“King” of fruit exports to the US: At first, I only thought of selling to make a living

(Dan Tri) - Although called the "king" of fruit exports, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung - CEO of Vina T&T is not pleased. For him, the proudest thing is that farmers can be proud that Vietnamese fruits are present in the US, Canada...

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung - General Director of Vina T&T - used to work in the police force, then switched to the transportation industry. Fate led him to the fruit export business. For nearly two decades, Vina T&T has exported dozens of types of fruit to demanding markets, especially the US. He is affectionately called the "fruit export king".

Talking about fruits, Mr. Tung expressed his pride in the stature of Vietnamese fruits in the world . He also always wondered why New Zealand is famous for apples, Korea has grapes, but Vietnam - a country with many delicious fruits - has not yet built a strong brand? He decided to find the answer and dreamed of affirming the brand of Vietnamese agricultural products in the world market.

People call you “fruit export king” so you and Vina T&T must have achieved a lot. How many types of fruit have you exported, to which places and which markets are your main markets?

- We have exported to about 15 countries in the world. Of which, the US is the main market, maintained since the start of the business until now, accounting for about 70% of export output. After 2023, this rate will decrease to about 45% due to the increase in China's market share, especially after they officially opened the import of durian and coconut from Vietnam.

Vina T&T’s main fruits include coconut, longan, durian, dragon fruit, and mango. In addition, some other fruits such as rambutan, star apple, and grapefruit are also exported to the US and New Zealand in significant quantities.

Why did you choose the US market and start exporting so early?

- At that time, many businesses focused on China and other markets, where competition was fierce. Meanwhile, the US market had very high technical barriers and requirements, and was even considered the most difficult. I believed that if I could do the most difficult thing, then the easier markets would be much more favorable in the future.

Moreover, at that time, the number of fruit exporting enterprises to the US was only about 15-20 units, so the level of competition was lower than in other markets. We chose the US to create a foundation, and from there, we expanded to Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, China and Southeast Asian countries more conveniently.

When did you start exporting to the US?

- Actually, my entrepreneurial journey can be divided into two stages. The first stage was in 2008, when Vina T&T was one of the first units to export dragon fruit to the US. At that time, the US market had just opened to this fruit, so everything was still very primitive. Our preservation techniques and technology at that time were limited, so we encountered many failures.

It was not until 2015 that I officially “restarted” my business with dragon fruit. At this time, preservation technology had been significantly improved, allowing for export by sea. From here, I was successful with dragon fruit.

Then in 2016 I started exporting longan, in 2017 coconut and in the following years I added many other fruits. Each year is a new step in the journey of expanding export products to the US.

What are the technical barriers when exporting to the US? What solutions have you applied to overcome them?

- The biggest difficulty was that we exported fresh fruit at a time when preservation technology was not good enough. For example, dragon fruit at that time could only be preserved for about 20 days. Meanwhile, shipping from Vietnam to the West Coast of the United States, specifically California, took more than 20 days. At that time, there was no Cai Mep port, so the shipping time was even longer, about 24-25 days. When the goods arrived and the containers were opened, they were almost all damaged.

The situation changed in 2015. At that time, preservation technology increased the time to 35-40 days. At the same time, Cai Mep port came into operation, helping shorten the shipping time to the US to about 19-20 days.

Thanks to improved preservation technology, since 2015, dragon fruit can be preserved for 45 days, longan for about 55 days, and coconut for more than 60 days. This makes exports to the US better controlled and more convenient.

However, to do that, we need a precise process from harvesting, maintaining a stable temperature, until the goods are loaded onto the ship. When arriving in the importing country, the products still ensure food hygiene and safety standards, maintain freshness, and create trust for consumers to continue buying.

At that time, did you think you were the one "rescuing" Vietnamese fruit?

- Actually, at that time, I just thought simply about making a living and seizing opportunities. When I saw an opportunity, I did it, but I never considered myself a "rescuer". Vina T&T only really participated in agricultural product consumption support activities when it had developed, had a foothold in the industry and purchased a large enough output.

Personally, I once suggested to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (formerly) that the phrase “rescue” should only be considered a temporary solution. Initially, it creates a positive effect to promptly consume goods, but in the long run, it will unintentionally reduce the value of the products. When people sell goods, if they label it “rescue”, they will almost lose the right to negotiate prices with traders.

