UEH Mekong and Vinh Long Business Association Co-host Talkshow on "Activating Business for the Tet Season and New Year 2026"

11 Dec, 2025

On December 9, 2025, at Hall A, the Vinh Long Campus of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH Mekong), in collaboration with the Vinh Long Province Business Association, hosted the talkshow "Activating Business for the Tet Season and New Year 2026." The program aimed to help the local business community stay updated on consumer trends for the 2026 Tet holiday and provided a forum to discuss cash flow management, product quality, and business opportunities with industry experts.

The talkshow "Activating Business for the Tet Season and New Year 2026" was designed to create an in-depth forum where businesses, experts, and students could discuss views on Tet consumer trends, market dynamics, and adaptive business models in the new context. The event not only raised awareness about the importance of product quality transparency and cash flow management but also inspired innovation and strategic thinking among businesses and the younger generation. Through these discussions, the talkshow aimed to empower the business community in the Mekong Delta to build sustainable competitive capacity, ready to seize opportunities for the 2026 business season, and contribute to the stable and effective development of the local and national economy.

An overview of the talkshow

Attending the event from the Vinh Long Business Association were: Mr. Nguyen Tuong Nam – Chairman of the Association; Mr. Tran Van Hoang – Vice Chairman of the Association; Ms. Le Truc My – Vice Chairman of the Vinh Long Province Business Association. From partner organizations, attendees included Ms. Vu Kim Hanh – Chairwoman of the Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Products Enterprises, Director of the Business Studies and Assistance Center (BSA); Ms. Nguyen Thi Cam Chi – Director of Sustainable Development Advisory Division, MCG Management Consulting; Ms. Le Thi Hai Yen – Trade Marketing Director for Home Care, Unilever; Mr. Tran Hoang Tuyen – Deputy Director of the Business Studies and Assistance Center (BSA); Mr. Lam Hoang Quan – aTraining and International Standards Assessment Specialist, SGS Vietnam (Certification, Inspection, Verification, and Testing Organization). The event also welcomed representatives from provincial departments, agencies, the Young Entrepreneurs Association, and various businesses in Vinh Long.

From UEH Mekong, attendees included: Mr. Ho Thien Quyen, M.A. – Vice Director of UEH Mekong, along with leaders of departments, schools, faculty, and nearly 300 students currently studying at the Campus.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Ho Thien Quyen, M.A., Vice Director of UEH Mekong welcomed the attendees, expressed his gratitude, and affirmed UEH's commitment to partnering with businesses. He also emphasized that UEH Mekong always prioritizes its role in connecting the university, enterprises, and students to contribute to training a high-quality workforce that meets the development needs of the Mekong Delta region.

Mr. Ho Thien Quyen, M.A. – Vice Director of UEH Mekong, delivering his opening remarks

During the talkshow, experts provided in-depth analysis and updated information on the 2026 Tet market, helping businesses better identify new trends and requirements in modern business operations.

Continuing the program, Ms. Vu Kim Hanh Chairwoman of the Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Products Enterprises presented a comprehensive overview of the current consumer market, highlighting the challenges businesses face due to declining purchasing power and the impacts of natural disasters, climate change and other unfavorable developments. She also introduced the "Pre-Mekong Connect" program, an initiative to help businesses in the Mekong Delta enhance their adaptability, increase competitiveness, and find sustainable directions in the upcoming period.

Ms. Vu Kim Hanh – Chairwoman of the Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Products Enterprises, speaking at the workshop

During the program, Ms. Le Thi Hai Yen, Trade Marketing Director for Home Care at Unilever, former Trade Marketing Director of Heineken Vietnam, analyzed the flow of goods for the 2026 Tet season amid sharply fragmented purchasing power, shifts in consumer behavior after natural disasters and calamities, and forecasted demand for specific product categories and potential distribution channels for businesses in the year-end period. Practical perspectives from a major FMCG company helped participants better understand how to plan effective sales strategies for the Tet season.

Ms. Le Thi Hai Yen – Trade Marketing Director for Home Care at Unilever, speaking at the workshop

Mr. Lam Hoang Quan, Training and International Standards Assessment Specialist, SGS Vietnam (Certification, Inspection, Verification, and Testing Organization), discussed the challenges of ensuring transparency in product quality standards and the role of inspection, certification, testing organizations in building consumer trust, offering recommendations for businesses to improve quality control processes, meeting domestic and international market requirements. This content was particularly useful for manufacturing and distribution businesses, especially in the context of growing smart consumption trends and increasingly stringent international standards.

Mr. Lam Hoang Quan, Training and International Standards Assessment Specialist, SGS Vietnam, speaking at the talkshow

Financial expert Ms. Nguyen Thi Cam Chi - Director of the Sustainable Development Advisory Division, MCG Management Consulting focused on essential topics such as new financial requirements in the context of ESG and green transition, cash flow management for SMEs in a volatile market, how to prepare financial resources - risk management - appropriate investment strategies for the sustainable development phase. Local businesses highly appreciated this sharing session for its practicality, especially as green transformation requirements are gradually becoming mandatory.

Financial expert Ms. Nguyen Thi Cam Chi, Director of Sustainable Development Advisory Division, MCG Management Consulting, speaking at the talkshow

The open discussion session, moderated by the Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Products Enterprises, drew many questions about the market, quality standards, financial management and Tet distribution strategies. Vinh Long businesses showed particular interest in solutions for coping with declining purchasing power and cost optimization models in the new competitive context.

Speakers and students at UEH Mekong participated in the workshop and Q&A session

Delegates take a commemorative photo

The talkshow "Activating Business for the Tet Season and New Year 2026" concluded in a vibrant and positive atmosphere. The event not only offered practical insights into the Tet market, consumption trends, and business management strategies but also provided attendees with authentic career stories from experts and businesses. It also opened up new opportunities for connection and collaboration between UEH Mekong and the Vinh Long business community, all aimed at fostering sustainable, adaptive business practices and readiness for the 2026 season and beyond.

Other images from the workshop: