The story of salty drops and sweet drops - The journey of Duy Trang seaweed

Morning in Ninh Hoa, the wind from the sea blows cool on the face. The water surface sparkles like silver, each strand of seaweed gently sways with the rhythm of the waves.

Nguyen Quang Duy, founder of Duy Trang, bent down, his sunburnt hands picking up bunches of shimmering green seaweed. He smiled: “ The sea nourishes us with its saltiness, and seaweed nourishes the sea with its green color.”

Mr. Nguyen Duy Quang with his seaweed product.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Quang and his seaweed product.

The saying sounds simple, but it contains the long journey of a son of Khanh Hoa , leaving the mainland, going to the sea, and then returning with a dream: Making the sea not only beautiful but also healthy, so that people can live gently with the sea.

From wild seaweed to clean seaweed - a journey of faith

On the first day, everyone laughed at Duy. “ Who would eat seaweed? It’s as cheap as seagrass, who would buy it?” But he believed that if nature had given him such a precious plant, there must be something in it worth cherishing.

He and his wife, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, who is also his companion in every meal and every batch of seaweed, go to all the fishing villages, find the best seaweed varieties, learn techniques from Japan, then quietly breed them in saltwater ponds along the coast.

Preliminary processing of seaweed. Photo: Hong Dang

One time, a storm came, the water rose, and the entire farming area was washed away. He sat absent-mindedly, looking at the dry pond, holding a few remaining strands of seaweed. Trang put her hand on his shoulder and whispered: " Let's start again, from this very salty drop." From then on, they named the brand Duy Trang, not only combining the names of the two people, but also combining fate, the moon of the sea, where two small people put their trust in nature.

When salty taste turns sweet

Duy Trang seaweed is grown in clean seawater, harvested at the right time, then dried and processed according to natural processes. No flavorings, no colorings, no industry, just seawater, sunlight and the hands of the growers.

Each bunch of seaweed is like a cluster of pearls from the sea, crunchy, slightly salty, refreshing, leaving a sweet taste at the end of the tongue. It is not just the taste of seaweed, but the taste of the journey, the taste of faith and perseverance.

Each box of Duy Trang seaweed when delivered to customers carries a simple message: " Each bunch of seaweed is the sweat of the grower, the whisper of the sea, the belief in sustainable agriculture ".

International tourists visit and learn about the seaweed production process at DT Group. Photo: Hong Dang

The sea lives when people know how to live with the sea

Duy Trang not only peddles, but also spreads a philosophy: The sea is not a place to exploit, but a place to share. Every square meter of water surface is carefully calculated, so as not to disrupt the ecological balance. Each pond is naturally filtered, not discharged into the environment.

Duy Trang cooperates with fishermen, teaches clean seaweed farming techniques, purchases them stably, and creates jobs for dozens of coastal households. Sea grapes have helped people to go out to sea less, and still live with the sea in a more peaceful way.

Sea grapes packaging at DT Group.

An old fisherman once said: “ In the past, we used to fish and fight over every catch. Now we raise seaweed, the sea is calmer and people are kinder.”

When products tell stories of people's hearts

Duy Trang’s packaging has a picture of a turquoise water droplet printed on it. Inside the water droplet is a picture of a hand holding a bunch of seaweed. Because for them, the product is not just a commodity, but a story of people living kindly with nature.

Introducing DT Group's seaweed products at the supply-demand connection conference held in Khanh Hoa. Photo: Hong Dang

Each box of seaweed when brought to Japan, Korea, or the European market not only carries the Vietnamese brand, but also carries the soul of the people of Khanh Hoa, simple, sincere, persistent and peaceful.

Salty drops of the sea, sweet drops of the human heart

Someone asked Duy: " What is your success?", he just smiled: " My success is every morning when I step out, I see the seaweed growing green, the sea is still clear, and the workers still smile."

Displaying product lines made from seaweed.

Duy Trang Sea Grapes is not just a dish, but a story of a persistent belief that the Vietnamese sea is tolerant enough to support kind dreams. And when people know how to live with nature, the salty drops of the sea will also turn into sweet drops of happiness.

“ The sea gives us its saltiness, we give back its blue color. That is how Khanh Hoa people preserve their love for their homeland in each bunch of seaweed sparkling in the early morning sunlight.”

LE MINH HOAN *

(*): Member of the Party Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly .

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/kinh-te/202510/cau-chuyen-ve-giot-man-va-giot-ngot-hanh-trinh-cua-rong-nho-duy-trang-cc56d28/