Even when the press and media use this word too much, buyers will automatically assume that "rescue" means cheap. That creates a lot of pressure, especially for domestic retail chains. For example, newspapers publish prices at the farm for only 1,000-2,000 VND/kg, but when they go to the supermarket, they sell for 15,000-20,000 VND/kg. They do not understand that the product has been selected, preserved, transported and logistics costs added, so the higher price is reasonable.

In addition, the labeling of “rescue” also has a negative impact on exports. Foreign partners will also read that information and think that Vietnamese fruits are very cheap. This is disadvantageous when negotiating export prices. Therefore, after only 1-2 years, I proposed not to use the word “rescue” anymore, to protect the value of Vietnamese agricultural products.

When facing difficulties, do you ever feel discouraged and want to switch to another career?

- At first, we did it with great faith. When we encountered difficulties, we gradually solved them. In our startup journey, the biggest "storm" was the Covid-19 pandemic.

At that time, almost all countries in the world stopped importing. But Vina T&T, because of its close connection with farmers, could not abandon them. We learned many lessons from that period. Thanks to the coordination of Task Force 970 (Ministry of Agriculture ) and Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam, we went directly to the raw material area to purchase goods.

The problem is that we have received the goods but exports are almost paralyzed. Many countries have restricted imports, forcing us to freeze fruits. From there, we have a new product line. This is a “lucky thing in the dark”. When customs clearance resumed, we had a ready source of goods and experience in handling emergency situations.

At that time, everyone was worried because they didn't know when the epidemic would end. Vina T&T still maintained the entire team, not firing anyone, even though the law allowed it at that time. I thought, if we fired workers when they were in the most difficult situation, it would be very difficult to look at each other later. We also had to maintain contact with farmers, supporting them when the fruit on the trees was at risk of falling en masse. The vehicles going to the growing areas were always guided by provincial military vehicles.

I still remember the nights at midnight and 1am, having to call to ask for permission to let the truck in to harvest; or the scene where two trucks had to stop in the middle of the road, transfer goods from one truck to the other to get out because of the checkpoint.

There was a time when many people around us were infected, and some even died, which made everyone's morale very low. But fortunately, the situation passed quickly and we responded well. When the vaccine was available, Vina T&T was one of the units prioritized for early vaccination so that employees could continue harvesting and working.

The support and encouragement from the farmers gave us more motivation. After overcoming that period, we felt there was no greater difficulty. At that time, the problem was not only the survival of the business but also the boundary between life and death of the community.

It is the spirit of "leaving no one behind" that has helped everyone unite, contribute and develop more strongly after the pandemic.

As you honestly shared earlier, you started selling fruits to make a living. But I am sure that is just the starting point, to continue to stick with it, surely you have other thoughts?

- That's right. At first, what motivated me to take this path was to make money. But after doing it, experiencing hardships, both successes and failures, the goals and reasons for sticking with it have changed. It's no longer just about money. Money is just the initial motivation, but to stick with it for a long time, that job must bring meaning and value to life.

Now, what do you wish for Vietnamese fruit?

- When the work was stable, we started to have more time to interact with the farmers, eat and work with them. The attachment to the people, the land, and their stories made me feel that this job was much more valuable.

Luckily, I also met and worked with very dedicated people, such as Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Le Minh Hoan (at that time he was Secretary of Dong Thap). He often went down to the fields, waded through the fields, asked questions, encouraged, and worked with the people. Later, when Mr. Hoan became Minister of Agriculture, he still gave me words of encouragement and articles that greatly inspired me. During the epidemic season, I was also encouraged by Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong, helping me maintain my spirit to continue.

Since then, my biggest wish is to sell more products, but more importantly, to raise the level of Vietnamese fruits. I want international friends to see Vietnamese fruits as beautiful, high-quality and proud products.

I often wonder: Why does New Zealand have famous apples, Korea have peony grapes, but Vietnam - where there are many delicious fruits - has not yet built a strong brand?

