Having initially chosen to leave his hometown in the hope of securing a stable job, Nguyen Xuan Huy (Nam Dan, Nghe An) ultimately decided to return to his village and start a green business. He not only contributes to the development of local agricultural products but also aspires to create a brand of gifts with a distinct Nghe An character.

Born and raised in his beloved hometown, Nguyen Xuan Huy was taught by his grandparents and parents from a young age to value loyalty and righteousness. As he grew older, witnessing many hardworking and resilient people still struggling to escape poverty, Huy became increasingly concerned and sought ways to contribute to the development of his homeland.

Ever since his days as a student at the University of Transport and Communications, Huy had been nurturing the dream of starting his own business. However, questions like what field to start in, where to begin, and what his strengths would be... constantly revolved in his mind!

Despite years of struggling to make a living, Huy never forgot his concern. He believed that Nghe An province had great potential and advantages in agricultural production and the development of valuable agricultural products. However, the number of distinctive, impressive products with their own brand that could be given as gifts was still limited. Looking at Thai Nguyen, famous for its tea, and Ben Tre, with its coconut candy... Nghe An, with its renowned lotus villages associated with the elegant and valuable lotus plant, still lacked any products made from organically grown lotus that deserved to bear the brand of President Ho Chi Minh's homeland.

The more he pondered and the more ambitious he became, Nguyen Xuan Huy began his entrepreneurial journey with lotus. For two years, he dedicated his time to researching tea and products derived from the lotus plant. He also traveled throughout the provinces from North to South, studying green agriculture, organic farming methods, lotus varieties, and cultivation conditions.

He observed that each lotus-growing region produces different raw materials due to variations in soil and climate. For example, in the southern provinces, the mild weather results in large lotus flowers and high yields. In Nghe An, however, the harsh climate means the lotus blooms during the hot, dry season.

Although lotus production in Nghe An is not as high as in other regions, the lotus flowers that meet the standards offer a very good fragrance. Perhaps, like the people of Nghe An, the lotus flowers have tirelessly strived to grow from barren land, hence their unique scent. Nghe An lotus seeds are not as large or long as those from Dong Thap, but they are very fragrant and tender.

Having gained sufficient experience and a solid financial foundation, in November 2022, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Huy decided to establish and launch his gift brand.Phuc An FarmSpreading the word about unique gifts made from local agricultural products, proudly giving them as presents and introducing them to friends from all over the world.

Nguyen Xuan Huy's entrepreneurial journey in organic farming, building a "green empire," has been fraught with countless difficulties and challenges, along with many hard-earned lessons.

Building a new brand is already incredibly challenging, but choosing to follow the trend of clean agriculture and fully embrace the unique cultural characteristics of the local area makes it even more difficult.

Mr. Huy shared that the biggest challenge he faced was changing the perceptions and habits of local farmers regarding organic farming. Previously, farmers were accustomed to growing lotus only for selling the flowers, and therefore frequently used pesticides. When he went to persuade each household to switch to completely organic farming, most were skeptical and didn't believe in its effectiveness. Some even asked, "Why not stay in the big city and work instead of coming back to the countryside to grow lotus?" At that, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Huy just smiled and replied, "The big city will still develop even without me, while my hometown will remain poor. I want to contribute a small part to building my homeland. I hope that what I do can inspire young people to join forces in building a more self-reliant and prosperous Nghe An province."

Through his perseverance and patience, several households agreed to sign a cooperation agreement and commit to growing lotus using organic methods, without spraying pesticides, and only using organic fertilizers provided by the company. Initially, he accepted purchasing the finished product at a much higher price than the market rate. Over time, he made increasingly stringent demands during the cultivation process, resulting in lower yields. From planting and tending to harvesting and processing to producing the final product, everything is carried out strictly according to a closed-loop process.

He also closely manages and accompanies the households right from the initial planting stage, guiding them on cultivation methods, fertilization, and providing organic fertilizers. He instructs them on what lotus flowers meet the standards and the most beautiful stage for harvesting, preserving the most exquisite flavor of nature. The farmers are completely assured about cultivation and product sales.

After resolving the core issue of raw materials, he continued to improve the quality and appearance of the products, meticulously crafting each gift for customers in the most refined and beautiful way possible. Therefore, Phuc An Farm not only brings the distinctive flavors of Nghe An agricultural products but also offers customers a profound insight into the culture and traditions of their homeland.

What sets Phuc An Farm's gift boxes apart from other products in the same segment is the artwork painted by local artisans. These paintings depict stunning landscapes, famous landmarks of Nghe An, or idyllic scenes of flowers, plants, and tranquil villages. The gift box lid can even be used as a decorative piece. Through this, Phuc An Farm contributes to honoring and promoting the culture, traditional beauty, and tourism of Nghe An. Upon receiving a Phuc An Farm product, customers can feel that each gift box is an "ambassador" for Nghe An tourism.

Despite facing many difficulties, Nguyen Xuan Huy has never stopped striving, persevering, and believing in the path he has chosen, and is now gradually reaping the rewards.

In 2023, Phuc An Farm excellently won second prize at the competition."Expanded search for innovative startup talents in Nghe An"Phuc An Farm also had the honor of representing Nghe An province at trade promotion conferences in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other provinces and cities.

Currently, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Huy has expanded his lotus cultivation to 13 hectares, cultivating lotus varieties with distinctive aromas suitable for tea making, such as the lotus flower and the hundred-petaled lotus. Besides lotus tea production, Phuc An Farm also offers many other products made from this flower from President Ho Chi Minh's hometown, such as lotus heart tea, lotus leaf tea, lotus tea, dried lotus seeds, dried lotus roots, and various jams made from other agricultural products. Among these, Phuc An Farm's lotus flower tea, lotus leaf tea, and lotus tea have received OCOP 3-star provincial certification.

Huy also pays special attention to the product introduction and distribution network. At the Kim Lien Historical Site (Nam Dan, Nghe An), a thatched-roof booth has been set up, reflecting the rural charm of Nghe An, to display and introduce products from Phuc An Farm and OCOP products from Nghe An to tourists; in addition, there are more than 10 stores and sales points throughout the province.

In addition, there are 3 cooperating units that distribute products to provinces, and especially export to the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It is known that in the near future, some products from Phuc An Farm will be exported to Asian countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, and India.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Huy, founder of Phuc An Farm, shared: "I hope that the products made by Phuc An Farm will become a source of pride for the people of Nghe An, something they will readily bring along as gifts wherever they go. We have been and are constantly striving together with Nghe An farmers to build new values ​​for our homeland's agricultural products, creating products imbued with traditional Vietnamese values, and bringing those values ​​further, not only to domestic consumers but also to international friends."