Hero of Labour Thai Huong – Founder, Chairwoman of the Strategy Council of the TH Group, General Director of Bac A Commercial Joint Stock Bank, who is known for cherishing Mother Nature and who considers sustainable development as a lodestar for all business activities, was honoured as one of the 10 outstanding Vietnamese entrepreneurs in 2022.

This is a worthy recognition of Huong’s tireless efforts in the journey of building and developing an enterprise based on the core value: “For the health of the community”.

Those who have come into contact with Huong all refer to her as a strong inspirational person whose positive energy never wanes. Her consistent point of view is encapsulated in just one word: “True”.

Therefore, since founding TH (True Happiness) Group, Huong has been consistent with the mission of placing the group’s own interests within the common interests of the country and rationalising benefits instead of maximising profits.

With an impressive philosophy of “Cherish Mother Nature, she will provide returns abundantly”, Huong defines a sustainable development strategy based on six pillars: Nutrition-Health, Environment, Human, Education, Community, and Animal Welfare. These pillars were developed and designed by the TH Group with a clear purpose that encompasses many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, in the environmental aspect, the group is determined to contribute to changing the business trend of hi-tech applications to effectively exploit natural resources, and avoid harsh impacts on nature that worsen climate change.

Thinking outside the box, TH understands that the application of the world’s most advanced science and technology and management science is not to exhaust resources or replace the power of nature, but to promote the production process, to make things better, and to take better care of the nature, thus serving people better.

Organic production is another major aspect and serves as a lodestar to help TH take the appropriate steps to develop agriculture in harmony with Mother Nature.

The group has utilized high-tech solutions in dairy farming and milk processing in a project with a total investment of 1.2 billion USD. It was recognised in 2020 by the World Records Union as a concentrated farm cluster with the world’s largest closed-loop production process. With this project, TH took the lead in converting from conventional to organic farming with EU and USDA (US Department of Agriculture) organic certifications.

TH utilizes high-tech solutions in all stages of the closed-loop process, including the world’s most advanced dairy management system AfiFarm of Israel, New Zealand’s veterinary and disease management process, and wastewater treatment equipment and processes from Japan, Israel, and the Netherlands.

The decision to invest in these modern technologies and equipment requires a large sum of money, but that investment orientation has laid the foundation for the development of TH Group over the past 10 years as well as for the dairy farming and clean fresh milk processing industry, creating a revolution in the Vietnamese dairy market, especially changing consumer habits from reconstituted milk to fresh milk.

In addition, with the circular economic model, Huong and TH Group have taken advantage of the natural conditions of Nghia Dan district in the central province of Nghe An, which has a harsh climate and is hot all year round, to improve production and business efficiency.

Since 2020, TH Group has invested in solar panel systems right on the roofs of the farm cluster, in order to generate a “green” power source to serve production demand. As of 2022, in Nghe An alone, TH had nine rooftop solar power projects, covering all the roofs of its farms and factories in Nghia Dan district. These panels have been connected to the national grid. This green and clean power source has met the electricity consumption needs of the entire TH farm cluster.

In addition to the application of high technology in organic farming, and the active use of green energy sources, TH Group also focuses on protecting water resources, founding and participating in environmental protection organisations, collecting and recycling packaging and reducing plastic waste. It has helped change the habits and production methods of farmers around the project areas, thereby contributing to a more civilised and advanced farm life.

From her experience on the land of Nghe An, Huong continues to bring the TH brand to the world with projects in Russia and Australia.

When being asked about the key to TH’s success, Hero of Labour Thai Huong shared: “Humanity is the light guiding the brand. From the first day, I identified five core values of TH products, building TH’s international brand: ‘True Happiness’ with obvious humanity and for community health. And I have stuck to those values under all circumstances.”

She and TH pioneered the creation of healthy consumption trends, which has opened up great opportunities for the entire market. The highlights are the four revolutions: fresh milk, healthy drinks, an organic revolution, and a nutritional revolution for Vietnamese people.

TH has not only created a breakthrough and laid the foundation for the fresh milk industry, but also focused on developing nut milk products with natural sweetness from the date palm, which can help reduce blood sugar and obesity.

TH True Milk dairy products, which have won the National Brand title or many years, have participated in many international fairs and exhibitions and won a lot of prizes. These include the ASEAN Best Food Award, the best product award at the WorldFood Moscow in Russia for five consecutive years, several prizes at Gulfood Dubai, the World’s Biggest Annual Food & Hospitality Show, in 2016, the Asia-Pacific Quality Organisation Award and many more.

After fresh milk and nut milk, TH continues to develop projects for the conservation, development and processing of herbs. With an aspiration to rebuild the herbal ecosystem, she began with Muong Long medicinal area in Nghe An with many endemic and rare species grown under the canopy at 1,400-2,700m above sea level.

With the desire to improve public health from natural products, TH Group has to date built an ecosystem of over 130 clean, organic and healthy products.

During her visit to Nghia Dan district in April 2022, then Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan recognised the group’s founder who not only focuses on economic development but is also a pioneer in the difficult fields of agriculture in the rural sector. She achieves this by persistently pursuing and leading innovation by applying high-tech solutions.

“I think that when TH comes to an area, it not only develops the economy of that area, but also improves the quality of life and the thought, and changes the way of thinking and doing of local people, as well as connecting them to create strength in economic development,”

– Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan –

“Vietnam needs to have large enterprises as the mainstay for development and Ms. Thai Huong and TH Group are one of the important pillars for agricultural development – a field that is difficult to compete with the world. And now we made it. I think it will be great if Vietnamese agriculture has more people like her, and then we wouldn’t have to worry about falling behind,” emphasized Assoc. Prof., Dr. Tran Dinh Thien – former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics.

In addition to business and production, Thai Huong has been also a pioneer, accompanying the Government in implementing major social welfare programmes, poverty reduction activities, and programmes contributing to improving the stature and physical strength of young generations such as school milk, and national school health.

In particular, implementing a campaign to join hands to drive back COVID-19, since the beginning of 2020, TH has donated products, medical supplies and ventilators, and contributed to the COVID-19 vaccine fund with a total value of 108 billion VND (4.55 million USD).

With contributions to the sustainable development of the economy, society and environment, Hero of Labour Thai Huong was honoured in the Top 10 outstanding Vietnamese entrepreneurs in 2022.

She has won numerous international titles, being named in the Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen in 2021; Forbes 50 Over 50: Asia 2022; Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2018 Stevie Awards; and top 50 Asian women with international influence in 2015 and 2016 selected by Forbes.

“All will come true. Safe, clean and organic agricultural products, the best health care services, dreamlike schools and good stories for children are gradually appearing.”

– Hero of Labour Thai Huong –

Not only in Vietnam but the aspiration of the new-generation businesswoman is also to bring Vietnamese agricultural products to the dining table of families in other countries around the world.

“We will bring Vietnamese agriculture to the world with the strictest standards,” emphasised Huong.

Her determination has firm grounds because, on TH’s entire journey, the mark of sustainable development in harmony with the environment and cherishing Mother Nature is extremely bold. The group’s clean, healthy and environmentally-friendly products are increasingly gaining the trust of consumers.

And, on that journey, people always see a businesswoman who is always ready to forge ahead, take the lead, and pioneer for the health of the Vietnamese people./.