Discover the “best seller”
In Mr. Thang's snail processing workshop, about 20 or 30 middle-aged female workers are working diligently. Their hands deftly shape each snail patty, stuff it neatly into bamboo tubes, then arrange it on trays and pack it into bags. From here, the bamboo tube stuffed snails are transported everywhere, from roadside eateries to large restaurants in Hanoi , Phu Tho, Nam Dinh, Tuyen Quang, ... and some provinces in the Central and Southern regions.
“The people working here are mainly local people, taking advantage of the off-season to earn extra income. In winter, hot pot restaurants are very popular, and the facility sells 2,000 to 4,000 trays like this every day,” Thang said, pointing to the trays of packaged snails, which contain both bamboo-tube snails and accompanying dipping sauce.
According to Mr. Thang, to build a reputation for a rustic dish and bring it to many people is a long journey.
In 2011, after finishing high school, he decided to study culinary arts and hotel management. To quickly improve his skills, he worked as a kitchen assistant in large hotels in the morning, and continued to cook at restaurants after his shift. For 4 consecutive years, Thang worked from 9am to 2am every day.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thang with his tube snail product. |
After working in the provinces for many years, he decided to return to his hometown and continue working as a chef for some local restaurants. “At that time, my family had a garden, so I converted it into a pond to raise snails, and raised chickens and pigs. But raising snails is very time-consuming and can easily kill them if not kept warm. Chickens and pigs also often get sick, so I had to give up after 2 years of pursuing it,” Thang shared.
The opportunity came when Mr. Thang was working as a chef at a local snail restaurant. The idea of making a different, more delicious, and more beautifully presented snail dish kept haunting him. One time, seeing people grilling bamboo chicken in bamboo tubes, he came up with the idea of trying the same with snails. Unexpectedly, it was a success, the unique and flavorful stuffed snail dish attracted more and more customers to the restaurant. "I don't know if anyone had made this dish before, but the restaurant was packed at that time, just because the dish looked unique and tasted delicious," Mr. Thang recalled.
Successful start-up from stuffed snail dish
In 2019, Mr. Thang decided to start a business with the stuffed snail dish, with an initial capital of only 20 million VND. At that time, the workshop only had the main staff of the couple, hiring a few seasonal workers. Mr. Thang took care of everything himself, from production to product introduction and finding outlets. Luckily, thanks to having worked as a chef in many restaurants, he had connections. When they learned that the stuffed snail dish was made by his own hands, many restaurant owners trusted him and immediately imported the goods. The couple was busy from early morning until late at night to prepare orders, deliver the goods and then start working for the next day.
After two years of operation, the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Despite the difficulties, Mr. Thang was still able to maintain his output thanks to building his own brand of bamboo tube snails, creating trust with customers. He quickly changed direction, selling both wholesale and retail. From a few initial workers, he expanded to 20 people, all of whom were local people, both reassuring and committed. On average, the workshop produced about 500 - 600 trays of finished products per day.
Currently, Mr. Thang's facility maintains a stable workforce of 20 to 30 regular workers. To increase productivity and meet market demand, he has invested in additional equipment such as sauce packaging machines, vacuum machines, freezers, etc. Thanks to that, the workshop can supply about 4,000 trays of snails to the market every day, with a selling price of 80,000 VND/tray.
The facility creates jobs for many local workers. |
In addition to the main product, Mr. Thang also develops additional items such as black apple snails stuffed with shells, and also accepts processing of snail products for a number of other brands. Thanks to that, each year the facility brings in an estimated revenue of 3 to 4 billion VND.
I asked Mr. Thang about the secret to making this rustic dish "sell well" in a competitive market, where with just a few steps learned online, anyone can make a similar dish.
He shared: “Perhaps the secret lies in the meticulousness in every step, from the ingredients to the preparation. For me, snails are not just ingredients, but the soul of the dish. Snails are imported from ponds in Tuyen Quang, Nam Dinh , Thai Binh, Phu Tho, and must be salted in the right proportion to keep them fresh without making them salty. The same goes for bamboo, I only use fresh bamboo from the local area, choose even tubes, and cut them to the right standard. Bamboo is prone to mold if left for a long time, and no matter how delicious the snail sausage is, the whole dish will be ruined. Even the seasoning must be harmonious to keep the full aroma and rich flavor.”
For him, it is these seemingly small things that create the "uniqueness" of the bamboo tube snail dish, something that makes diners remember it forever after just one bite.
Mr. Nguyen Tri Tue, Secretary of the Youth Union of Kim Phu Commune, Yen Son District, said that Mr. Nguyen Van Thang not only actively participates in Youth Union activities but also always accompanies and supports the locality in the work of eliminating temporary houses in the area. "Mr. Thang's startup model is a typical example for young people in the province to learn from. His product has been evaluated to meet 3-star OCOP standards and won First Prize at the Tuyen Quang Youth Creative Startup Idea Competition in 2022," Mr. Tue shared.
Success
Source: https://tienphong.vn/khoi-nghiep-voi-mon-an-dan-da-vuon-len-lam-giau-kiem-tien-ty-moi-nam-post1752235.tpo
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