Ms. Trinh Thi Hong Van, Deputy General Director of Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company, President of Sanvinest Khanh Hoa: Elevating Salanganes Nest Products to New Heights

Ms. Trinh Thi Hong Van, the Deputy General Director of Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company and President of the Board of Directors of Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Soft Drink Joint Stock Company (Sanvinest Khanh Hoa), was born in Khanh Hoa, a place known for its mountains and natural beauty. Despite having the option to settle down in Ho Chi Minh City, she chose to return to her hometown to build a career and bring her hometown’s bird’s nest products to the higher level. Ms. Van is known for her passion for research and has become one of the bravest CEOs. She works tirelessly with Sanvinest Khanh Hoa staff every day to find new products with high nutritional content that cater to the needs of consumers. To find out more information, our reporter had an interview with Ms. Trinh Thi Hong Van.

With over 16 years of experience in the field of bird’s nest product manufacturing, did you come to be in this position as a matter of fate?

I am an Information Technology professional. My current position is not just a matter of fate, but it is the result of my constant effort and striving. For over 16 years, I have worked with the Sanest Sanvinest Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest brand, and I am proud to say that the place I dedicate myself to every day is a unit rich in corporate culture and solidarity. Here, each employee takes pride in the tradition of the Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest profession that has been established for over 700 years. We remind each other to learn from previous generations and to adhere to diversity criteria for productization, as well as sticking to the purpose of protecting, multiplying, and relocating swiftlet flocks. The Khanh Hoa Sanest Sanvinest Bird’s Nest brand has developed and been positively received by the market.

Each Sanvinest Khanh Hoa product undergoes rigorous research and quality testing before reaching consumers. The unit has researched ways to improve product quality and introduced more than 10 new product lines under the Sanvinest brand. The genuine Sanvinest Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest product line is especially popular with customers. Recently, after successfully organizing the acceptance of the provincial research project “Building a production process for health protection products from Khanh Hoa natural bird’s nest essence”, the Company has launched three new product lines to protect the health of children, the elderly, and other ages from natural Khanh Hoa bird’s nest essence

In addition to producing Sanvinest branded product lines, the Company has also invested in developing the Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest restaurant chain Sanvinest Vanz Dimsum and Samba coffee to promote traditional Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest culinary culture. These efforts have contributed significantly to the Company’s revenue growth. In 2016, the Company’s revenue was approximately VND862 billion, but by 2022, it had increased to more than VND2,100 billion, which is an impressive achievement.

In recognition of my efforts and achievements, I was awarded the Third Class Labor Order in 2021, along with many other noble titles such as “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur 2022”. This is a great motivation for me to continue working hard and striving to be worthy of the values I create.

In the course of business activities, it is common for companies to face periods of crisis. Has Sanvinest Khanh Hoa experienced any such challenges?

It is important to acknowledge the challenges that the pandemic has brought in the past two years. When social distancing measures affected traditional shopping habits, our Company responded by promoting online sales to meet consumers’ health care needs.

Fortunately, bird’s nest has high nutritional value and is known to strengthen the immune system, making it a healthy choice for consumers. During the epidemic, Sanvinest products have been sought after by many customers who have come to appreciate their benefits. We believe that this trust will continue to be earned by our Company, even in difficult circumstances.

We understand that you hold multiple positions at Sanvinest Khanh Hoa, including President of the Board of Directors and Deputy General Director of Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company, as well as President of the Women Union of Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company. How do you balance these roles as an entrepreneur?

It is an honor and a great responsibility to take on multiple job positions with different roles. During my many years of working at the Company, I have been truly proud and grateful to have a team that always upholds the spirit of responsibility, solidarity, and mutual trust. This is why all work and development planning of the Company takes place very smoothly and effectively.

In addition, I have had the companionship and enthusiastic help from the leaders of Khanh Hoa province, as well as active support from the management agencies for the Company. This has allowed me to learn a lot about management and administration of a large-scale and important enterprise of the province. My success at work motivates me to confidently participate in more union and social work.

I must admit that today’s female entrepreneurs are very young, talented, and many have achieved great things. They know how to exploit their own strengths, especially in the application of digital technology, as well as always know how to take advantage of those abilities to lead and develop businesses. I myself need to learn a lot about this.

Has your business philosophy evolved over time to reflect changes in the industry?

As a member of the Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest family, I have always respected and preserved the traditional values of the Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest industry since the day I first started working at the Company. Our product creates added value for Khanh Hoa Bird’s Nest and creates more jobs for local people. In particular, when I was assigned the task of managing Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Soft Drink Joint Stock Company, I always believed in researching and producing nutritious products for public health. Over the years, I have participated in many provincial-level scientific projects, accumulating a lot of knowledge and experience. In 2021, my colleagues and I carried out the research project “Building a process for producing health protection products from Khanh Hoa natural bird’s nest essence”, which was accepted and put into production in 2023 for export.

Before achieving success, I realized that for a business to develop sustainably, in addition to human resources, a stable and good quality raw material source is also an important factor. Therefore, our Company has proactively invested in a high-quality bird’s nest house system capable of meeting raw materials for domestic production and export. Besides the strength of top quality bird’s nest raw materials, our factory has a modern equipment line system that meets ISO and HACCP international standards. We are committed to ensuring that all products reaching consumers always ensure food safety and hygiene, maintain full nutritional value, and achieve the best quality.

In the coming time, our unit will continue to invest in factories meeting GMP standards to export products to market areas with high technical trade barriers. In November 2023, we will inaugurate and put into operation the Bird’s Nest Raw Material Processing Factory meeting GMP standards to serve the export of products to many international markets, especially our target market in China.

Thank you very much!

By Han Luong, Vietnam Business Forum