From local specialty to global brand: VICOSAP's creative journey

Vinh Long From the specialty wax coconut of Cau Ke, VICOSAP creates a creative journey full of courage, elevating Vietnamese agricultural products with technology, culture and social responsibility.

“We were born and raised in Cau Ke (former Tra Vinh ), where wax coconut is like a brainchild of the people here...”, that is what Mr. Tran Duy Linh, founder of VICOSAP Company, shared, opening the emotional and proud journey of a young business that dares to “change the look” of the hometown specialty.

He said that the wax coconut variety in Cau Ke was brought to Vietnam about 100 years ago by a monk studying abroad. The miracle is that this coconut variety produces completely different fruits: the coconut meat is not as hard as usual but is soft and supple, the coconut water is thick and has a sweet taste, natural aroma. Nowadays, signs "wax coconut for sale" appear everywhere, each fruit costs ten times more than a normal coconut, but for decades, this precious specialty has only been sold fresh or blended without any significant added value.

80% of workers for VICOPSAP are local women. Photo: Minh Dam.

“While many localities have raised the level of agricultural products and brought Vietnamese fruits to the world , Cau Ke wax coconut is still just a 'dusty roadside' fruit. That is what makes us determined to change,” Mr. Linh shared.

From that concern, in 2020, he and his hometown's children founded Cau Ke Wax Coconut Processing Company Limited (abbreviated as VICOSAP, headquartered in Hamlet 2, Tam Ngai Commune, Vinh Long Province) with the desire to promote and elevate the famous wax coconut with modern technology and local love.

Modern technology, breakthrough to enhance value

After only 5 years, VICOSAP has become the pioneer and only unit in Vietnam to specialize in processing and diversifying more than 15 product groups with 80 product codes. From cakes, candies, yogurt, drinks to baking ingredients, all are deeply processed from Cau Ke wax coconut.

A big turning point came to VICOSAP when the pioneering enterprise applied Japanese freeze-drying technology to create new products such as crispy dried wax coconut, dried wax coconut yogurt and wax coconut cake combined with local agricultural products (banana, pumpkin, sweet potato). This technology not only helps to preserve the flavor and nutritional value but also opens up new consumption directions for agricultural products in the Mekong Delta.

VICOSAP currently has 80 products, of which 4 products have achieved 5-star OCOP. Photo: Minh Dam.

Not stopping there, VICOSAP continues to research fermented drinking yogurt from wax coconut resin and especially wax coconut candy with coconut nectar, a product that does not use chemical sugar but takes the natural sweetness from coconut nectar, aiming at the health of consumers. All product lines are certified with ISO 22000:2018, ISO 9001:2015, HACCP, FDA and HALAL, affirming the international quality commitment of a Vietnamese brand.

Preserving and spreading heritage values

Not only doing business, VICOSAP also carries out the mission of preserving the origin and cultural value of Cau Ke wax coconut tree. The enterprise has collected documents, recorded historical witnesses, and in 2022 built a Memorial and Tower to worship Venerable Thach So (1886-1949) - the first person to plant wax coconut trees in the grounds of Botumsakor Pagoda (also known as Market Pagoda in Cau Ke) and is honored as the founder of Tra Vinh wax coconut.

Tourists visit Tra Vinh Wax Coconut Museum. Photo: Minh Dam.

In particular, in 2024, the company inaugurated the “Tra Vinh Wax Coconut Museum”, the first wax coconut museum in Vietnam and the world, displaying artifacts, stories and the nearly 100-year journey of this rare coconut breed. This is not only the pride of Cau Ke people but also a unique cultural tourism highlight of Vinh Long land today.

In addition, VICOSAP has also registered copyright for 128 dishes made from wax coconut, recognized by the Vietnam Record Organization as "The unit that deeply processes wax coconut into the most diverse product lines, serving consumption and export". These steps both affirm the creative capacity and contribute to preserving the geographical indication of Cau Ke wax coconut.

Not only focusing on production, VICOSAP is also a livelihood support for dozens of households growing wax coconut and 80% of female workers (locally). The company builds training programs on vocational skills, food safety, marketing, e-commerce, helping workers improve their capacity and have a stable income.

Mr. Tran Duy Linh (third from left), representative of Vicosap, had a culinary exchange with Lan Vuong Tourist Area (old Ben Tre City). Photo: Minh Dam.

The company also regularly participates in charity activities: giving gifts to poor households, donating notebooks to students, distributing vegetarian bread on the 15th and 1st of every month. These acts demonstrate the spirit of “helping each other”, humanity and closeness of a business that started in the countryside.

From local to global

Currently, VICOSAP wax coconut products are available at most major supermarket chains in the country such as Coop Mart, WinMart+, GO, GS25, Mega Market, Satra Food and appear at many international airports such as Can Tho, Phu Quoc, Tan Son Nhat, Cam Ranh...

Not stopping at the domestic market, VICOSAP has officially exported to Japan, UK, USA, Hong Kong and Taiwan, opening the door to bring homegrown specialties to global consumers.

That journey has been recognized with a series of titles. The most prominent of which is the National 5-star OCOP product recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in 2025 for pure wax coconut candy, pandan leaves, cocoa and wax coconut fiber jars in 2023.

VICOSAP staff introduce products to customers at fairs and exhibitions. Photo: Minh Dam.

Up to now, VICOSAP has owned 4 national 5-star OCOP products and 7 4-star OCOP products. In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade recognized it as a typical national rural industrial product in 2025. In addition, there are many certificates of merit from the People's Committee of Tra Vinh province, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and trade promotion organizations.

VICOSAP is currently participating in the Deltaccerate Program supported by DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia) and New Energy Nexus Vietnam, aiming at green development, climate change adaptation and sustainable corporate governance. This is a step that demonstrates a long-term vision, helping businesses to both develop the economy and protect the ecological environment of the Mekong Delta.

In 2025, the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Agriculture and Environment sector, thanks to its continuous efforts, VICOSAP was honored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment as one of 70 outstanding collectives in the patriotic emulation movement for the period 2021-2025. The entrepreneurial journey of Mr. Tran Duy Linh and the VICOSAP team became even more meaningful.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/tu-dac-san-que-den-thuong-hieu-toan-cau-hanh-trinh-sang-tao-cua-vicosap-d783630.html