Born and raised in Nghe An province, Entrepreneur Nguyen Xuan Son, General Director of Huong Que Production, Processing, Trade, Import Export Co., Ltd, started his business career in Da Nang City. He has worked hard to make many unique products from cinnamon, increased the added value of cinnamon and raised people's incomes.
Care about cinnamon growers
On a visit to Quang Nam - Da Nang, he saw and tasted cinnamon bark in Tra My and found that this cinnamon was spicy, aromatic and sweet, quite different from cinnamon grown in other regions.
Studying more about cinnamon, he found many medicinal values and economic potential from cinnamon trees. And, he could not understand why cinnamon growers were struggling to earn a living and could not sell their products or suffered loss from cinnamon cultivation.
This realty motivated veteran Nguyen Xuan Son to do something to change it. After starting to study the market, he realized that no matter how fast science and technology develops and how modern people live, people always still want to use originally natural products every day. He asked and answered himself: How to promote the value of cinnamon and help growers improve their lives? How will users really get good effects of cinnamon-based products?
In 2004, with a small amount of money, Son cooperated with friends to establish Huong Que manufacturing facility, with just over 10 workers, to produce slippers and shoe insoles from natural cinnamon grown in Tra My forest, Quang Nam province.
He worked as a worker and a director at the same time. He did not mind going across the country to introduce his products to the market. With good products stored in beautiful designs, made from precious medicinal herbs from nature, good for human health, his products were well received by customers nationwide.
Send cinnamon aroma afar
By perfectly blending cinnamon powder with soft fabrics and some natural materials, Huong Que-branded shoe lining feature good hygroscopic properties, give a sense of smoothness and coolness to feet, massage foot soles, prevent and treat rheumatism and reduce odor. Besides, the warm, pleasant aroma from cinnamon gives consumers special feelings at the first contact.
In 2006, through an exhibition, he signed the first shoe lining export contract to the German market. In the same year, Huong Que exported 6,000 first shoe insoles to Germany and was highly appreciated by German consumers.
Later, Huong Que brand was constantly spread in the market. Therefore, its sales and output have increased continuously as a result, averaging 20% annually.
Currently, on average, Huong Que produces more than one million shoe linings and slippers annually and uses about 30 tons of raw cinnamon. The domestic market accounts for 65% of its output, primarily distributed into major supermarket channels such as Big C, CityMart, Vinmart, Coop Mart and other retail outlets. Its exports make up 35%, largely shipped to Germany, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and some new markets in South America such as Chile, Peru and Bolivia.
Besides, Huong Que's products have honorably used as a typical gift of our country by Party, State and Government agencies at all levels for many important events. Huong Que premium insoles were selected as gifts for delegates to ASEAN+7 Meeting in 2007 and the APEC Summit Week in 2017. Its products have also been chosen as souvenirs for the 12th Party Congress and many other important events.
To create the added value for cinnamon and boost healthcare for all, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Son researched and produced more types of products such as high-class harness belts used to reduce excess fat, smoothen and beautify complexion; herbal cinnamon mats used to increase blood circulation, relieve body pains and prevent respiratory diseases. Its products are placed under strict quality control - from input and production to service - to ensure the highest quality when they are present in the market.
Currently, he is researching many new products, investing in expanding production, and asserting himself as a leading cinnamon brand of the whole country.
Quoc Hung (Vietnam Business Forum Magazine)
Vietnamese
