Love for Vietnamese rice and bold decisions

After living in Germany with her family for decades, Dang Thuy Linh, born in 1981, decided to return to Vietnam.

"Driven by my love for my homeland and a desire for people to have access to Vietnamese agricultural products with clear origins and export standards, I chose APG ECO to realize my ambition of building a high-value agricultural product chain for both domestic and international markets ," said Linh, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors at APG ECO.

Taking on the responsibility as Chairwoman, the businesswoman immediately set the goal for APG ECO to become one of Vietnam's leading online rice distribution companies.

As part of the APG Securities ecosystem, which owns five rice mills in the Mekong Delta, APG ECO had favorable conditions. However, the journey to conquer the rice market was not easy.

In the early days, especially with a product line that was not new and faced many competitors such as grocery stores, markets, and supermarkets, the APG ECO team encountered significant challenges in marketing and convincing customers to shift from traditional rice purchasing habits to online buying. Most Vietnamese consumers prefer to touch the rice to ensure its quality.

"The first batch was challenging to market as my policy was no opening of agencies, no deep discounts, and no in-store sales. We eagerly awaited each order and brainstormed ways to change customers' shopping habits to online," Linh recalled.

Quality standards were the key factor that gradually convinced customers to love and remain loyal to APG ECO's rice products.

"We strictly control every stage from rice varieties, planting, care, and packaging to ensure customers receive quality products as promised. Our products are produced to export standards, meeting even the strictest markets such as Europe and the US," Linh explained.

The company's factories are equipped with modern machinery, such as rice dryers imported from Japan, to ensure the quality of the dried rice. APG ECO has developed six processing plants and partnered with hundreds of households in the southern provinces of An Giang, Soc Trang, and Hau Giang, encouraging them to produce organically.

Embracing digital transformation and technology

Linh quickly recognized the benefits of applying technology and digital transformation: improving agricultural product quality, delivering products to consumers quickly and conveniently, and allowing buyers to easily find product information and origins, ensuring peace of mind.

"Instead of focusing solely on quantity, we emphasize quality by applying technology in cultivation, field management, harvesting, and post-harvest processing to ensure quality. Digital technology has helped APG ECO build consumer trust and establish value chains from fields to dining tables, " Linh emphasized.

Boldly embracing social media shopping trends, Linh ventured into selling rice on TikTok, utilizing activities like free shipping and promotional discounts.

Her daring decisions included livestreaming sales for 12 hours a day, even if only one viewer watched, offering a six-day return policy for unsatisfactory products, and delivering within 12 hours. These efforts paid off, with APG ECO achieving an average of 1,000 orders per day and becoming the highest-grossing rice seller on TikTok.

"Digital transformation allowed APG ECO to reach many young customers, who will be loyal in the future. It also enabled rapid brand dissemination in a short time," Linh shared, advising businesses to prepare their workforce, operational processes, technical equipment, and logistics meticulously to ensure smooth operations during digital transformation.

Expanding Vietnamese rice globally

Understanding the importance of branding for businesses in the agricultural supply chain, Linh aimed to create a distinctive yet memorable brand name. Instead of "Best Rice in the World," they chose "My nhan lang gao" (Beauty of the Rice Village) to personify and elevate a product traditionally associated with simple farmers.

"Beauty of the Rice Village" features ST25 and shrimp-rice varieties, both internationally recognized for their quality.

Adopting green, sustainable farming practices, APG ECO reduces post-harvest losses, selects certified seeds and fertilizers, and encourages customers to reuse rice packaging for new products like shopping bags to minimize waste and support charitable projects.

From the beginning, Linh aspired to take Vietnamese rice to the international market, recognizing the global interest in high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products.

Currently, "Beauty of the Rice Village" is a available in Vietnamese supermarkets in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Poland. The company is also preparing orders for European supermarkets and partnering with e-commerce platforms.

APG ECO is developing an online shopping app (APG ECO) to enhance global customer experiences.

"We aim to be a top choice for rice buyers, expanding our product range to suit new markets, maintaining quality for international growth, and connecting Vietnamese culture worldwide," Linh shared.

Binh Minh