In recent years, Western Food Processing Export Joint Stock Company (WestFood) has continuously expanded its raw material areas — particularly its MD2 pineapple farms — with the goals of securing stable input materials, maintaining consistent pricing, helping farmers avoid the “bumper crop, falling price” cycle, and enhancing the company’s competitiveness in international markets while boosting exports to demanding destinations.
Pineapple is a highly versatile fruit and is considered one of WestFood’s key strategic products. After extensive research and field assessments, WestFood selected the MD2 variety — globally renowned for its fragrance, vibrant yellow flesh, crisp texture, sweetness, large size, shallow eyes, and nearly thornless exterior — for trial cultivation in its dedicated farming zones. MD2 is known for combining the superior traits of the Queen and Cayenne varieties, the two most commonly grown pineapple types in Vietnam.
Following its introduction, the quality of WestFood’s MD2 pineapple has not only convinced the farmers involved in production but also impressed experts, representatives of local authorities, agricultural departments, and farmer associations. Notably, although WestFood was not the first enterprise to bring the MD2 variety to Vietnam for testing, it is the first to achieve significant success with it — demonstrating both the company’s strategic investment and the leadership’s commitment to elevating Vietnamese agricultural products to new heights.
WestFood currently maintains more than 150 hectares of MD2 pineapple cultivation and aims to expand to 1,200 hectares by 2030, with 50% of the area meeting GLOBALG.A.P standards. This foundation enables WestFood’s products to access the most demanding markets, including Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
According to WestFood representatives, GLOBALG.A.P comprises 252 criteria, including 36 mandatory requirements that must be met 100%, 127 criteria that allow up to 95% compliance, and 89 recommended practices.
“To achieve GLOBALG.A.P certification, the entire chain — from growers and harvesters to processors and distributors — must establish a comprehensive food safety monitoring and control system. This begins with farm preparation and continues through harvesting, processing, and storage. For instance, the soil must be properly prepared and free from contamination; water sources must be safe; plant varieties must be disease-free; and all agricultural inputs must be approved materials, primarily organic, to ensure consumer safety.
Additionally, all individuals involved in the process must record every production step — from planting to harvesting and storage — to ensure traceability in cases of food poisoning, chemical residue issues, or any other incidents,” a WestFood representative shared.
Every stage of production is monitored and recorded by WestFood’s engineers.
WestFood’s methodical investment in GLOBALG.A.P-certified raw material areas has enabled the company to significantly improve product quality, meet international standards, and expand opportunities to access highly selective markets. This achievement reflects the company’s long-term vision for sustainable agricultural development and contributes to elevating the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products in the era of deep global integration.
