Graduating with a degree in pharmacy, Hồ Đăng Bình was passionate about his hometown, Hue, which drove him to start a business journey even though he already had a stable job that many people dream of.
Pharmacist Hồ Đăng Bình always wears a proud smile when sharing the journey.
“The raw materials are grown in the upper catchment areas of Huong River and the Truong Son mountain range. Our desire is to promote the traditional and natural values of our region to consumers.”
This is the story shared by Hồ Đăng Bình, the Research Director of Green Net. As a pharmacist with a specialization in pharmaceutical product development, he had a stable job that many aspired to in a big company. Therefore, his decision to quit and start his own business was a big surprise to many.
Green Net, a manufacturing and trading company, was founded in 2016. With a range of essential oils and plant-based products, the brands of Green Net are gradually recognized in the local market with its unique values.
A Pharmacist Working the on the plantation sites
To date, the brands of Green Net has reached all out many places of the country. This success is the result of the endless efforts of the founding team. However, before they could sell their products, Hồ Đăng Bình and his team had to overcome many challenges.
The market already had many similar 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 extreme 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 Huong River and the Truong Son mountain range are areas blessed with many precious herbs,” he shared.
With the goal of developing a sustainable source of medicinal plant 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 consistent. At that time, to convince local farmers, Hồ Đăng Bình and his team worked the fields with hoes and sickles. Some years later, Green Net established a significantly large areas of medicinal plants.
To harmony with the natural and social characteristics of Central Vietnam, the company does not develop raw material regions through concentrated monoculture and intensive farming. Instead, Green Net 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 technologies used for extracting essential oils demand even stricter requirements. According to Hồ Đăng Bình, his team spent six months developing and fine-tunning the distillation system and exactly 12 months of testing various types of material. The production process must strictly adhere to distillation times, temperature, pressure, refinement, pressing techniques, and sedimentation.
After having the products, the difficulty is finding a market for them. It took time for branding and marketing in a very competitive market. Today, Green Net’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 vision of the company’s founders.
“We want to go far and fast. Green Net always believes that we must take sustainable steps, harmonize with nature, and support the community to bring them a stable income,” said Hồ Đăng Bình.
With the goal of promoting market for the essential oil and medicinal in the Truong Son mountain range, Green Net is proud to have a part of its materials grown under the natural forest canopy, which not only increases sustainable income from the forest for local communities but also contributes to forest protection, biodiversity and culture conservation.
The development of Green Net is based on the model of collaboration between local people, scientists, investors, customers, and the government those share the common goal: to protect forests, protect the environment, and develop sustainably.
According to Hồ Đăng Bình, with these values, Green Net 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’s nature and culture
“Made with care” is the motto chosen by Green Net. 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 company’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 plant-based products are being 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.