Creating a brand from the local specialty glutinous rice variety "Nếp Cái Hoa Vàng"

Quang Ninh: Giving up a stable job, Mr. Doan Cong Bach is determined to develop the Goc Da leaf-fermented rice wine product using the famous glutinous rice of Quang Yen.

Quang Ninh: Giving up a stable job, Mr. Doan Cong Bach is determined to develop the Goc Da leaf-fermented rice wine product using the famous glutinous rice of Quang Yen.

In 2019, while having a stable engineering job with a salary of over ten million dong per month, Mr. Doan Cong Bach (Bieu Nghi area, Dong Mai ward, Quang Yen town) decided to quit his job.

"When my family found out, they all objected, but I was determined to quit my job to pursue my dream. I hope to create a brand that is distinctly local and made from the products of my hometown," Bach confided.

A multi-stage distillation tower system using European technology. Photo: Thanh Phuong.

True to his word, Mr. Bach focused on research and decided to develop a model for brewing rice wine combined with high-tech machinery. Accordingly, the main ingredient is the famous glutinous rice of the "Golden Flower" variety, grown in the Quang Yen region and named "Goc Da" – the name of the place where Mr. Bach was born and raised.

"Besides the small amount of money we had saved, my wife and I had to borrow more, totaling about 2 billion VND, all of which we poured into investing in the production line," Mr. Bach shared. In addition, choosing the right type of yeast required a lot of research and experimentation.

Besides the difficulties with investment capital, due to a lack of experience, many batches of rice wine were ruined, sometimes resulting in losses of tens of millions of dong. “There were countless difficulties, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, and goods couldn't be sold. There was also a time when, because we hadn't yet established a proper brewing process, the workers ruined 1 ton of glutinous rice, rendering it unusable. But it was from those failures that I learned a lot of valuable lessons,” Mr. Bach expressed.

While giving us a tour of his distillery, Mr. Bach shared: "My distillation model is the first of its kind in Quang Yen. To create this system, I designed it myself, then found a manufacturer to ensure it met my requirements, thus creating a unique flavor that can only be found here."

Mr. Bach uses two types of yeast: leaf yeast and traditional Chinese medicine yeast. Photo: Thanh Phuong.

Here, the liquor is fermented manually, then distilled using European multi-stage tower technology. This allows the liquor to condense and evaporate multiple times, ensuring purity, minimal impurities, and the desired alcohol content.

To date, the Gốc Đa herbal rice wine product has built a strong brand and received a 3-star OCOP certification. Not only is it sold within the province, but the product is also available throughout the country and is highly regarded. Currently, the facility generates monthly revenue of 50-70 million VND.

Sharing his entrepreneurial journey, Bach reminisced: “The turning point that allowed me to break through and develop as I have today stemmed from a trip to Hai Duong to learn from an older brother. It was raining heavily that day, and I was traveling alone on my motorbike. Through his sharing, I changed a lot in my mindset, my approach to development, and my brand image promotion, which allowed me to scale up tenfold compared to the beginning.”

Mr. Bach has created a product brand that bears a strong local imprint and is made from the very produce of his hometown. Photo: Thanh Phuong.

Currently, in addition to promoting the development of his production facility, Mr. Bach also guides other households on the process of brewing rượu (Vietnamese rice wine), thereby increasing their income.

“I am currently the head of the Young Farmers Club in Quang Yen town. Here, members share and learn from each other to develop new models that bring high economic efficiency. I myself have successfully connected with and guided a young person to develop a rice wine brewing model, and although it has only recently been introduced to the market, it has received positive feedback,” Mr. Bach shared.

According to the assessment of the Quang Yen Town Farmers' Association, after more than 5 years of development, Mr. Doan Cong Bach has successfully created products with a distinct local character, becoming a shining example in economic development, promoting the movement of excellent production and helping each other to get rich in the locality.

Source: https://nongsanviet.nongnghiep.vn/tao-thuong-hieu-tu-dac-san-nep-cai-hoa-vang-dia-phuong-d413982.html