Choose healthy products.
The Anh Minh Cooperative was established in 2020, but the entrepreneurial journey of Mr. and Mrs. Vo Phuoc Bach began even earlier. Before venturing into agricultural production, both husband and wife served in the 15th Army Corps. Their years in the military not only instilled discipline and perseverance but also fostered a cautious mindset and a planned approach to work. Upon returning to their hometown after their military service, like many others, Mr. and Mrs. Bach pondered over finding a long-term entrepreneurial path.
At that time, driven by her own need for herbal products, Ms. Hoan began researching and learning how to prepare and produce them. Initially, she only made them for family use and to give to friends and relatives, but the more she did, the more she realized that more and more people were interested in safe, gentle products with clear origins. Based on the positive feedback, Ms. Hoan began thinking further ahead. Mr. Bach also joined his wife, researching and exploring long-term development strategies.
Recognizing that the former Duong Thuy commune possessed abundant herbal resources, from soapberry, lemongrass, and lemon to various perennial medicinal plants, coupled with untapped land potential, the couple decided to establish a cooperative. This was a crucial turning point, shifting from small-scale production to an organized, clearly-oriented collective economic model, helping their family prosper while creating livelihoods for local people.
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Anh Minh Cooperative's OCOP products are showcased at trade promotion conferences - Photo: TA |
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Unleashing the "green gold mine" on the Bac Ha plateau.CTTĐT - Amidst the vast, cloud-covered forests of Bac Ha, the high-tech medicinal herb cultivation model of Co De Chai Agricultural Cooperative is opening up a sustainable path for the highland agricultural economy. Not only does it preserve the genetic resources of valuable medicinal plants, but the model also creates stable livelihoods for thousands of ethnic minority households, contributing to forest conservation, promoting indigenous knowledge, and gradually establishing the position of Lao Cai medicinal herbs in the market. From the beginning, the cooperative chose a rather unique path: producing cosmetics, soap, detergents, and hygiene products; while also developing products from starch, cereal flour, and some other food items. “This is a field that demands a high degree of caution, because even a small mistake can affect product quality and customer trust. Therefore, we always believe that for a product to thrive, it must start with a standardized process, clean raw materials, and meticulous attention to detail at every stage,” Mr. Bach explained.
The early days of the cooperative were full of difficulties. But thanks to accumulated capital and support from the local authorities, Mr. Bach and his wife gradually stabilized production. The cooperative boldly invested in modern machinery such as a high-capacity essential oil distillation furnace, a vacuum concentrator, and an automatic filling machine. The combination of traditional knowledge and modern technology has helped the cooperative's products have a professional appearance and consistent quality. To proactively secure raw materials, the cooperative not only utilizes existing land to grow herbs but also collaborates with and purchases agricultural products from local farmers. This approach ensures a stable input for the cooperative while creating a sustainable value chain in the locality.
Building a sustainable brand
In recent years, the consumer market has undergone a significant shift, with people prioritizing products that are safe, healthy, and environmentally friendly. This has also created opportunities for herbal-based products to establish their position. However, for Anh Minh Cooperative, the hallmark of its brand lies not only in utilizing local herbs, but more importantly, in its systematic and professional production methods, gradually standardizing its products to ensure competitiveness.
To date, the cooperative has had 4 products recognized as meeting OCOP standards, including 3 products achieving OCOP 3-star rating: Family cereal powder, herbal soapnut shower gel, and soapnut dishwashing liquid; and 1 product achieving OCOP 4-star rating: Huong Xua herbal shampoo. This is not only a recognition of quality but also demonstrates the cooperative's seriousness in completing legal documentation, standardizing processes, investing in packaging and labeling, and ensuring traceability.
“The OCOP program helps cooperative products get a ‘ticket’ to enter a wider market. But considering OCOP as the ultimate goal isn't enough. What the cooperative cares about most is maintaining consistent quality across batches, building lasting trust, and expanding the distribution system in the long term,” Ms. Hoan shared.
In fact, to achieve this stability, Anh Minh Cooperative has operated production continuously, strictly controlled input materials, and rigorously adhered to hygiene and safety requirements at every stage. Each year, the cooperative supplies tens of thousands of products to the market. Revenue in 2025 alone reached over 4.5 billion VND, with pre-tax profit of approximately 600 million VND. These figures not only reflect economic efficiency but also demonstrate that the cooperative's direction aligns with market demands.
Beyond simply enriching their own families, the cooperative maintains and provides regular employment for 8 members, with an average income of approximately 9 million VND per person per month. In addition, there are seasonal workers contributing about 1,000 working days per year. Notably, the cooperative has also built a network of sales collaborators with about 30 people, creating an additional source of income for many workers involved in product distribution.
Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment in high technology.On the morning of June 26th, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung received Mr. Jeff Place, Supply Chain Director of Coherent Group (USA). During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment, especially in high-tech, innovation, and semiconductor industries. However, according to Ms. Vu Thi Hoan, along with the achievements, the cooperative also faces many difficulties. Therefore, the cooperative has determined that to develop sustainably, it must follow a "solid" approach, continuing to invest in machinery and equipment, perfecting the enzyme fermentation process; and at the same time expanding the supply chain to purchase raw materials from local farmers to ensure a reliable input source. In addition, the cooperative also aims to strengthen its online distribution channel and enhance brand recognition on digital platforms, because relying only on traditional customers will limit the market size.
Evaluating the performance of Anh Minh Cooperative, Chairman of Tan My Commune People's Committee Nguyen Van Vuong said: “Anh Minh Cooperative is an effective business model, with products that have their own direction and make good use of local raw materials. More importantly, the cooperative has created stable jobs for local workers, contributing to promoting crop conversion and opening up new directions for economic development. In the future, the commune will continue to support and create conditions for the cooperative to expand its raw material area, complete legal procedures, and improve its ability to access the market...”.
Peace of Mind
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/202605/nang-tam-thao-moc-ban-dia-6201ad3/
