Halong Canfoco, the Vietnamese processor involved in a food safety scandal, suspended production at its Hai Phong plant after losing food safety and quality certifications. The suspension leaves the company unable to circulate products and without a clear timeline for resuming operations.
Officially known as Ha Long Canned Food JSC, the company disclosed the shutdown in a report to the Hanoi Stock Exchange on January 21. The disclosure followed a request for clarification regarding the destruction of violating materials and the temporary closure of its Hai Phong facility.
Production was halted on January 12 after the withdrawal of its ISO management certification under Decision No. 2026-002/QD-CERT issued on January 10. At the same time, its FSSC 22000 food safety certification was suspended, making its products ineligible for market circulation.
Corrective measures and destroyed inventory
Halong Canfoco announced a temporary shutdown of up to 14 days to implement corrective measures aimed at regaining the revoked certifications. The company outlined steps including strengthening management systems, reviewing supply chains, improving production processes, enhancing supplier controls, tightening raw material inspections, conducting risk assessments, and retraining employees.
Reports indicated the destruction of approximately 1.7 tons of finished pâté, equivalent to about 14,000 cans. The company clarified that these products were inventory at the Hai Phong plant and not made from contaminated raw materials under investigation. The stock was destroyed as a precaution to prevent potential disease risks.
Despite the crisis, Halong Canfoco insisted that the destroyed volume was small compared to overall production and would not significantly affect financial results or business continuity. The management board will decide whether the suspension extends beyond 14 days, depending on developments.
Food safety scandal and legal fallout
The certification suspension comes amid a wider food safety scandal. On September 8 last year, Hai Phong police discovered two trucks carrying nearly 1.3 tons of spoiled pork that later tested positive for African swine fever (ASF).
Subsequent searches uncovered more than 130 tons of frozen pork linked to Halong Canfoco and stored in four warehouses. Authorities sealed and destroyed the entire stock. Criminal proceedings for food safety violations began on September 12.
On December 24, investigators prosecuted nine suspects for supplying and trading pork from dead or diseased pigs infected with ASF. By January 10, CEO Truong Sy Toan and three quality control employees were arrested for allegedly managing and using diseased pork in production.
The company announced the cessation of production in Hai Phong following these arrests. A senior quarantine inspection official, Tran Thi Huong, was also detained for allegedly accepting bribes from Halong Canfoco. In addition, employee Le Nhat Huy surrendered to police.
Legacy of a once-pioneering enterprise
Founded in 1957 as Halong Canned Food Factory, the company was once a pioneer in Vietnam’s processed food industry.
According to its website, Halong Canfoco has built an ecosystem of three plants and three offices supporting manufacturing and business activities over nearly 70 years.