The teacher started his business out of a passion for elevating the quality of local specialties.

Satisfied with his job as a literature teacher, Mr. Le Van Loc Kieng (Giong Thi Dam Secondary and High School) always thinks about what he can do to enhance the value of local products.

Teacher Loc Kieng and his stall showcasing and selling Tan Hong's specialty products - Photo: D. TUYET

That idea had been motivating the teacher in the border region since his student days. And he nurtured the dream of starting a business, hoping to contribute to his hometown's produce while also increasing his family's income.

I once had a very successful business, then went bankrupt and lost everything, but the dream of bringing my hometown's products to distant lands continues to motivate me.

LE VAN LOC KIENG

It was hard to earn money to go to school.

Kieng was born and raised in the border village of Tan Cong Chi, Tan Hong district ( Dong Thap province). His family wasn't well-off, and transportation was difficult, but he was fortunate to have received a full education. His childhood memories include helping his maternal grandfather ferry people across the river to earn extra money for school.

As a child, Kieng always wondered why, despite his hometown being rich in natural resources and abundant in aquatic products, so many people toiled year-round just to make ends meet. He was determined to go to school to change his life. From a border district in the north of Dong Thap province, he studied hard and passed the entrance exam for the Literature and Linguistics Education program at An Giang University, about 100km from his home.

The young teacher said that during his student years, to earn money to cover his studies and living expenses, he would sign up to sell goods seasonally whenever a fair was held in Long Xuyen city. "At those times, I wished that one day I would also have a product to sell at the fair, a product bearing the brand of Tan Hong region. The first product that came to mind was fermented freshwater fish sauce," Kieng recounted.

After graduating from university and taking up a position at Giồng Thị Đam Secondary and High School, this young teacher never stopped thinking about his passion for business, even though his teaching job was quite stable. And so he began to realize his dream.

It could be said that the period from 2016 to 2019 was a time of great success for Mr. Kieng's business. However, he also faced setbacks, including periods of failure and bankruptcy, to the point where he had to return to his mother's home for support.

That was the four years he spent running his restaurant and hotel business, experiencing many ups and downs, ultimately ending up almost penniless. "I returned home for a moment of reflection to look back on what I had done. Fortunately, teaching provided me with a solid foundation; my students were a source of motivation, and their passion helped me regain my spirits," Mr. Kieng confided.

Enhancing the value of local produce.

Throughout the streets of Tan Hong, you can easily find tamarind trees everywhere, their fallen fruit littering the roads, yet no one bothers to pick them up. Kieng's mother utilizes the tamarind trees near their house to make candied tamarind and fish sauce, carrying them in large basins to the market to sell. This image made him think about the need to package and label the products to help his mother sell them online.

After about two years of surveying market demand, he decided to develop his candied tamarind product in a more professional way, with registered trademarks and clear packaging. That was in 2020, with an initial capital of just under 15 million VND, he bought machinery to support the production process and registered the brand. Then, three more family members joined to help with the packaging and labeling.

So, the versatile "Tan Hong Tamarind Candy" is a "3-in-1" product that can be used to cook soup, make drinks, or eaten directly without any further preparation. Each 500g box costs 50,000 VND and has a shelf life of one year when stored under normal conditions. Besides tamarind candy, Tan Hong specialty products also include pure fish sauce made from snakehead fish, various types of dried freshwater fish, etc., which are currently available at many grocery stores in the Mekong Delta provinces.

Three months ago, during and after the recent Lunar New Year, Tan Hong specialty product facility sold about 2 tons of raw tamarind, equivalent to 4,000 boxes, generating a profit of approximately 20 million VND per month. "Thanks to local connections, our products were introduced and sold at trade fairs. Especially after the OCOP product festival at the Mekong Delta level held in Dong Thap, our products have been distributed to more stores," Mr. Kieng proudly shared.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thay-giao-khoi-nghiep-tu-dam-me-nang-chat-dac-san-dia-phuong-20230205231837033.htm