Creator of 'happy agriculture'

From the native aloe vera plant, Mr. Nguyen Van Thu built the GC Food brand, pioneering the 'happy agriculture' model connecting farmers with the global green value chain.

“Creating a happy world through a happy food chain is the vision that GC Food pursues. We believe that when everyone finds joy in their work and in the products they create, that is the beginning of a happy world,” Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GC Food Joint Stock Company (GC Food) told us when talking about his destiny and journey with agriculture .

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, farmers are the heart of the happy agricultural model that GC Food pursues. They are not only raw material suppliers, but also partners in sustainable development. Photo: Nguyen Thuy.

The sower of happiness

In the middle of the windy Sun & Wind Farm in Central Vietnam (now My Son commune, Khanh Hoa province), Mr. Nguyen Van Thu's voice is deep and warm, telling about his journey of turning aside, leaving the bank, choosing agriculture as a place to place his faith and aspirations.

Before coming to agriculture, Mr. Nguyen Van Thu held many positions at banks. It was this job that helped him clearly see the barriers that make it difficult for agricultural enterprises to expand, which are good products but difficult to access international markets, lack of capital and lack of connectivity. "Why can't those quality products reach global consumers?", he wondered.

It was at that moment that he decided to change direction, leaving the banking industry to start his journey with agriculture and chose the harsh land of the Central region, where the sun is scorching and the wind is scorching, to form a circular agricultural farm, a happy agricultural farm. That journey began with aloe vera - a plant that thrives in the drought as a testament to the Vietnamese spirit of "overcoming difficulties and creativity" to create sustainable value for agriculture.

And GC Food was born, starting with a project to develop raw aloe vera plants, opening a new direction for the land of sun, wind and sand.

In the early days, convincing farmers to grow organic aloe vera with him was a big challenge. Because they were used to the old farming method. Not only using words to "entice", Mr. Thu used practical actions to support the people here to feel secure in production such as supporting seeds, techniques, building irrigation ditches and especially advance payment.

With the sincerity and dedication of that man, a year later, the green aloe vera beds covered the white sand area. From the initial few hectares, GC Food now owns more than 250 hectares of aloe vera raw material area, and plans to continue expanding to 1,000 hectares.

“The most precious thing is not only the increase in raw material area, but also the growing confidence. Farmers believe that farming can make a good living, be happy and proud of their products. That is what makes me happiest, when together with them - the hard-working farmers - we build a sustainable supply chain, bringing aloe vera, as well as Vietnamese agricultural products, confidently reaching out to the world ,” Mr. Thu proudly said, adding that the business philosophy he always pursues is “green agriculture, happy agriculture”.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, Chairman of GC Food, talks with farmers. Photo: Nguyen Thuy.

For GC Food, happiness is not a slogan but building a “happy supply chain” consisting of five pillars: happy products, happy customers, happy people, happy communities, happy organizations. In which, farmers are not only raw material suppliers but also development partners of GC Food. They are guaranteed products at stable prices, supported with water-saving farming techniques, meeting GlobalGAP and organic standards.

“Farmers today not only produce products, but also create pride. When their products are exported to Korea, Japan, and the US, they feel their efforts are recognized. That is happiness,” Mr. Thu shared.

Technology - the key to smart agriculture

At the Sun & Wind Farm, GC Food operates a circular agriculture model, turning by-products into resources. Every year, more than 1,000 m³ of aloe vera peels and leaves discharged from the factory are composted with microorganisms and cow manure to create organic microbial fertilizer for cultivation, helping the company save more than 1 billion VND in fertilizer costs and 100 million VND in microbial costs each year, while significantly reducing the amount of waste released into the environment.

With each harvest season, people not only have a stable source of income, but also see the changes in this sunny and windy land. Photo: Nguyen Thuy.

“In nature, there is no such thing as waste, only resources that have not been properly exploited,” said Mr. Thu. Thanks to that, the “small desert” has become a living proof of the green agricultural model and circular economy, helping farmers here stabilize their lives and feel secure in cultivating on their own homeland.

In 2024, GC Food aloe vera products will be recognized as National Brands - an important milestone affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products.

15 years ago, few people believed that aloe vera could become a national brand. But today, it has come true. That achievement gives GC Food strength in its new journey, expanding the green agricultural product ecosystem, boosting exports, and conquering demanding markets such as the US, EU, Japan, and Korea.

Currently, GC Food aims to capture 15-20% of the aloe vera market share in Korea and Japan. To do that, the company invests heavily in processing technology, meets HACCP, ISO 22000, Halal, Kosher standards, and expands the raw material area to 1,000 hectares by 2030.

GC Food’s aloe vera products are developed according to the tastes of each market, for example, the aloe vera drink line is suitable for Asian tastes. “We do not only export products, but also export the green and happy story of Vietnamese agriculture,” Mr. Thu shared.

Not stopping at the green model, GC Food also pioneers the application of AI and automation in production. At the factory, the aloe vera and coconut jelly processing line is fully automated, helping to control quality and increase productivity to tens of thousands of tons per year.

AI is also used in raw material management, monitoring crop conditions, forecasting yields, optimizing irrigation and fertilization. “Thanks to technology, we save millions of liters of water every year, which is extremely valuable in this arid land,” said Mr. Thu, believing that technology will be the “golden lever” to bring Vietnamese agriculture to a new stage with precision agriculture, data agriculture, where all decisions are based on information and science, instead of experience.

GC Food is also one of the few Vietnamese agricultural enterprises to publish a Sustainable Development Report according to ESG criteria (Environment - Society - Governance).

On the environmental side, the company has recycled more than 1,000 m³ of aloe vera by-products, reduced CO₂ emission intensity by 7%, and treated 100% of wastewater to Class A standards before reusing it for irrigation. On the social side, GC Food cooperates with more than 500 farming households, purchasing more than 200 hectares of aloe vera, creating jobs for 800 workers with a safe working environment and good welfare.

A working delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Nai province visited and worked at GC Food. Photo: Anh Trinh.

After more than 15 years of being attached to Ninh Thuan, Mr. Nguyen Van Thu not only grows aloe vera but also grows faith. Faith that Vietnamese agriculture can develop sustainably, can create true happiness for farmers, businesses and consumers.

In the sun and wind of the Central region, that man still nurtures that dream every day - the dream of a happy, green and world-class agriculture. There, farmers must be happy for agriculture to be sustainable.

"When workers are happy, they create good products. When consumers are satisfied, they spread positive energy back. That is the happy value chain," affirmed Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GC Food.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nguoi-kien-tao-nong-nghiep-hanh-phuc-d781138.html