The "White Aspirations" and the profound connection with Nghe An province...

(Baonghean) - Two Vietnamese businesswomen, both heads of dairy corporations, have been honored by Forbes magazine in the top 50 most powerful businesswomen in Asia. While Ms. Mai Kieu Lien, Chairwoman and CEO of Vinamilk, is in the top 50 for the fourth time, Ms. Thai Huong, Chairwoman of TH Group, is the newest Vietnamese representative to receive this honor. These two businesswomen not only share a common aspiration for a "white dream," transforming the stature of Vietnamese people, but also have a deep connection to the sun-drenched land of Nghe An.

Packaging Vinamilk dairy products. Photo: Sy Minh

Businesswoman Mai Kieu Lien and the recognition of Nghe An on the world's "dairy industry map"

After 37 years of dedication to Vinamilk, including over 20 years as its leader, Ms. Mai Kieu Lien, a Hero of Labor during the đổi mới (renovation) period and Chairwoman and CEO of Vinamilk, has transformed the company into a major brand, ranking among the top 200 outstanding businesses in the Asia-Pacific region since 2010. Currently, Vinamilk holds 51% of the liquid milk market share in Vietnam, and its 2014 revenue increased by 14% to US$1.7 billion thanks to two new factories. Ms. Mai Kieu Lien is striving to increase this figure to US$3 billion by 2017 through international expansion. Vinamilk currently exports to 30 countries and is actively expanding exports to the Middle East, Africa, and Cuba.

In Nghe An province, Vinamilk is known as one of the pioneers in building dairy farms. In 2009, the company inaugurated a dairy farm with a total investment of over 100 billion VND in Dong Hieu commune, Nghia Dan district. This farm has a capacity to raise 3,000 cows; of which, 1,500 are milking cows, providing 30 tons of milk daily to Vinamilk's processing plant built in Cua Lo town. Spreading over an area of ​​36 hectares, the farm is designed with a barn area, an auxiliary area of ​​6 hectares, and 30 hectares planted with high-yield grass varieties. The barns are built using modern technology and high standards similar to modern dairy farms in Europe. The entire herd of cows at the farm are 100% purebred Holstein Friesian (HF) imported from Australia and New Zealand. Besides the breed of cows, to ensure a source of pure fresh milk, the cows' diets are also mixed with an optimal nutritional ratio, including nutritious grass imported directly from the United States.

Furthermore, the farm is equipped with modern facilities to provide the best care for the cows, such as insulated roofs, rubber mattresses, electronic chip collars, and an intelligent automatic milking system. In addition, to ensure a clean environment, the farm has a waste treatment system that meets international standards. With its modern equipment and a system that meets stringent international standards with a closed-loop, modern process, strictly adhering to international standards, in July 2014, Vinamilk's Nghe An Dairy Farm became the first dairy farm in Southeast Asia to be certified by Global GAP, and was awarded the Best Dairy Farm in Vietnam in 2014 by the Department of Animal Husbandry - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam…

Vinamilk's dairy factory, built in Cua Lo town since 2003, officially began production in mid-2005 with the goal of sustainable development by utilizing fresh milk from its investment in concentrated dairy farms in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces. This factory has a processing capacity of 30 million liters per year, with its main products being fresh milk, yogurt, drinking yogurt, and fruit juice. With a total investment of nearly 100 billion VND, the factory is equipped with modern equipment from countries with advanced processing technology: Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and the USA. In addition, the factory applies all international food safety standards in production, such as ISO, HACCP, and occupational safety standards, to ensure the best products that consumers trust and choose. Vinamilk's products are certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as meeting the standards for import into the US market. And the company's products are proudly exported to more than 31 countries worldwide, including the US, Japan, South Korea, and European countries. The Nghe An Dairy Factory alone achieves an average total sales revenue of approximately 180-240 billion VND per month.

