According to the General Department of Customs (Ministry of Finance), Vietnam imported over 103,000 tons of Indian buffalo meat in the first half of this year, worth approximately $287 million.

This marked a 14.2% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The average price of imported Indian buffalo meat dropped to just $2,780 per ton, or about $2.78 per kilogram, significantly lower than the $3,600 per ton recorded last year.

India remains the top supplier of buffalo meat to Vietnam.

However, despite these large imports, buffalo meat is rarely seen in local markets, supermarkets, or even online stores. Instead, shelves are filled with various beef products, raising the question: where has all the imported buffalo meat gone?

Fake Wagyu uncovered at Hanoi factory

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Imported buffalo meat transformed into premium beef using chemical injections. Photo: DMS

The Domestic Market Management and Development Authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade) recently coordinated with Hanoi’s market surveillance and police forces to conduct a surprise inspection of a processing plant operated by Hida Foods JSC in Hoai Duc District, Hanoi.

There, investigators caught workers in the act of injecting a white powder-based solution into buffalo meat to simulate fat marbling, then labeling it as premium Wagyu beef under the brand “Hidasan” for market distribution.

Authorities seized a total of 65 tons of meat, including both buffalo meat and finished fake beef products, as well as 17 tons of chemical powder used to create the artificial marbling.

Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, General Director of Hida Foods, confessed to purchasing low-grade Indian buffalo meat at around 120,000 VND/kg (about $4.90/kg). After processing with chemical additives and rebranding, it was sold as premium imported beef, particularly Japanese-style Wagyu.

Buffalo meat transformed in minutes

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White powder mixture used to create artificial marbling. Image captured from VTV footage

Footage from VTV revealed how the transformation took place at the factory.

Frozen buffalo meat from India was placed into a specialized machine where dozens of syringe-like needles repeatedly injected the meat with a milky white substance.

Initially pale and watery, the buffalo meat quickly took on a vibrant hue and developed interlaced marbling patterns similar to genuine Wagyu beef.

The finished products were labeled with expiration dates extending up to one year from processing, even though the meat had been slaughtered a year earlier.

The white chemical solution was made by mixing four different powdered additives before being injected into the meat. Operations occurred only when sufficient orders were received.

Each morning, tons of meat were processed, packaged, and labeled with production dates before being moved into cold storage.

At the time of the raid, about 10 workers were preparing buffalo meat.

Inspectors found no products labeled as buffalo meat in the cold storage.

Instead, shelves were stacked with various beef packages bearing labels such as steak, ground beef, Hokubeef sirloin, and Wagyu.

High profits, widespread distribution

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Buffalo meat injected to mimic Wagyu beef’s signature fat patterns. Image from VTV footage

 

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In minutes, cheap buffalo meat is turned into marbled “Wagyu” for luxury sale. Image from VTV footage

According to investigative documents, the counterfeit premium meat had been sold to restaurant chains, hotels, supermarkets, and retail stores across major cities, including Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

In just minutes, buffalo meat was transformed into marbled "beef" and sold at luxury prices.

A kilogram of Indian buffalo meat, bought for around $4.90, was resold for $20 to $32 per kg, generating profits up to 7 times the original cost.

With such artificial fat marbling technology, it became nearly impossible for average consumers to distinguish fake imported beef from genuine Wagyu.

In recent years, "premium" steak cuts with circular or oval shapes and intricate marbling have flooded online marketplaces.

Sellers claim the meat is imported from Japan or from Australian cattle raised using Japanese techniques.

Prices for this type of meat typically range from $11 to $36 per kilogram.

Tam An