DT Group - Elevating Vietnamese seaweed products

With Okinawa seaweed products qualified for 4-star OCOP quality and achieving the title of National Outstanding Rural Industrial Product in 2023, D&T Khanh Hoa Seaweed Joint Stock Company (DT Group) is gradually realizing the dream of bringing Vietnamese agricultural products to the international market. Recently, DT Group continued to sign an investment cooperation agreement with a US enterprise to distribute Okinawa seaweed products and DTNEST bird's nest in this country's market.

DT Group products.

Link with farmers

After nearly 15 years of developing seaweed, from 3 hectares of area with an initial experimental yield of 2.5 tons/ha, DT Group has now expanded and developed the scale to 80 hectares of seaweed. With farms in Ninh Hoa town, Cam Ranh city and in the two provinces of Phu Yen and Ninh Thuan, DT Group has become the enterprise with the largest total planting area and harvested output of Japanese seaweed in Vietnam, as confirmed by the Vietnam Record Organization. Notably, the enterprise has developed the growing area based on the principle of linking with farmers to create a value chain. The company has also transferred technology and purchased products for households in Ninh Hoa town. At the same time, we try to spread many good practices and guide fishermen to convert their risky shrimp, snail, clam farming models to high-quality clean agricultural models, thereby contributing to promoting production and business, ensuring economic stability and social security.

Sea grapes after harvest are put into processing.

Nguyen Quang Duy - General Director of DT Group said that the enterprise has been involved in the seaweed industry for nearly 15 years. Currently, the company has built a raw material area with an area of 80 hectares. Of which, about 80% of the area is linked with 30 farming households in Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen and Ninh Thuan provinces to switch from raising shrimp and snails to growing seaweed. "During the season, we buy seaweed from farmers and then import it to the factory, an average of about 7 tons of fresh seaweed/day. Before processing, the seaweed will be reared again for 5-7 days in cement tanks with seawater that has been treated and controlled to ensure cleanliness and no impurities thanks to the ozone water filtration technology system; when the seaweed revives, metabolizes, absorbs nutrients and heals wounds, it is brought to the processing area. After that, the seaweed is classified according to a 6-step process to select standard, quality seaweed strands, before being put into the water separation and packaging stage", heshared.

In addition to the dehydrated seaweed product under the Okinawa brand, DT Group has also developed many more deeply processed product lines such as: dried seaweed, seaweed snacks, seaweed jelly, seaweed soup and seaweed spices to help increase value. The company has launched products such as seaweed jelly with bird's nest, seaweed essence for children and skin care for women.

Bringing Vietnamese products to the world

Not only selling at the domestic market, for nearly 15 years, DT Group has always sought to bring Okinawa seaweed products to the world market through export. It is known that each month DT Group exports 30 tons of fresh seaweed and nearly 40 tons of various types of seaweed to the following countries the United States, Canada, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, equivalent to about 2,500 tons/year. DT Group's products are chosen by many local agencies, departments, and branches, domestic and foreign customers. In addition to Okinawa dehydrated seaweed, other products of the company such as Okinawa dried seaweed, Vmax fresh seaweed... also meet export standards to the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan.

According to Phan Thi Thu Cuc - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, DT Group is one of the pioneering enterprises in trade promotion, expanding domestic and foreign markets. The unit's products are very diverse, meeting international standards for export to foreign markets. In particular, the domestic market is extremely developed and favored by consumers.

During a recent business trip with the delegation of Khanh Hoa province to the United States, DT Group has created a major turning point in the journey of bringing Vietnamese products to the world. The company officially signed a cooperation agreement with HGP USA CORP to distribute Okinawa seaweed products and DTNEST bird's nest in the US market. This once again affirms that DT Group's seaweed brand is capable of reaching the world, accepted by one of the most demanding markets.

Nguyen Quang Duy affirmed: "This is a great opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises, including DT Group, in the US market. We are pleased to be welcomed by customers and highly appreciate the potential and quality of DT Group's sea grapes and bird's nest products. With the aim of taking care of the community's health through high-quality products oriented towards nature, DT Group has prepared very carefully to approach this demanding market in the coming time. This is also an opportunity for us to promote Vietnamese branded products to the world. This step affirms that Vietnamese goods are very good, diverse and rich, and businesses have good and methodical investment to improve competitiveness in the international market".

In the near future, agricultural products of DT Group will be available on shelves in countries around the world. To best prepare for that, in addition to the existing factories, DT Group has built a new factory of 3 hectares with modern machinery, equipment and production technology to meet the needs of domestic and export markets.

NHAT MINH

Translated by T.T