. Most premium buyers (flavour houses, essential oil manufacturers, specialty spice brands) specify Super Special or Special grade Yen Bai cinnamon for maximum cinnamaldehyde performance. Standard commercial and food manufacturing buyers typically purchase Grade A. Packaging: 25 kg or 50 kg PP or jute sacks. FCL (20 ft) capacity: approximately 16–18 MT of broken cassia.
Is Vietnamese rice paper (banh trang) available for wholesale export?
Yes — Vietnamese rice paper (banh trang) is widely available for wholesale export in retail and food service formats. Rice paper is made from rice flour, water, and salt, dried into thin circular sheets on bamboo mats — the traditional method gives Vietnamese rice paper its distinctive imprinted texture. Available export sizes: Round rice paper: 16 cm diameter (small, for individual spring rolls/nem), 22 cm diameter (standard), 25–28 cm diameter (large); Square rice paper: used for cha gio (fried spring rolls). Available thicknesses: thin (for fresh spring rolls/goi cuon), medium, and extra-thin. Key producing regions: Tay Ninh Province (Ho Chi Minh City region) is the most well-known production area; also produced in An Giang and Ben Tre. Packaging: 400 g–500 g retail bags, 1 kg bags for food service, 5–10 kg bulk sacks for food manufacturers. Shelf life: typically 12–18 months at ambient temperature in original sealed packaging. Vietnamese rice paper is exported globally through Vietnamese food exporters, distributed in Asian grocery and specialty food wholesale networks worldwide.
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