Michael Dinh and his aspiration to connect Asia and Europe.

Born in Germany in 2001 and raised in the Netherlands, Michael Dinh belongs to the generation of young Vietnamese Americans who dare to think and act: following in his parents' footsteps, he became the operator of an Asian supermarket in the Netherlands with a data-driven mindset, a focus on automation, and a desire to connect Asia and Europe.

Many Vietnamese people in the Netherlands, and in Europe in general, have opened Asian food retail stores. However, the younger generation is often hesitant to follow in their parents' footsteps. Michael Dinh is an exception. He is joining forces with his family to prepare for the opening of their second supermarket in the Netherlands, aiming for a "modern, sustainable, and humane Asian supermarket" model.

Michael Dinh worked part-time at his parents' Asian store, C&C Asian Market (opened in 2016), while studying International Business Administration at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA) from 2019 to 2023. This was also the period when Covid-19 broke out.

He realized that home cooking was a core element and a promising future for this type of supermarket. Another advantage was that the Netherlands had a promising future for Asian food. While there were already many Asian restaurants, home cooking and Asian-style cooking had become a stronger trend after Covid-19. For Michael, this was an opportunity to grow his business and develop himself.

Michael Dinh (far right, second row) and his colleagues at C&C Asian Market. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

After graduating from university, Michael didn't try his luck at large companies or corporations like other young Vietnamese Americans, but instead worked full-time and immediately took over his parents' shop.

He shared: “Of course, working for a large company would give me more opportunities for development, while in a family business, I have to do everything myself, with endless working hours. A typical example is figuring out how to logically organize data for thousands of tiny items. My parents, like many other Vietnamese people who run supermarkets, restaurants, or nail salons, usually rely on hard work and perseverance. Westerners, on the other hand, need to understand the issues thoroughly before they dare to do anything. In Amsterdam, there are restaurants selling high-priced Vietnamese food, based on the principle that hard work and courage will lead to success. But what if there are policy issues or competition later on? Will they be able to survive?”

So, did the knowledge Michael gained at school help him? Many people asked him this question. The young owner smiled: “I asked myself that question too. Does what I learned actually work now? The problems at my supermarket are still too small and simple; I can't immediately apply the strategies I learned, and the results aren't immediately visible. But I also clearly see my parents' desire to make this type of supermarket better. We learned how to install the lights ourselves, arrange the goods attractively, label them, and design an appealing and inviting space. I hired staff specializing in brand communication, data management, and supply chain management… My goal is to build a trustworthy brand for Asian cuisine , from product quality to customer service. To achieve that, we have to do the core things first: have good products that meet consumer needs, provide fast and accurate service, manage each item efficiently, minimize expired goods, and continue to thoroughly research the market…”

Despite its small scale, Michael's Asian supermarket has created a Loyalty Card program (a points-based reward system for frequent customers), established an online sales website, and imported a wide variety of goods, especially high-quality Vietnamese products, to serve the home cooking needs of local people.

This young man of Vietnamese descent also attends retail fairs and events to find good suppliers: “The demand for Vietnamese food is increasing. For example, recently several restaurants selling Hue-style beef noodle soup have opened around here, so many customers come to the supermarket asking to buy authentic dried noodles to cook beef noodle soup at home that tastes as good as in the restaurants. In the long run, success in business, in my opinion, is not just about making money, but also about understanding people and understanding yourself. Currently, young people are hesitant to become entrepreneurs in the retail industry like me. But just do it, don't be afraid.”

LAM VAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/michael-dinh-va-khat-vong-ket-noi-a-au-post823679.html