Increasing the value of Vietnamese cocoa beans.
For many years, Vietnamese cocoa beans were only exported in raw form, as powder and whole beans (low added value). Meanwhile, according to experts, Vietnamese cocoa is among the best in the world . Starting with just 500 million VND, Huynh Hoang Nhat Truong (born in 1993) and three companions saw an opportunity: “Vietnam lacks the technology and professional machinery; few people can make chocolate with the smooth, beautiful texture like in Europe. Without machines, we started by hand.”
Mr. Huynh Hoang Nhat Truong with Phu Quoc chocolate products. Photo: KIEU DIEM
Since 2018, the group has dedicated all their income from bartending and selling to tourists in the Phu Quoc special economic zone to researching flavors, experimenting with ingredients, and finding cocoa processing techniques suitable for the island's hot and humid climate. Even a half-degree temperature difference can ruin a batch of chocolate completely. But they persevered, even if it meant repeating the process hundreds of times.
Around 2022-2023, the first chocolate factory in the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone officially opened, equipped with custom-made machinery and an operating process built from the experience of numerous failures. Production volume was small, costs were high, but in return, they controlled quality. What set Truong's group apart was their philosophy: "Chocolate must tell the story of Vietnam." A single chocolate bar might only weigh 6g, but it contains the "identity" of each region, enhancing the value of Vietnamese agricultural products and making chocolate a miniature "cultural ambassador" in the tourism industry.
Patterns such as plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, bamboo; dragons, unicorns, turtles, phoenixes; Hoi An architectural motifs; and Cham ethnic patterns... are incorporated into product packaging by Truong, creating unique tourist souvenirs that leave a lasting impression on customers. Truong shared: "International hotels all want a gift that, when guests enter their rooms, is both beautiful and tells a story of Vietnamese culture."
Taking a shortcut into the media ecosystem.
Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone was the first "launching pad" for Mr. Truong and his group of friends. Each year, it welcomes millions of domestic and international tourists, becoming a market for experiential chocolate, offering both uniqueness and the potential to add value to tourism. Mr. Truong said: "We are researching and developing products for the domestic market such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hanoi … and eventually distributing them through supermarket chains." Phu Quoc chocolate products are already available in major tourist destinations like Nha Trang, Da Lat, and Ha Long, and are also exported to Thailand and South Korea.
Mr. Huynh Hoang Nhat Truong (far left) introduces Phu Quoc chocolate products at a training conference on intellectual property protection at the An Giang Market Management Department. Photo: KIEU DIEM
Truong's team consistently appears at trending events in the 5-star hotel industry, with major brands like Marriott, Premier Residences, and Pullman seeking new, iconic products that align with their sustainability and localization philosophies. This combination allows Bittersweet to "take a shortcut" into the hotel media ecosystem, a smart, cost-effective approach that generates quick results.
From an economic perspective, chocolate meets three criteria: ease of shaping, flexible pricing (from 5,000 VND per piece to several hundred thousand VND per box), and suitability for all customer segments. Chocolate allows young businesses to proactively set prices, create innovative packaging, and establish brand touchpoints relevant to tourism. Furthermore, by incorporating Vietnamese ingredients, chocolate can have flavors such as mango, tangerine, coffee, coconut, pepper, and tea, creating a diverse product range with a strong local character.
Bittersweet Phu Quoc Chocolate recently won first prize (Category B) in the 11th Green Startup Project Competition 2025, jointly organized by the Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods Businesses and the Business Research and Support Center (BSA). Amidst the flow of integration, these small chocolate bars are telling the story of the transformation of Vietnamese agricultural products, from raw materials to products with cultural depth and economic value, opening up new directions for the tourism and agricultural sectors.
KIEU DIEM
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/khoi-nghiep-tu-socola-a471296.html
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