Frequent seafood consumer Hoa of HCMC said she recently started buying only Canadian lobsters. “Their price is much cheaper than other types of lobsters. The lobsters are also alive and fresh, having just been imported, with sweet and firm meat.”
Seafood stores in the city are selling Canadian lobsters weighing 500-600 grams each at VND950,000 to VND1.1 million per kilogram (US$36–42).
Larger ones weighing one kilogram or more cost around VND1.3-1.4 million. The prices are 5-10% lower than in the same period last year.
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Canadian lobsters sold at a store in HCMC. Photo by Tran Van Truong |
Australian lobsters cost VND3.5 million per kilogram, Vietnamese spiny lobsters, nearly VND3 million, and domestic rock lobsters, around VND1.5 million.
The rise in imports of Canadian lobsters is attributed to the lower prices. Vietnam imported around $34 million worth of seafood from Canada in the first seven months of the year, up 42% from the same period last year. Lobsters accounted for around 60-65% of the value, according to Vietnam Customs.
Hong, the owner of a store selling imported seafood in HCMC, said he imports several hundred kilograms of Canadian lobsters each month.
“I import 30% more of Canadian lobsters compared to other varieties, and it still sells out first because the price is affordable.”
Lower prices are helping Canadian lobsters gain popularity and appear in more places.
Hong said only a few wholesalers used to import the product, but an increasing number of businesses are now buying and distributing it.
Canadian lobsters are now also sold at supermarkets and online. Many restaurants and eateries are offering them in combination with crabs, shrimp, clams, and other seafood, allowing groups and families to enjoy lobsters without spending too much on their food.
Tran Van Truong, CEO of seafood chain Hai San Hoang Gia, said price is an important reason for the rising demand for the product. He said in the first seven months of this year, his company’s imports of Canadian lobsters increased by double digits year-on-year.
He said the lobsters are in season from July to September, when supply is are more abundant than that of Australian lobsters, and they are hardy and have good survival rates, resulting in low losses during transportation and storage.
Although their quality is not as high as Vietnamese lobsters, Canadian lobsters have an advantage in terms of supply, he added.
The lower prices are also due to import tariffs: Canadian lobsters that meet Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership requirements are subject to a 0% tariff when imported into Vietnam.
Canada is the world’s largest lobster exporter. Data from Fisheries and Oceans Canada showed that the country exported 79,380 tons of lobsters worth $3.01 billion in 2025, the highest of any fisheries items.