Mrs. Nguyen Thi Oanh, Director of the Do 37 Clean Agricultural Cooperative, located at 66 Le Dinh Chinh, Hoa Quy Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, got involved in producing, processing and trading agricultural products starting from 2017.

Workers of the Do 37 Clean Agricultural Products Cooperative are producing coconut-flavoured nutritious cakes. Photo: HOANG HIEP

However, until 2021, she started a successful business with high-quality sprouted cereal product. The product was certified by the municipal People's Committee as a 3-star OCOP product in 2022.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Oanh said that farmers like her often faced pressure from traders to reduce prices even further. She recalled that during her visit to a friend's garden in Quang Nam Province’s Thang Binh District, she witnessed post-harvest beans being purchased at low prices. Since then, she searched for information on processing ways to increase the value of beans.

In fact, in the market, consumers are so familiar with cereal flour products, so that there is in need of a breakthrough in product quality and value to successfully process and sell this product.

To prepare for her startup, Mrs. Oanh read many documents about nutrition for health and found an opportunity to create high-value products from sprouted beans. Accordingly, a variety of beans such as green black beans and green beans are harvested and sprouted. Then, they undergo many processing steps including drying, roasting, and grinding to create high-quality germinated cereal powder product.

“Sprouted beans will enhance the ability to absorb nutrients into the human body, release many enzymes, bring optimal nutritional value, and quickly release the substance content in seeds” she informed.

Not only did she create high-quality products from popular cereal grains, she increased the introduction and promotion of the nutritional value of high-quality sprouted cereal powder. The product won trust of many people.

Mrs. Oanh remarked she also received in-kind support from the municipal Department of Industry and Trade and the local Centre for Industry and Trade Promotion, such as ultra-fine grinders, dryers, and oil press machines.

In 2022, her production method and business idea of high-quality sprouted cereal products took the second prize in the "Startup Ideas" contest organised by the Women's Union chapter of Ngu Hanh Son District. During the period, the product was certified as a 3-star OCOP product by the municipal People’s Committee.

From that stepping stone, Mrs. Oanh came up with the idea of establishing the Do 37 Clean Agricultural Cooperative with 7 initial members. The cooperative was in charge of producing and trading such products as premium sprouted cereals, Binh Phuoc salt-roasted cashew nuts, herbal cereal tea, dried mango, whole grains, and coconut-flavoured nutritious cakes. The idea was awarded the first prize in the "Women's Startup Ideas" contest held in August 2023 by the municipal Women's Union.

The award was the recognition and appreciation of the contest jury for the cooperative's model of producing and trading agricultural products at that time. In particular, the coconut-flavoured nutritional cake, which features the combination of Da Nang's specialty toasted coconut cake and nuts such as almonds, cashews and sesame, plus dried fruits, is the most consumed among the cooperative's products.

On December 29, 2023, the People's Committee certified the coconut-flavoured nutritional cake produced by the Do 37 Clean Agricultural Cooperative as a municipal-level typical rural industrial product.

Besides production and processing activities, the Do 37 Clean Agricultural Cooperative is getting involved in distributing regional agricultural products to supermarkets, specialty stores, and airport stalls, aiming to meet the consumption needs of local residents and tourists.

Besides the initial 7 members, the cooperative also creates job opportunities and regular income for 10 people in Hoa Quy Ward with an average income ranging from VND6 million - VND10 million per person per month. Along with that, the cooperative also has 100 collaborators who are responsible for selling products nationwide.

“The cooperative earned a monthly average of VND300 million in revenue from the production and distribution of ‘Made-in-Viet Nam’ agricultural products. Particularly one month before Tet 2024, we achieved revenue of VND2.2 billion thanks to strong consumption of the market combined with the business of Tet gift products” Mrs. Oanh said excitedly.

The Cooperative not only creates stable income for workers but also adds value to agricultural products and helps farmers feel secure in production, she noted.

Currently, the founder of the brand "Do 37 Clean Agricultural Products" and the cooperative’s members continue to seek and seize opportunities from the elevation of Vietnamese agricultural products with the desire for further sustainable development.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - Translating by M.DUNG