Establishing the brand of Van Phan fish sauce.

(Baonghean.vn) - Van Phan Aquatic Products Joint Stock Company is headquartered in Ngoc Van hamlet, Dien Ngoc commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province. The company's products are increasingly establishing themselves in the domestic market and have been exported abroad.

Brand affirmation

In 2000, Van Phan Company officially became a joint-stock company operating under the Enterprise Law with complete autonomy. After the transformation, Dien Chau Aquatic Products Joint Stock Company faced many difficulties, especially regarding capital, employment, and product markets. In this situation, the company's leadership pondered and sought solutions to boost production and product sales. They focused on vocational training and recruiting young, skilled, and experienced workers to improve product quality.

The fish sauce processing area of ​​Van Phan Seafood Joint Stock Company. Photo: Luong Mai

In addition to focusing on improving product quality, the Board of Directors has sought out markets by participating in numerous trade fairs and exhibitions in Vinh City, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho, and other northern provinces. Through these fairs, the company has opened more stores, dealerships, and consignment points. Currently, the company has nearly 240 dealerships nationwide. A significant milestone was in 2013, when the first shipment of fish sauce under the Van Phan brand was exported to Malaysia, totaling 18,000 liters. This marked a major turning point, signifying remarkable growth and the beginning of the company's expansion into foreign markets.

Product quality inspection at Van Phan Fish Sauce Joint Stock Company. Photo: Van Hai

Mr. Vo Van Dai, Director of Van Phan Seafood Joint Stock Company, stated: Recognizing that product quality determines the survival of the business, the company has applied the ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety and Quality Management System to production, improving product quality and competitiveness. The company has implemented four new scientific and technological projects, a cleaner production program, and technical process transformation, effectively protecting the environment and saving billions of dong annually.

Bottling Van Phan fish sauce at Van Phan Seafood Joint Stock Company. Photo: Van Truong

Annually, the company produces over 1 million liters of fish sauce with a very high protein content of 25-30 degrees, generating revenue of over 12 billion VND. The average income of employees in 2015 reached 6 million VND per person per month. Currently, the company's products are not only trusted by domestic consumers but are also exported to countries such as Russia, Australia, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, and Angola… This demonstrates the gradual establishment of the traditional Van Phan fish sauce brand. The company is currently implementing the project “Establishing, managing and developing the “Van Phan Fish Sauce” certification mark for fish sauce products of Dien Chau district, Nghe An province,” funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Nghe An Department of Science and Technology, which will help Dien Chau fish sauce develop.

Building intellectual property

Recognizing the crucial role of intellectual property protection, from the moment the company transitioned to a joint-stock company model, its leadership implemented numerous measures such as site visits, the application of new scientific and technological advancements, and the transformation of the production process from boiling and descaling to extraction. This resulted in reduced production costs, increased labor productivity, improved the quality of Van Phan fish sauce, ensured food safety and hygiene, and protected public health. As a result, Van Phan fish sauce has become increasingly popular and trusted by consumers, leading to market expansion both domestically and internationally.

Van Phan fish sauce products are being displayed and introduced at the Technology and Equipment Exchange Platform of the Department of Science and Technology.

In 2004, the company was granted Trademark Registration Certificate No. 56727 by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office, under Decision A5824/QD-DK dated August 27, 2004. In addition, the General Department of Metrology and Quality of Vietnam also issued barcode number 89350520 in accordance with the regulations of the International Barcode Association for the company's products. This provides a legal basis for the company to assert its position and enhance the competitiveness of its products in the market.

Mr. Vo Van Dai affirmed: On April 12, 2016, the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office granted a trademark certificate for "Van Phan Fish Sauce" to the fish sauce product of Dien Chau Aquatic Products Joint Stock Company. The establishment and management of the collective certification trademark "Van Phan Fish Sauce" for fish sauce products of Dien Chau district, Nghe An province, aims to protect the reputation, enhance the prestige and competitiveness of Dien Chau's local fish sauce products in the market, contributing to job creation and increased income for production and business households in Dien Chau.

Bottling fish sauce products at Van Phan Seafood Joint Stock Company.

In the future, the company hopes that the Nghe An Department of Science and Technology will support the enterprise in promoting brand development and proceeding with international registration. When conditions permit, the State should invest appropriately to transform the Van Phan Fish Sauce Certification Mark into a geographical indication, contributing to the strong economic development of Nghe An province as outlined in the Resolution of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, 18th term, 2015-2020.

Thanh Thủy – Lương Mai