Making a fortune from local resources

Driven by her passion for traditional coffee and local agricultural products, Ms. Tran Hong Nhien from Hamlet 2A, Tan Hoa Commune, boldly started her own business and successfully created the Hong Nhien coconut coffee product. The product has built its own brand, providing a stable income for her family and creating jobs for many local workers.

OCOP product has achieved 3-star standard.

Nhiên's entrepreneurial idea began with her love for traditional coffee and products made from coconut – an agricultural product readily available in her garden. “Initially, I just roasted coconuts for fun, then tried combining them with coffee. After further research, I found that coffee combined with coconut oil is not only delicious but also good for health. I wanted to create clean, natural products from readily available natural ingredients,” Nhiên shared.

Ms. Tran Hong Nhien performs the process of cutting and pressing the kumquats to make four-season jam.

These "trial and error" attempts opened up a new direction for Ms. Nhien. Her first videos posted on social media quickly attracted over 22,000 followers and received numerous orders. Recognizing the positive market demand, in 2022, she decided to produce and sell coconut coffee.

In the early days of her business, she did everything manually, from roasting, grinding, and blending coffee and coconut to packaging. From initial batches that didn't meet expectations, she persistently adjusted the formula and learned new techniques. After a period of research, Hong Nhien coconut coffee gradually improved and gained consumer acceptance. The product has been registered for trademark protection, tested for food safety, and achieved OCOP 3-star rating.

Currently, Ms. Nhien's coconut coffee is priced at 290,000 VND/kg. Although more expensive than regular coffee, it is favored by the market due to its natural flavor, free from additives or chemical flavorings. Through livestream sales and social media platforms such as TikTok, Lazada, and YouTube, Hong Nhien's coconut coffee is becoming increasingly well-known. She said: "At one point, I earned over 36 million VND in a single day from livestreaming."

In 2023, when Hong Nhien's coconut coffee product was well-received by consumers, Ms. Nhien boldly participated in a startup competition organized by the Women's Union of Hau Giang province (formerly) and won third prize, creating further motivation for her to expand production scale. From a small-scale production model, Ms. Nhien borrowed capital to invest in a factory, purchased machinery, and gradually professionalized the production process.

Enhancing the value of local agricultural products.

Building on the success of her coconut coffee, Ms. Nhien developed processed products from local agricultural produce. Currently, her business has three products that have achieved OCOP 3-star certification: coconut coffee, honey-glazed kumquat and soursop jam with rock sugar, and honey-glazed kumquat and ginger jam with rock sugar. Each product is meticulously crafted, from sourcing clean, high-quality raw materials and packaging to ensuring the production process meets food safety and traceability requirements.

Ms. Nhien also takes advantage of her longan orchard to raise bees for honey, creating an additional source of income and contributing to the diversification of clean raw materials for production. Currently, Ms. Nhien is producing four-season jam and ginger-flavored four-season jam to meet the market demand for the Lunar New Year.

Not only has she enriched herself, but her coconut coffee business has also created stable jobs for 5-8 local workers. Ms. Tran Thi Mai from Tan Hoa commune said: “Working here, I earn more than 4 million VND/month. In addition, Ms. Nhien also guides other women in selling online, becoming a distribution channel for their products. She is willing to share her experience and support women who intend to start their own businesses.”

From a housewife, through relentless effort, Ms. Nhien has successfully utilized local resources, applied digital transformation, and built a brand for her hometown's agricultural products. Her entrepreneurial journey is a vivid example of the image of today's farmer: daring to think, daring to act, and achieving sustainable wealth on her own land.

Text and photos: CAO OANH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/lam-giau-tu-tai-nguyen-ban-dia-a196433.html