According to the assessment of the Cua Lo Town Tax Department, the Nghe An Dairy Factory - Vinamilk is a unit that consistently sets an example in complying with the State's tax policies, regularly contributing a high amount to the state budget. In 2012, it contributed nearly 68.5 billion VND to the state budget; in 2013, it contributed over 113.5 billion VND. At the 2015 Investor Meeting, the Nghe An Dairy Factory - Vinamilk was awarded a certificate of merit by the Provincial People's Committee for its outstanding contributions to the economic and social development of the province.

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, along with provincial leaders, visited the TH milk processing line. Photo: NK

Businesswoman Thai Huong and the "clean milk revolution" in Phu Quy

In 2009, Ms. Thai Huong, Chairwoman of Bac A Commercial Joint Stock Bank, surprised the entire country by joining the "dairy industry" and pledging to transform Vietnam's dairy sector. On February 27, 2010, convoys of large trucks with slogans such as "Determined to build our homeland," and "Determined to enrich Nghe An," transported 1,500 Holstein Friesian (HF) cows from New Zealand to a farm in Bac Phu Quy, Nghia Dan, Nghe An. By December 26, 2010, TH's first line of fresh, clean milk entered the market under the brand TH True Milk, creating a true revolution in the production and consumption of fresh, clean milk. Entering the "dairy path" when the market was already dominated by established brands, TH True Milk attracted significant consumer attention by declaring that clean milk was the only path forward. The term "fresh, clean milk" then created a wave of public discussion. Many people were skeptical, and dairy companies were taken aback.

Meanwhile, with the acumen of a successful entrepreneur, driven by passion, determination, and a burning desire for a clean milk revolution under the name "For the Stature of Vietnam," the head of TH Group remained silent and quietly persuaded consumers through the quality of TH True Milk products, especially through investment in dairy farms in Nghe An. The fertile basalt soil of Phu Quy is fertile but the climate is harsh, and livestock farming technology was virtually nonexistent. However, TH Group took a shortcut by acquiring all the technological know-how and dairy farming techniques from Israel, along with world-leading processing methods from advanced countries. To ensure strict adherence to the process, TH hired both Israeli farmers and experts to operate the machinery and train Vietnamese workers. In addition, TH has a professional working system in all stages thanks to being directly managed by two multinational companies: Afikim Company of Israel for cattle herd management and Totally Vets Company of New Zealand for veterinary management.

As a native of Nghe An, the Nghe An character runs in Ms. Thai Huong's veins. Even in her business philosophy and the rise of the TH brand, it reflects the "Nghe An spirit": quiet but decisive, unpretentious yet effective, establishing its position through quality and consumer trust. Ms. Thai Huong has often shared that her aspiration, and that of the TH Group, is to transform difficult areas with high-tech agriculture, enabling people not only in Nghe An but throughout Vietnam to master the world's most advanced technologies.

True to its word, TH Group has been transforming the face of Phu Quy region not only with tens of thousands of cows and greenhouses growing export-quality vegetables, but also with lush green pastures, endless fields of sunflowers, and especially with the clean milk that consumers trust and accept. From its initial dairy herd, TH true MILK now has a total herd of 40,280 cows, projected to increase to 137,000 by 2017, supplying approximately 50% of the country's fresh milk supply; by 2020, it is expected to reach 203,000 cows. The group's farm system currently covers 8,100 hectares and plans to expand to 37,000 hectares. The group's clean milk production plant has a designed capacity of 800 tons/day, equivalent to 300,000 tons/year. Currently, the actual production capacity reaches 547 tons/day, equivalent to 197,000 tons/year. In 2013, the group's revenue reached nearly 3,000 billion VND, in 2014 over 4,000 billion VND, the plan for 2015 is 15,000 billion VND, and it is estimated to reach 23,000 billion VND in 2017…

In 2014, TH Group's revenue exceeded US$200 million, holding one-third of the domestic fresh milk market share. In February 2015, TH Group's farm was recognized as holding the Asian record for "Largest Concentrated Dairy Farm". TH True Milk products are also establishing their brand in the market with 29 types of pasteurized fresh milk, yogurt, and drinking yogurt. Currently, TH Group continues to invest in high technology and implement other projects in Nghe An province, such as reforestation and medicinal plant cultivation.

Nguyen Khoa