Over recent years, many young people in Da Nang have shown a keen interest in setting up their own businesses in the hi-tech agriculture and food processing sectors. However, some of them are now facing some difficulties relating to production and business premises, consumer markets and other issues.

Representatives from DFC introducing their ‘cookies made from crickets’ at a start-up event

Several years ago 27-year-old Phan Huu Phat graduated from the Faculty of Information Technology at the city’s University of Technology and Science.  At the time of his graduation, the 1.7m tall man weighed only 50kg, so he strived to gain weight by physical exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.  In particular, the young man learned on the Internet how to make nutritious cereals, and then he added some of his favourite ingredients to his products.  After one year of eating the cereals regularly, Phat was very happy because he had put on 14 kg, and he looked much healthier. 

As a result, he decided to establish his own business in 2015.  Thanks to his hard-working spirit and strong determination, his establishment now offers a wide range of healthy products for local consumers.  Included are cereal powder, roasted seeds, skin care products made from beans and whole grains, and functional foods for children, breastfeeding women and people with diabetes.

Last month, Phat’s start-up project ‘Da Nang Cereals’ participated in a training course at the Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support Company (DNES) in a bid to perfect his products.  However, Phat said that his project is now facing difficulties including a shortage of production machines and consumer markets.

The Moc Nhien project specialises in supplying organic vegetables, sourced from Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Nhon Commune, which meet the Viet Nam good agricultural practices (VietGap) standards.  However, after 2 years of operation, this project is facing some obstacles in seeking consumer markets for its products.

Mr Nguyen Binh Tam is the developer of the Moc Nhien project.  He noted that VietGap-standard products are currently facing intense competition from other growing areas in terms of price, whilst there are supermarkets and food stores selling organic vegetables which have proved popular with local residents.  Therefore, Mr Tam and other start-up businesspeople are finding it very hard to find customers.

Another start-up project, the Demeater Food Company (DFC) which was initiated by 5 graduates from the city’s University of Economics, specialises in supplying many products made from crickets.  Weight for weight, crickets have three times more protein than pork, and twice that of beef.  Meanwhile, raising this type of insect uses much less water and food than for example chickens, pigs and cows.

DFC has already developed new products such as fresh-frozen crickets, marinated dried crickets, and cricket snacks.  In order to ensure sufficient supplies of crickets, the company has cooperated with a cricket farm in the city.

Presently, the company’s products are available for sale at the city’s Evergreen Farmer's Market Fair, via social networks, and at some local retail outlets.  However, Mr Huu Dat, one of the co-founders of DFC, noted that he hoped that the city authorities would facilitate his company and other start-up businesses to benefit from local preferential polices regarding business premises and land lease fees to help them establish production facilities.