Trong Duc Cocoa Company Limited: "Agriculture must be associated with processing if you want to be the master"
When talking with Mr. Dang Tuong Kham - founder of Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd. and his son, Mr. Dang Tuong Khanh - the current General Director of the Company, we deeply understood the value of the proverb: " If there's a will, there's a way." "Lead" by two enthusiastic "captains", confident that the Trong Duc brand and Vietnamese cocoa products will affirm their position in the Vietnamese and world markets with quality processed products. High.
From dream to reality
Mr. Dang Tuong Kham said, "My dream is to build a cocoa corporation in the Southeast region." This year he is 86 years old, at the age of "seventy years old and half dead", but Mr. Kham is still full of enthusiasm and great passion of a businessman. Originating as an elite doctor and physician with 56 years of Party experience, he said, "At that time, Group 600 of Military Region 7 in Tan Phu was affiliated with the Soviet Union to grow cocoa, but when the fruit became available, the Soviet Union collapsed." , leading to cocoa beans having no "output". At that time, the State only had a policy to sponsor the planting of this tree in the provinces of Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, and Dak Lak; but not in Dong Nai. Luckily, because of my profession, I have the opportunity to interact and research this plant. This is a plant called "food of the gods", not only an industrial plant, a food plant but also an extremely good medicinal ingredient. Seeing that our people only sell raw fruit at dirt cheap prices, but import finished products at high prices; Then people only take the seeds without taking advantage of other ingredients such as water or fruit flesh... I wonder why Vietnamese people don't make the finished products themselves, taking full advantage of the benefits from this fruit!
Thinking is doing, after retiring, that old physician started working to bring his dream into reality. As Mr. Kham said, "The fate of the profession comes when we accept it. I am a Party member, so I will implement the Party's policy on the agricultural front." In the early stages of implementation, he encountered many difficulties, not only opposition from his relatives but also from many local people. However, that year (2006) he was still determined to borrow and mortgage the assets accumulated after many years of working as a physician... for about 30 billion VND. He invested in lending 50% of the value of seedlings to farmers in Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, and Lam Dong provinces. Everyone doubted the ability to recover capital, but he was determined to retain his idea and passion with many "bold" decisions such as signing a contract to ensure the lowest purchasing price for farmers of 4,000 VND. VND/kg of fruit (if the market price increases, the Company will still increase the price for farmers). However, during the period of implementing the cocoa purchasing policy with farmers, Mr. Kham encountered many difficulties. When it was time to harvest, many traders came to buy and pushed up the price, causing farmers to refuse to sell the fruit back to the Company. However, he thought, "As long as the farmers have the Company, if they have money, if they lose the farmers, they will also lose the Company", so he decided to cancel the 3 billion debt for the farmers.
Not only increasing production, Mr. Kham always tries to exploit maximum efficiency from cocoa trees. He began researching the production of products from the cocoa tree such as wine, candy, milk... to take advantage of 100% of the ingredients of the cocoa fruit such as water, fruit flesh, shell... Because of its high medicinal properties, he used using the cocoa processing method according to the traditional medicine method "jun than to do porcelain", meaning that medicinal plants have effects from root to tree, from leaf to fruit, supporting each other; The same production method is a combination of east and west, from handmade to modern. So "Made in Vietnam" cocoa products by Vietnamese people, for Vietnamese people were born. Very proud that Mr. Dang Tuong Kham is the first Vietnamese person to produce wine products from this tree and the business he runs is also considered a "model" by the International Cocoa Association (ICCO). "sample" of Vietnamese cocoa. On November 26, 2018, he was honored to be awarded a certificate of merit by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc for the successful implementation of Resolution 7 on TAM NONG of the Party in the cocoa sector. That is "Implementing a chain of links with farmers, creating sustainable cocoa areas in 3 provinces: Dong Nai - Binh Thuan - Lam Dong, currently spreading to Ba Ria - Vung Tau. For 13 years, the Company has remained resolute in following its original policy, never abandoning its people even for a day.”
"Hereditary"
Talking about Mr. Dang Truong Khanh - the current General Director of Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd. is a testament to the "hereditary profession". After completing his military service and deciding to settle down in Ho Chi Minh City, he was "ordered" by his father, Mr. Kham, to return to Dinh Quan district to replace him in implementing a project to develop cocoa trees in the area. This. “I received valuable "professional fire" from my father. My father told the farmers that when Vietnam opens widely, large corporations around the world will rush in, and farmers will not be able to survive if they stand alone. That way, our people will be poor forever. Therefore, farmers must gather together and organize cultivation, like our grandparents said, "one tree cannot make a tree, three trees gathered together can make a high mountain". Dad used love and reason to advise people to join the club, then the Company would go to the club to receive goods, people would not have to sell through traders. In 4 years, Ba has organized 33 clubs and planned raw material areas of more than 1,000 hectares in 3 provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, and Lam Dong. And so for 13 years, he has not left the farmer for a day" - Mr. Khanh said.
Also by properly implementing policies from the Party and State; Sticking to the motto "take the people as the foundation - farmers grow, people enjoy - Party leads - government organizations - businesses are the driving force - banks support", Mr. and his father Kham did not hesitate to support farmers a lot. about techniques for caring for and preventing pests and diseases on this difficult crop. It can be said that every day and every hour Cacao Trong Duc has been trying to use his ideas to enrich his homeland, the Fatherland of Vietnam.
The way forward...
