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Latin America Growing Demand for Vietnamese Tilapia, Pangasius & Shrimp

Bởi Nhi Meksea - October 29, 2026

🇧🇷 Seafood Show Latin America 2026, São Paulo

At the Seafood Show Latin America 2026 in São Paulo, Vietnamese seafood made a strong impression with its commitment to sustainable aquaculture and full traceability. Driven by rising consumer demand and advancing trade negotiations for a Vietnam-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), Latin American buyers are rapidly increasing imports of whitefish and shrimp. This article explores key market trends in Brazil and Latin America and presents how Meksea supplies solutions for B2B importers.

$9.1B
Vietnam’s global seafood exports in the first nine months of 2026
$48.2M
Brazil’s Frozen Tilapia imports from Vietnam in the first nine months of 2026 (Brazil is #1)
4,500+
Commercial buyers and 100 retail chains reached across Latin America

Market overview: Brazil & Latin America as high-growth markets

Latin America has become one of the fastest-growing destinations for Vietnamese seafood. Brazil continues to lead as a primary trade partner in South America, generating $188.9 million in seafood imports from Vietnam in 2025 (+46.3% YoY). (Source: Vietnam Customs Department, via VASEP)

Trade momentum is further supported by high-level bilateral engagements:

📍
Seafood Show Latin America 2026: VASEP hosted the Vietnam National Pavilion in São Paulo (October 20–22, 2026), connecting 9 top seafood exporters with over 4,500 commercial buyers and 100 retail chains across Latin America.
🤝
MERCOSUR PTA & Trade Alliances: Vietnam and Brazil are expanding bilateral ties under a Strategic Partnership while advancing negotiations for a Vietnam-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to reduce import tariffs.
🚢
Supply Chain Partnerships: Direct trade meetings with major Brazilian importers, including the ABRAPES association and global food distributor JBS Group, are establishing long-term supply agreements for tilapia, pangasius, and shrimp.

Including pangasius, tilapia, snakehead, catfish, and more - products that have earned Vietnam a leading position in international markets.

Why Latin American buyers are choosing Vietnamese seafood

Food distributors, supermarket buyers, and foodservice chains across Latin America are turning to Vietnamese whitefish and shrimp for three primary reasons:

🐟

Cost-effective whitefish alternativeFrozen pangasius and tilapia fillets offer a versatile, neutral-flavored, and affordable alternative to high-priced wild salmon and cod for family meals and institutional catering.

🛡️

Strict quality & hygiene standardsVietnamese processors operate under modern biosecurity controls, ensuring 100% antibiotic-free, fully traceable products that comply with MAPA (Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture) sanitary regulations.

🍽️

Versatile kitchen formatsReady-to-cook fillets, portions, and value-added shrimp reduce kitchen labor costs and food waste for foodservice operators.

Product solutions from Meksea

As a premier supplier of high-quality frozen seafood from Vietnam, Meksea delivers reliable, certified seafood products tailored to the needs of Latin American importers and retail distributors:

🐟 Pangasius Fillets
Processed from ASC and BAP-certified farms in the Mekong Delta, available in well-trimmed or untrimmed formats with exact glazing control (0% to 20%).
🐟 Black Tilapia Fillets
Deep-skinned, skinless, and boneless IQF fillets featuring a clean taste and firm texture, packaged specifically for retail freezer displays.
🌊 Barramundi
Premium whitefish featuring a mild, buttery flavor and firm, flaky texture. Available in these formats for high-end foodservice and restaurant chains:  Skin-onSkinlessScale-on filletsPrecision-cut portions
🦐 Premium Shrimp Range
High-quality Vannamei & Black Tiger shrimp available in these formats:  Cooked HOSO Peeled, tail-on (PTO)Peeled & deveined (PD)NobashiTempura
🏷️ Private Label (OEM) Services
To help you secure stable supply, optimize purchasing costs, and maximize your profit margins during this festive peak, Meksea offers comprehensive OEM packaging customization, including bag printing, barcodes, and localized nutrition facts panels.

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Why should you partner with Meksea?

✅ Certified international quality
Facilities operated under BRCGS, IFS, HACCP, ASC, BAP 4-Star, and Halal management systems.
✅ Reliable logistics & shipping
Full support with import documentation, health certificates, and customs clearance for Latin American ports:⚓ Buenos Aires⚓ Santos⚓ Paranaguá⚓ Montevideo⚓ And more
✅ Stable year-round supply
Meksea has corporated with more than 100 reliable factories and large-scale farm partnerships that guarantee stable volume delivery even during seasonal peak periods.

🎄 Planning Your Year-end and 2027 Contracts With Meksea

Tell us what you buy and in what volume. We will come back with several quality products that meet international standards.

Don’t hesitate too long because Holiday demand is picking up, and our production and shipping schedules are getting busy.

Contact us:
Mr. Hoang Duy (Commercial Director), WhatsApp: +84 903 872 469
Email: hoang@mekongseafoodconnection.com

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