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At 67 years old and with 43 years of experience, Van Nguyen, a senior food technology engineer currently living and working in Australia, is still diligently creating popular ice cream varieties.
According to SBS, Van Nguyen's "creative journey" began in 1974, when he moved from Vietnam to Australia to study food technology at the University of New South Wales on a scholarship provided by the Australian Government. Immediately after graduating in 1980, he was offered a job at Unilever, a world leader in the food industry.
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Van Nguyen, the man who loves ice cream. |
Van Nguyen's early days in Australia began about five years after he arrived. Despite some language barriers, he quickly settled into his job at a multinational company. Initially, he worked in quality control, then transferred to the ice cream production department at Streets Ice Cream (an Australian ice cream brand owned by Unilever). After that, he had the opportunity to work in various roles, from factory technology engineer and process control to quality control and research and development (R&D). “R&D is my favorite field because it gives me the chance to learn and research new technologies to create innovative products for consumers,” Van Nguyen recalls.
Working at the Streets Ice Cream factory in Minto, not far from Sydney, Van Nguyen says his team is researching initiatives to reduce plastic use, lower sugar content in ice cream, and incorporate plant-based ingredients. A perfect ice cream treat should meet consumer needs, such as a cool, refreshing treat on a hot summer day, or a Magnum ice cream cone covered in crunchy chocolate to satisfy a chocolate craving… Meanwhile, technically, a good ice cream should have an authentic, balanced, and rich flavor so it doesn't melt quickly on the way home from the supermarket. Van Nguyen shares, “I still eat ice cream as a dessert after dinner.”
Mr. Van Nguyen was instrumental in creating Unilever's iconic Magnum ice cream (first launched in 1989), as well as later classics like Bubble O, Bill, Koala, and Olaf. His contribution to Magnum included selecting a thin, crunchy chocolate that melts in your mouth with every bite. He stated that the most important thing is understanding customer tastes and preferences to create the best possible product. Currently, ice creams with less sugar and smaller serving sizes are becoming increasingly popular.
When asked for advice for the younger generation, the 43-year-old ice cream maker shared: "Whatever you do, you should always strive to do it well, always focus on learning, and be an active member of a team." Currently, Mr. Van Nguyen is training a team of successors to continue developing his proud career after his retirement.
Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Van Nguyen always returns to his hometown whenever he has the chance. Sharing a memorable trip to Vietnam, he said: “In 1996-1997, my company sent me to Vietnam to help build Unilever's first ice cream factory in Cu Chi. That trip left me with many memories as I met many people working in the engineering industry in Vietnam.” He married in 1977 and has two daughters, both of whom are married. Mr. Van Nguyen's eldest daughter has a 5-year-old son.
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