A Vietnamese couple started their business selling sticky rice and sweet soups from bicycles and now own four restaurants in Japan.

For two years, he diligently rode his bicycle selling sticky rice and sweet soup.

Mr. Mac Duc Manh (33 years old, from Hai Duong province ) is currently living and working in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from the Water Resources University in 2013, he decided to go to Japan to find a new path in life.

He was working while studying when fate led him to meet Ms. Nguyen Ngan Nhi. They got married in 2015. At that time, there were very few Vietnamese restaurants in Japan, so they both intended to start a business selling Northern Vietnamese dishes. Initially, he planned to make famous dishes like pho and vermicelli... However, due to the long transportation distance, the cost of train fares, and the fact that the food would get cold by the time it arrived, that idea was temporarily put on hold.

Vợ chồng Việt khởi nghiệp từ hàng xôi chè rong đến 4 quán ăn Việt ở Nhật - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Mạnh used to ride his bicycle to sell sticky rice and sweet soup.

"When we returned to Vietnam for our wedding, my wife and I met relatives who had a secret recipe for making sweet soup, so we learned from them. The ingredients for the sweet soup are easy to find and can be preserved for 2-3 days, so we brought various types of beans from our hometown to Japan. After a while, we decided to try making it ourselves and invited people around us to try it, and everyone praised how delicious it was," he recalled.

They started posting on Vietnamese community groups in Japan on Facebook and unexpectedly received a lot of support. They only sell 2-3 times a week because they still have their main jobs.

Vợ chồng Việt khởi nghiệp từ hàng xôi chè rong đến 4 quán ăn Việt ở Nhật - Ảnh 2. — Vietnamese dishes are a popular choice among diners in Japan.

"Initially, I sold 80-100 cups a day. In Japan, people commute by train and only arrive 5 minutes before departure, so I had to wait to deliver to them. I thought that selling online wouldn't yield much. So, I decided to carry the tea to an empty plot of land near the train station to sell. At first, I was hesitant. But seeing Vietnamese customers happily holding their cups of tea, having not been able to eat it for so many years, gave me more motivation," he said.

Vợ chồng Việt khởi nghiệp từ hàng xôi chè rong đến 4 quán ăn Việt ở Nhật - Ảnh 3. — Currently, the couple owns four Vietnamese restaurants in Japan.

At that time, most of the customers were Vietnamese. While selling at the train station, he choked on cigarette smoke and had to go back for 10-15 minutes before returning to sell again. Every day, regardless of sun, rain, wind, or cold, he regularly brought his tea to the station to sell. After selling tea at the station for 6 months, Mr. and Mrs. Mạnh started selling sticky rice with shredded chicken as well. After two years of diligently cycling to sell sticky rice and tea at the station, in 2017, he opened his first shop in Tokyo.

NHK television channel once came to the restaurant to film.

He came to Japan as a student, so his visa was for a short period, making it difficult to find accommodation. Initially, he sold sticky rice, sweet soup, fried fermented pork rolls, fried spring rolls, and grilled pork vermicelli, before expanding his menu to include other Vietnamese dishes.

During busy holidays, the couple had to wash dishes until 4 a.m. The next morning at 7 a.m., they would go to the market to buy ingredients. After a year and a half in business, Mr. Mạnh sponsored a Vietnamese chef to come to Japan. In the third year, they opened two more restaurants. By 2022, they had four Vietnamese restaurants in Tokyo.

Vợ chồng Việt khởi nghiệp từ hàng xôi chè rong đến 4 quán ăn Việt ở Nhật - Ảnh 4. — Mr. Mạnh pays meticulous attention to every dish at the restaurant.

"The place was very popular; a few years ago, poet Nguyen Nhat Anh visited Japan. At that time, not only Vietnamese customers but also tourists from Australia and the US came to the restaurant to enjoy the food. In February 2023, NHK television came to film at the restaurant, which helped the place become more well-known," he recounted.

Vợ chồng Việt khởi nghiệp từ hàng xôi chè rong đến 4 quán ăn Việt ở Nhật - Ảnh 5. — The restaurant sells Vietnamese steamed rice rolls and many other Vietnamese dishes.

Ms. Nhi said that, looking back on her entrepreneurial journey, she is proud of the achievements. She and her husband hope their business will continue to grow and gain more customer satisfaction. They always encourage each other to ensure a better life and future for their children.

Vợ chồng Việt khởi nghiệp từ hàng xôi chè rong đến 4 quán ăn Việt ở Nhật - Ảnh 6. — The sweet soup and sticky rice dishes prepared by Mr. Mạnh are tailored to suit the tastes of Japanese customers.

"Back when we were still in school, we had to wake up early every morning to go to school and rush home in the afternoon to prepare our goods for sale. My husband and I were always busy, working hard in the rain or shine, but luckily we had customers' support. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of customers has decreased compared to before, so my husband and I are adding a few other dishes to the menu to make the business more prosperous," the wife confided.