I always worry about branding. When exporting, I see that Vietnamese fruits are displayed very beautifully and are highly appreciated abroad. But in the country, many supermarkets display Vietnamese fruits carelessly, and the quality of the display is even poor. Meanwhile, farmers cherish each fruit and take great care of it. Occasionally, the press reports on dishonest businesses and the indiscriminate use of chemicals, causing consumers to turn their backs.

In fact, that is only a small number. If most of Vietnamese fruits were of poor quality, we would not be able to export to demanding markets such as the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, Korea, etc. Unfortunately, the image of Vietnamese fruits in the eyes of domestic consumers is not commensurate.

That is why I want to love and protect Vietnamese fruits even more. I opened a store to display Vietnamese fruits in the most beautiful way, not only for sale, but also as a place for customers to experience. Everything, from the space to the decoration, shows respect for farmers' products.

I believe that thanks to that love, my ancestors have blessed me with enough resources and funds to pursue my dream: to make Vietnamese fruits more and more beautiful in the eyes of international friends and in the eyes of Vietnamese people. I hope consumers realize that Vietnamese fruits are not only delicious but also good for health, safe and reasonably priced.

Of course, those who can afford it can still enjoy imported fruits to experience the taste. But in daily life, Vietnamese fruits are definitely a better choice - both affordable and healthy. I want to eliminate the idea that "eating Vietnamese fruits means worrying about chemicals" or "good fruits are only for sale, bad fruits are for eating". Stories like that have existed for a long time, but need to change so that domestic and international consumers have a more correct view of Vietnamese fruits.

That is, you propose developing Vietnamese fruits into national branded products, like in some countries, instead of fragmenting them according to each province's specialty?

- The success of a product or item depends largely on the brand. When a strong brand is built, when the season comes, consumers will feel proud and want to buy and use that product. Of course, this requires products to be of consistent quality, grown according to planning, have close links between farmers - businesses - management agencies and must be strictly monitored to form a large, stable raw material area.

Nowadays, markets are no longer easygoing. For example, China used to be an “easy” market but now it is even more difficult than many other countries. As soon as an incident occurs, they raise technical barriers and tighten control. As in the case of durian: when the trading partner tightens inspection on pesticide residue or packaging standards, just a few batches of violations can put the whole industry in danger. Therefore, we must anticipate such situations and expand to many other markets.

When exporting, whether the goods come from this province or that province, this company or that company, when they leave the country, they all carry the brand name “Vietnamese goods”. If the quality is not good, foreign consumers will generally judge it as “poor quality Vietnamese goods”, regardless of which company it comes from. Conversely, if it is good, it will also enhance the national brand.

Therefore, the responsibility of maintaining the reputation of the national brand belongs to both enterprises and the state. When exporting, the products must be of the highest quality, because these are goods that bring in foreign currency to build the country. If we lose reputation, we will lose the market, and it will be very difficult to restore.

In addition, when competing internationally, Vietnam has to directly confront Thailand or other American countries in common markets. For example, in the US or Chinese markets, Vietnamese fruits and Thai fruits are both tropical products, with many similar varieties. Therefore, we need to work together to protect Vietnamese brands to compete, instead of each doing their own thing.

Farmers and businesses must aim to produce a product that can be sold in the most demanding markets, then it will be easy to conquer the easy market and consume domestically. It is impossible to produce in a fragmented manner like "this type is sold to Mr. A, that type is sold to Mr. B" with different standards in each place - that way will make the quality inconsistent and weaken the common brand.

Has your business solved that problem? That is, growing one product but being able to sell it in all markets?

- We have been working with farmers for many years. There are growing areas that are planned and managed very clearly. For example, this season is the season of longan fruit in the Hau River region (Can Tho), we label the brand and when exporting to other countries, each harvest, the cooperative must take it for testing. After the test is passed, absolutely no more pesticides or any other substances are sprayed. Only when that standard is met, we export.

People have also been carefully instructed on how to harvest and process to ensure they meet export standards. In addition, we also work in Soc Trang, grow dragon fruit in Cho Gao (Tien Giang), or work with Chau Thanh (Dong Thap) and Chau Thanh (Ben Tre) regions.

Each region has its own planning and almost all of our associates understand the process and work together to ensure that each export product is of the highest quality.

  How do you think domestic businesses need to improve to do better in exporting?

