Despite being graduated from the RMIT University Vietnam with an accounting degree, Ha Nguyen, a Da Nang native, decided to get her own startup with nutritious drink instead of becoming an accountant - a dry job.

Nguyen (first left) and her coworkers

The 31-year-old woman is now a co-founder of Lady Buddha Kombucha - the first fermented tea brand name in Da Nang.

Nguyen was introduced to Kombucha by her friend during her pregnancy.

“Kombucha, the fermented tea drink, has a range of health benefits. Kombucha is a type of functional beverage that has green tea or black tea as its base. The drink is fermented with “living” bacteria and yeast which forms a SCOBY. This is a mushroom like film that produces acetic acid (like in vinegar) with traces of alcohol and gases that make it carbonated”, Nguyen said.

She added due to the fermentation process, this beverage has an extended shelf life. Kombucha is believed to stimulate the immune system, so it is considered a home remedy for many ailments and diseases. Therefore, this amazing remedy has been consumed for many years in developed countries worldwide.

However, the Da Nang woman faced some difficulties in seeking Kombucha-related documents in Vietnamese, mainly in English, because the fermented tea drink has yet to be popular in Viet Nam.

Then, she tried brewing Kombucha at home for her family members to enjoy. Apart from tea and sugar, various herbal ingredients were used to flavour and further enhance the overall dietary profile of the drink.

Thanks to the great support from her family, Nguyen then started to sell her homemade products online. At that time, her customers were mostly foreigners because the fermented drink was very popular with them.

After a year of operating her own business, Nguyen has won the trust of loyal foreign customers, including Ben, an Australian man is living and working in Viet Nam. One day, Ben suggested they should start a business selling high-quality Kombucha. As a result, Lady Buddha Kombucha was officially born in 2017.

Nearly 2 years of launch, Lady Buddha Kombucha products have been distributed to organic food shops, resorts, and vegetarian restaurants across the city, creating jobs for 5 elderly local women.

A weekly average of 45 boxes (twelve 250ml bottles each box) with 3 flavours of gingerbeet, turmeric, and spirulina is sold.

Nguyen said that she only choose organic ingredients to product this drink. In particular, tea is sourced from organic tea gardens in Sa Pa, whilst organic cane sugar and seasonal fruits are only used.

“We follow strict Australian quality standards for hygiene and equipment. Our brewing has 3 separate fermentation phases which leads to higher probiotics, lower sugar and a superior taste”, Nguyen emphasised.

Most recently, Nguyen has organised workshops to introduce her new drink product to the public in a bid to raise their awareness about health benefits of this drink.