Realizing dreams from loss

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh has successfully started a business from green bananas.

Pain turns into motivation

Few people know that Binh’s dream of creating a clean and healthy product for the community originated from loss. At the age of 18, the little girl suffered the pain of losing her father to lung cancer. Before the wound could heal, sadness engulfed the family when her uncle and aunt passed away one after another, also from cancer.

Binh shared: Before the family incident, I always wondered why my loved ones got sick? Is there any way for each person to prevent illness from daily meals?

That concern made Binh start to research documents about natural foods and active ingredients that can support health. While reading a study in an American scientific journal, she accidentally learned about the high content of resistant starch in green bananas that helps reduce the risk of colon cancer, supports blood sugar control, improves digestion and brings many health benefits.

The young girl suddenly stopped: green bananas - a familiar fruit in her hometown - contained such precious values. That was the moment that marked a turning point for Binh. From that moment on, she decided to do something to increase the value of the bananas from her hometown.

The journey of endurance

After graduating from Thai Nguyen University of Economics and Business Administration, Binh had a stable job at a water company. The income was good, the working environment was good, the future was bright, but her heart was set on the green banana bunches of the farmers in her hometown.

Some typical products from green bananas.

In January 2020, Binh quit his job, pooled all his savings and borrowed more to build a green banana flour processing facility at Group 26, Quan Trieu Ward. At first, green banana flour was well received but still faced major obstacles: it was only suitable for baking, making snacks or mixing drinks that required time and perseverance. Meanwhile, modern consumers need convenience.

Not stopping there, from 2020 to 2024, Binh diligently researched a new product: Banan green banana noodles, chemical-free, can be used for main meals and is suitable for many people, especially dieters, people with diabetes, stomach problems or people who need to control their weight.

Once the quality was confirmed, the Banan brand was quickly accepted by the market. Currently, Binh's facility supplies about 2 tons of green banana powder and 5 tons of green banana noodles to the market in and outside the province each month.

In particular, Binh has linked with more than 80 households to build a 65-hectare green banana material area, creating jobs for hundreds of seasonal workers and many purchasing and transportation workers.

Banana noodles are currently available in supermarkets, OCOP stores, organic agricultural stores, restaurants, hotels, e-commerce platforms, and exported to many major cities and provinces. Annual revenue is estimated at about 7 billion VND.

Binh is also completing its own branded product line, including: Banan green banana powder, Banan dried green banana, Banan green banana noodles. Some products have achieved 3-star OCOP standards, becoming the pride of Thai Nguyen agricultural products. Binh's upcoming goal is to bring Thai Nguyen green bananas with barcodes and clear brands to conquer many international markets.

Green bananas, under the hands and dedication of Nguyen Thi Binh, have gone beyond the gardens on the hillsides of the old Phu Lac commune (where Binh was born) to become a typical agricultural product of Thai Nguyen.

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