From October 30 to November 1, 2025, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Helvetas Vietnam introduces a series of innovative packaging solutions made from agricultural by-products such as cocoa pods and shells, spent coffee grounds, and coconut fibers.
The showcase is part of the “Circular Economy Cocoa Project” funded by the European Union (EU), which aims to promote the adoption of bio-based materials and reduce carbon emissions across Vietnam’s agri-food sector.
Every year, Vietnam generates tens of millions of tons of agricultural by-products, most of which remain underutilized—leading to biomass waste and environmental impact. Meanwhile, many industries continue to rely on virgin materials and fossil-based inputs, resulting in higher costs, resource depletion, and significant carbon emissions.
In response, Helvetas’ initiatives featured at the Expo present a new pathway for sustainable transformation — turning agricultural residues into green materials and advancing Vietnam’s circular economy transition.
From Agricultural Waste to Real-World Green Materials
Since 2022, the Circular Economy Cocoa Project implemented by Helvetas Vietnam has supported thousands of farming households and agribusinesses across various provinces to apply circular economy and regenerative agriculture practices. The project helps optimize farming and processing systems, repurpose agricultural residues, reduce environmental footprint, lower costs, and increase farmers’ income. At Vietnam Coffee Expo 2025, the project introduces a range of pioneering bio-based products — including packaging, pallets, and household items made from coffee, cocoa, and coconut by-products.
Among them, the bio-based pallet made from coconut fiber draws strong interest from manufacturing and export enterprises. Designed to replace conventional wooden and plastic pallets, the product helps reduce carbon emissions, cut transport costs, and limit deforestation — a step forward in greening Vietnam’s agricultural supply chains.
According to Mr. Anh Duong, a bio-material expert from AirX Carbon, the project’s technical partner: “A batch of 1,000 bio-pallets can store up to 34 tons of carbon. They meet industrial storage and export standards while being around 20% cheaper than wooden pallets.”
In addition, the project showcases bio-plastic materials made from agricultural residues.
Finely ground coffee waste or cocoa shell powder blended with PLA (polylactic acid) produces fully biodegradable plastics, ideal for single-use items such as cups, straws, and food trays.
Other formulations combining agricultural by-products with PP resin yield materials that can last up to five years, offering sustainable alternatives for reusable items and branded merchandise across coffee chains, restaurants, and hotels.
A particularly promising innovation is the cocoa husk wrapping paper — a bio-based paper made from cocoa bean husks. Retaining its natural handmade texture, the paper is soft, durable, easy to fold, and eco-friendly. It is currently being used by Marou Chocolates for chocolate bar wrapping.
Bringing Circular Solutions Closer to Businesses
Vietnam Coffee Expo is one of the leading F&B trade events in Vietnam, gathering hundreds of coffee and tea enterprises. In 2024, the exhibition attracted 200 booths and over 19,000 visitors from Korea, Dubai, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Belgium, and other countries.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan, Project Manager at Helvetas Vietnam, shares: “We aim to bring circular solutions in cocoa production — especially creative packaging made from agricultural by-products — to a wider audience, fostering collaboration between domestic and international enterprises to promote circular economy practices and support Vietnam’s Net Zero commitment.”
As the F&B and logistics sectors increasingly seek plastic alternatives and sustainable production models, Helvetas’ booth at Vietnam Coffee Expo 2025 stands not only as a display of innovation, but also as a testament to Vietnam’s growing green transition in agriculture.