At the stop at Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd., visitors will visit the cocoa garden in harvest season (around May & June, November & December of the year) with ripe fruit in full bloom as well as enjoy Pure chocolate and cocoa cups are produced from the factory here. Visitors can also directly see the process of drying and fermenting cocoa beans and the cocoa factory. Currently, the Company's cocoa raw material area has been certified by UTZ in the Netherlands, and there are 4 typical products voted by consumers as high quality Vietnamese goods. After 13 years of effort, today the Trong Duc Cacao brand not only has a reputation in the domestic market but is also highly appreciated by countries around the world such as Japan, Korea... .
Currently, the Company is proposing to the province to establish an agricultural product processing industrial cluster for agriculture in cocoa growing areas. Mr. Kham and Mr. Khanh said, "If we want to be masters, the agricultural industry must be associated with processing, so in this work, Trong Duc hopes to receive help from local authorities as well as investors." . Currently, the Company has invested in importing the most modern production machines in Asia to produce ultra-fine cocoa products. In the next 5 years, Trong Duc will continue to promote cocoa powder, as well as link cocoa powder with other agricultural products to create unique products such as durian cocoa powder, ginger cocoa powder, cocoa powder. medicinal herbs... With a plan to increase domestic sales revenue by 60% within 2 years, the Company is targeting traditional channels in cafes, department stores, and traditional markets. With the Slogan: "Your health is our heart", surely by 2020, Trong Duc's Cocoa products will have a solid foothold in the Vietnamese and world markets. As Mr. Kham, a 56-year-old Party member - 86 years old, once emphasized, "Regarding public affairs, we will continue to closely follow and successfully implement the Party and State's guidelines and resolutions. Personally, deep processing will be carried out from cocoa beans when raw material areas are available, ensuring that farmers are not dependent on world prices. Trong Duc is the first cocoa company in Vietnam to have a raw material area and a deep processing factory. In the future, the Company will continue to develop into a joint stock company model, selling shares to cocoa farmers and linking with other companies to form DONACACAO TRUNG DUC Cocoa Group.
Talking about Mr. Dang Truong Khanh - the current General Director of Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd. is a testament to the "hereditary profession". After completing his military service and deciding to settle down in Ho Chi Minh City, he was "ordered" by his father, Mr. Kham, to return to Dinh Quan district to replace him in implementing a project to develop cocoa trees in the area. This. “I received valuable "professional fire" from my father. My father told the farmers that when Vietnam opens widely, large corporations around the world will rush in, and farmers will not be able to survive if they stand alone. That way, our people will be poor forever. Therefore, farmers must gather together and organize cultivation, like our grandparents said, "one tree cannot make a tree, three trees gathered together can make a high mountain". Dad used love and reason to advise people to join the club, then the Company would go to the club to receive goods, people would not have to sell through traders. In 4 years, Ba has organized 33 clubs and planned raw material areas of more than 1,000 hectares in 3 provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Thuan, and Lam Dong. And so for 13 years, he has not left the farmer for a day" - Mr. Khanh said.
Also by properly implementing policies from the Party and State; Sticking to the motto "take the people as the foundation - farmers grow, people enjoy - Party leads - government organizations - businesses are the driving force - banks support", Mr. and his father Kham did not hesitate to support farmers a lot. about techniques for caring for and preventing pests and diseases on this difficult crop. It can be said that every day and every hour Cacao Trong Duc has been trying to use his ideas to enrich his homeland, the Fatherland of Vietnam.
The way forward...
At the stop at Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd., visitors will visit the cocoa garden in harvest season (around May & June, November & December of the year) with ripe fruit in full bloom as well as enjoy Pure chocolate and cocoa cups are produced from the factory here. Visitors can also directly see the process of drying and fermenting cocoa beans and the cocoa factory. Currently, the Company's cocoa raw material area has been certified by UTZ in the Netherlands, and there are 4 typical products voted by consumers as high quality Vietnamese goods. After 13 years of effort, today the Trong Duc Cacao brand not only has a reputation in the domestic market but is also highly appreciated by countries around the world such as Japan, Korea... .
Currently, the Company is proposing to the province to establish an agricultural product processing industrial cluster for agriculture in cocoa growing areas. Mr. Kham and Mr. Khanh said, "If we want to be masters, the agricultural industry must be associated with processing, so in this work, Trong Duc hopes to receive help from local authorities as well as investors." . Currently, the Company has invested in importing the most modern production machines in Asia to produce ultra-fine cocoa products. In the next 5 years, Trong Duc will continue to promote cocoa powder, as well as link cocoa powder with other agricultural products to create unique products such as durian cocoa powder, ginger cocoa powder, cocoa powder. medicinal herbs... With a plan to increase domestic sales revenue by 60% within 2 years, the Company is targeting traditional channels in cafes, department stores, and traditional markets. With the Slogan: "Your health is our heart", surely by 2020, Trong Duc's Cocoa products will have a solid foothold in the Vietnamese and world markets. As Mr. Kham, a 56-year-old Party member - 86 years old, once emphasized, "Regarding public affairs, we will continue to closely follow and successfully implement the Party and State's guidelines and resolutions. Personally, deep processing will be carried out from cocoa beans when raw material areas are available, ensuring that farmers are not dependent on world prices. Trong Duc is the first cocoa company in Vietnam to have a raw material area and a deep processing factory. In the future, the Company will continue to develop into a joint stock company model, selling shares to cocoa farmers and linking with other companies to form DONACACAO TRUNG DUC Cocoa Group.
Nguồn: VCCI