Dat Foods – Focused Growth Strategy & Storytelling Pitch Deck to Win and Attract Investment

Situation

• Dat Foods, a Vietnamese agri-food startup renowned for premium cashew butter, had successfully exported to 9 countries but faced resource dilution and margin pressure due to experimenting with new products (e.g., bottled cashew milk) and entering low-margin channels such as local bread (bánh mì) stalls

• In 2024, they aimed to secure a VND 250M grant from the Dutch Business Association Vietnam (DBAV), yet their pitch deck lacked a compelling export narrative, product innovation highlights, and clear market potential, which are key elements to persuade investors and judges

Dat Foods' products

Task

Define a focused product and distribution strategy to optimize resources, and create a brand narrative & investor-ready pitch deck that would:

1. Clearly articulate DatFoods’ core value proposition and competitive advantages.

2. Highlight innovation and sustainability to differentiate in global markets

3. Maximise winning potential at DBAV 2024 and attract follow-on funding

4. Provide strategic preparation for major international food exhibitions (e.g., Canton Fair)

   
   

Action

1. Focused & Resource-Optimized Strategy: Recommended discontinuing or scaling back time- and resource-draining initiatives (e.g., too many new product trials, low-margin channels). Redirected efforts to strengthen core products with proven market traction, expand into high-margin domestic retail and supermarket systems, while sustaining export growth

2. Trade Show Advisory: Developed a standardized checklist for Canton Fair participation, covering product selection, sample quantities, customer survey design, and booth engagement tactics—ensuring cost efficiency and stronger partner connections, applicable to future exhibitions

3. Pitch Deck Overhaul: Restructured content into a clear storytelling arc—from market challenges to DatFoods’ solution—integrating Nut Milk Report data and key European consumer insights (e.g., Netherlands demand for premium, sustainable plant-based protein)

4. Strategic Positioning: Avoided direct price competition with established local brands in Europe; positioned DatFoods around innovation, sustainability certifications, and superior quality to capture premium market demand

Result

• Dat Foods won 1st place in DBAV’s Ready to Export 2024 program, securing a VND 250M grant

• Achieved subsequent wins in multiple competitions, unlocking hundreds of millions of VND in grants and investments, fueling production scale-up and export expansion

• Successfully applied the trade show framework to other global exhibitions, improving partner outreach efficiency and market penetration

Resources

https://dbav.org.vn/publications/ready-export-business-award-and-appreciation-night-2024-final-wave#:~:text=Dat%20Foods%20stood%20out%20with%20its%20nut%2Dbased%20products%2C%20tapping%20into%20the&text=The%20three%2Dyear%20R2E%20program%2C%20funded%20by%20the%20Netherlands%20Enterprise%20Agency%20(RVO)