Vietnam Partner Identification and Evaluation for a European Kitchen Sink Manufacturer

A European kitchen sink manufacturer wanted to expand its commercial presence in Vietnam through local partners and retail outlets. The company also sought to target developers, to fit their kitchen sinks in new real estate projects.

The client's current partner lacked results due to not actively developing the business locally, but instead focused on other brands.

Vietnam was a priority market for the client, but succeeding required a partner base that would actively sell and develop the brand, covering both retail channels and project sales to real estate developers.

The client faced several connected challenges:

• The existing partner was not delivering, and the client had limited visibility of the wider partner landscape in Vietnam.
• Partner capabilities and track records had to be validated on the ground, not from a distance.
• Selection criteria, target segments and commercial objectives needed to be defined before any screening could begin.
• The client needed support to move all the way from exploratory conversations to a concrete partnership structure and signed contract.

The goal was a clear, structured process to map the relevant potential partner landscape and turn it into signed partnerships with a long term cooperation plan.

APAC Advantage ran the full partner identification and evaluation process, from setting selection criteria and building the screening framework at kickoff to supporting the final assessment, negotiations and contract signing.

Our team worked hands-on in the market, combining our own network, company databases and industry sources to find candidates, screening them through interviews and visits, and standing alongside the client through every meeting, negotiation and signing.

• Set the selection criteria, target segments and commercial objectives with the client at kickoff, including sales targets and budget, and built the screening framework used to score every partner.
• Identified around 18 potential partners and developers from our own network, company databases, and industry sources. Screened them through a combination of offline/online interviews and visit, to establish capability and genuine interest in the product.
• Built a shortlist of partners meeting the client's criteria, each presented with a full company profile and an assessment of capabilities and qualities, and arranged meetings between the shortlisted alternatives and the client.
• Supported the client through the final assessment, the negotiations and contract signing, and handed over a business plan covering sales targets, budget and a five year implementation roadmap with selected partners.

• 3 partners signed contracts with the client, with a long term cooperation plan
• 100+ potential Vietnamese partners identified and screened against the client's criteria
• Sales targets, budget and a five year implementation roadmap handed over with the shortlist