- When exporting, the most important thing is to meet the technical barriers of each country. If we fail to do so, we will have to pay the price by having the shipment canceled or returned. Even if we are lucky enough to get one shipment in, the following shipments will be in danger if they are violated.

Each country and each process has different technical barriers and rules of the game. For example, exporting to the US requires a growing area code, a packing house code and a guarantee that there are no residues of 7 banned active ingredients. Some fruits must also be negotiated before being imported.

Meanwhile, the Canadian market allows all kinds of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables to enter without negotiation, but they have very strict food safety checks. The EU applies post-inspection, meaning that goods that have entered the market can still be checked, leading to a high risk of being destroyed or put on a "blacklist".

My advice for businesses preparing to export fruit is: understand the rules of each market to fully meet technical barriers, prepare valid documents and have enough standard raw materials. For businesses that have already exported, it is necessary to maintain stability, regularly update new laws and new market requirements.

In 2008, we only exported one type of fruit, dragon fruit, to the US market. After 17 years, we now have 8 types of fruit exported to this market. In addition, many types of Vietnamese fruit are present in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea - very demanding markets - and all meet the standards. This proves that Vietnamese fruit is completely qualified to appear in the world's leading markets.

Once we have the opportunity to enter the market, we must work together to build a brand and bring the best fruits. In fact, most export businesses want to bring high-quality products abroad, but sometimes they do not fully understand the rules of the game or only pay attention to the "surface" part, not paying attention to comprehensive control of residues and quality of raw materials. This poses many risks.

In addition, I also frankly share that there are still some businesses that lack credibility, deceive customers who are importers, receive deposits and then deliver goods of poor quality, or only sell one batch and then stop cooperating. Such cases have a huge impact: initially the batch is good, but the following batches have reduced quality, causing loss of trust.

We do not think that Vietnamese enterprises intentionally export poor quality products, but the problem is that production capacity and raw material control are not enough. One factory can be very standard, but when expanding to 2-3 factories, it is not controlled, leading to risks. In the end, the enterprise will lose money, lose reputation and that also affects the Vietnamese fruit brand in the international market.

When we work with our customers, we often take pictures of their products on foreign supermarket shelves and send them back. At that time, everyone is proud, because before, when selling to traders, they did not know where their products went. Now, they know clearly where their products are displayed, in which country.

I still remember there were old farmers, 60, 70, even 80 years old, who had been with the company for many years. Every harvest season, they were eager to show off: "It's almost harvest time, prepare to export. I grow according to the company's standards." For them, the joy was not only in selling at a good price, but also in the pride when the fruits they grew were cherished in markets they had never thought of before. Those things made me feel much more proud than the title "fruit export king".

Every entrepreneur usually has a “mission”. What do you think your mission is?

I think the mission is not something I set myself up for myself. At the beginning, I just worked to “earn a living”, doing my daily work. Then gradually, during the process, it formed a mission and at some point, I felt I had a responsibility to that mission.

For example, Vina T&T, when it first started, had only 2-3 employees. Up to now, the company has more than 200 official employees. We recruit and create jobs for thousands of workers in affiliated households. That means we are responsible for thousands of families.

To take on that responsibility, the group itself must operate stably, have stable output, and stable jobs. Only then will the families working for us be stable. In addition, there are hundreds of farmers who have trusted and associated with us. When they grow according to the company's standards, when the harvest season comes, we must buy. That is our connection and strength.

When the epidemic broke out, although there were many reasons to “give up” - because we could not travel, had no output, could not export - we still connected with the people, still harvested for them, still found ways to consume. Only when there was no other way did we stop. At that time, many officials and departments supported Vina T&T and the people also proudly said: “Vina T&T has never left anyone behind”.

From those things, our mission gradually took shape. Actually, I don’t think I was born with any special mission. I just try to do my best within my ability. When I can’t do it anymore, I’ve tried everything but still can’t do it, then I accept to stop.

Thank you for the chat!

Content: Khong Chiem

Design: Tuan Nghia

September 6, 2025 - 07:05

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/vua-xuat-khau-trai-cay-di-my-ban-dau-toi-chi-nghi-ban-hang-de-muu-sinh-20250831081956193.htm