Graduating with a degree in pharmacy, Hồ Đăng Bình was passionate about his hometown, Hue, which drove him to start his own business even though he already had a stable job many people dream of.
Pharmacist Hồ Đăng Bình always wears a proud smile when sharing the journey of conquering the raw material region with his collaborators.
“The raw materials are grown in the upper reaches of the Perfume River and the Truong Son mountain range. Our sole desire is to deliver pure essential oil products from the ancient capital to consumers.”
This is the story shared by Hồ Đăng Bình, the Research Director of Liên Minh Xanh. As a pharmacist with a specialization in pharmaceutical preparation, he had a stable job that many aspired to. Therefore, his decision to shift gears and start his own business was a big surprise to many.
Liên Minh Xanh, a manufacturing and trading company, was founded in 2016. With a range of essential oils and essential oil-based products, the Liên Minh Xanh brand is gradually building its reputation.
A Pharmacist Working the Land and Planting Trees in the Raw Material Region
To date, the Liên Minh Xanh brand has reached all parts of the country. This success is the result of the dedication and efforts of the founding team. However, before they could produce the fragrant essential oils, Hồ Đăng Bình and his team had to overcome many challenges.
The market already had many quality essential oil products with established brands. Therefore, according to him, the company’s products needed to stand out so that customers would notice and trust them.
“Hue is a region with an extremely harsh climate. Mother Nature is strict, so her children seem to be molded by it. The medicinal plants here are of high quality and, most importantly, very aromatic. Furthermore, the upper reaches of the Perfume River and the Truong Son mountain range are areas blessed with many precious herbs,” he shared.
With the goal of developing a sustainable raw material source in Hue, produced in Hue, and by the hands of Hue’s people, Hồ Đăng Bình and his team took the first steps.
According to him, the team faced many difficulties in the early days, but they always encouraged each other to be patient and persistent. At that time, to convince local farmers to believe in the sustainable raw material region, Hồ Đăng Bình and his team worked the fields with hoes and sickles. After a while, Liên Minh Xanh established a large raw material region.
To align with the natural and social characteristics of Central Vietnam, the company does not develop raw material regions through concentrated monoculture and intensive farming. Instead, Liên Minh Xanh develops its raw material regions based on the resource potential and labor of the local households collaborating with the company.
Raw materials are just one factor. The techniques and machinery used for extracting essential oils demand even stricter requirements. According to Hồ Đăng Bình, his team spent six months developing and refining the distillation system and exactly 12 months testing various raw materials. The production process must strictly adhere to distillation times, temperature, pressure, refinement, pressing techniques, and sedimentation.
After having the products, the difficulty for new brands like Liên Minh Xanh is finding a market for them. It took time for customers to trust and use their essential oil products. Today, Liên Minh Xanh’s products are available across the country, spreading the dedication of Hue’s people far and wide.
To Go Far, We Must Go Together
There is a famous saying: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This is also the desire of the founders of Liên Minh Xanh.
“We want to go both far and fast. Liên Minh Xanh always believes that we must take sustainable steps, harmonize with nature, and accompany farmers to bring them a stable income,” said Hồ Đăng Bình.
With the goal of developing the essential oil and medicinal plant market in the Truong Son mountain range, Liên Minh Xanh is proud to have a part of its raw materials grown under the forest canopy, which not only increases sustainable income from the forest and land for local communities but also contributes to forest protection, biodiversity, and preserving local culture.
The development of Liên Minh Xanh follows a model of collaboration between local people, scientists, investors, customers, and the government. However, all share one common goal: to protect forests, protect the environment, and develop sustainably.
According to Hồ Đăng Bình, with these values, Liên Minh Xanh creates products that carry the distinctive culture of Hue and Central Vietnam to meet the needs of local consumers as well as the international market.
Doing Business Out of Love for Hue
“Made with care” is the motto chosen by Liên Minh Xanh. According to the founders, they use an English slogan because they have not found a suitable Vietnamese phrase yet.
The word “care” encompasses many meanings, from the broad scope of caring for the environment and biodiversity to the quality of products and the benefits for users. All stakeholders and issues related to Liên Minh Xanh’s operations are given serious and meticulous attention.
Regarding the reason behind the startup idea, Hồ Đăng Bình’s words may surprise many.
“It is because of a deep love for Hue. The founders of Liên Minh Xanh have always wanted to introduce and spread the values of our homeland across the country and the world.”
The essential oils and essential oil-based products are increasingly refined to be delivered to consumers. This is a testament to the brand of the Vietnamese people, made with love for the ancient capital of Hue.