Squid, Cuttlefish and Baby Octopus from Vietnam: A Buyer's Guide to Forms and Sizes

Squid and octopus are one of Vietnam's fastest-growing seafood lines. In the first five months of 2026, exports reached USD 304 million, up 18%, and South Korea alone took 37% of the category in the first four months of the year. China is also buying more.

Cephalopods are bought on detail. Two cartons labelled "frozen squid" can differ in species, cut, size, glaze and net weight, and those differences decide whether the product works for the buyer's kitchen or retail shelf. This guide sets out the points to agree before ordering.

Squid

Squid is usually traded as whole round, whole cleaned, tube, rings or flower cut. Size is given as length per piece for tubes, or as pieces per kg for whole squid.

TBESFOOD supplies Illex argentinus squid tubes graded 8–10 cm, 10–12 cm and 13–15 cm per piece. Freezing formats are IQF, semi-IQF and block, packed in PA/PE bags or bulk.

Points to agree:

• Species and origin of the raw material
• Cut and cleaning standard (skin on or off, wings, tentacles)
• Length or count grade, and the tolerance
• Glaze percentage and net weight declaration

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish has thicker, firmer flesh than squid and is often used for grilling, hot pot and sashimi-style dishes in Japan and Korea. It is mainly traded whole cleaned, as fillets, or as flower cut.

TBESFOOD supplies whole cleaned cuttlefish, frozen IQF or block, packed 10 kg per carton or to the customer's request. Sizes are graded 10/20, 20/40 and 40/60 up.

Baby octopus

Baby octopus is a staple for Korean and Japanese foodservice, and for ready meals across Asia. It is sold whole cleaned, or cut into flower shape so it opens when cooked.

TBESFOOD supplies baby octopus (Octopus dollfusi and Octopus ocellatus) in three packs:

• IQF, 1 kg × 10 per carton
• Block, 500 g × 12 per carton
• Flower shape

Sizes run from 10/20 to 60 up pieces per kg.

IQF or block?

IQF (individually quick frozen) pieces are frozen separately, so the user can take only what is needed. This suits retail and foodservice. Block-frozen product is frozen in a solid slab, which protects the flesh during long storage and suits processors who thaw a full block at once.

The choice affects price per kg, glaze and handling at the buyer's end, so it should be fixed in the contract with the glaze level.

Market rules to plan for

Each destination adds its own requirements:

• South Korea: the plant must be registered with MFDS before the import declaration, and labels must be in Korean
• China: the plant must be registered with GACC under Decree 280, and each shipment needs an official health certificate
• Japan: imports are notified to MHLW quarantine, and labels show the country of origin

Working with TBESFOOD

TBESFOOD COMPANY LIMITED, a member of TBES Group, has exported seafood from Vietnam since 2016 and ships to 30 countries. To receive specifications and photos for squid, cuttlefish or baby octopus, contact our export team at export@tbesfood.com.

Sources

• Squid and octopus exports, 5M/2026: VnBusiness, citing VASEP https://vnbusiness.vn/
• Squid and octopus to Korea, 4M/2026: CafeF, citing VASEP https://cafef.vn/
• Korea registration and labelling: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety https://www.mfds.go.kr/eng/wpge/m_11/de011002l001.do
• China registration: Singapore Food Agency trade circular on GACC Decree 280 https://www.sfa.gov.sg/
• Japan import procedure: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/importedfoods/1.html