Hoang Long Seafood: Pioneer in Sustainable Development Commitments

Hoang Long Group engaged in aquaculture and seafood processing for export in 2010. For the past three years, we have proved our hard and serious working in this new field and kept moving towards the goal of sustainable development.

 

ASC and Global GAP certifications that Hoang Long has been awarded are an important milestone proving that Hoang Long has made sufficient and comprehensive investments to realise its commitments to the sustainable development of fisheries sector in general and of catfish and tilapia in particular. In the light of those commitments, Hoang Long has achieved success and showed its great efforts to overcome challenges in infrastructure system and quality management system to be granted these important certificates in a very short time.

 

This event demonstrates that we have prepared for product diversification strategies, not just tra (pangasius) catfish but now tilapia. Sustainability is not just a standard for a product but it is the diversification to meet market requirements. It also shows that Hoang Long is always a pioneer in commitments to sustainable development, that is, sustainability in farming and sustainability in market satisfaction.

 

Before receiving ASC and Global GAP certifications, Hoang Long had also spent a handsome sum of money on environmental protection, production process construction and product quality management based on benefits of environment, community and society. ASC and Global GAP certifications are the certain outcome of those efforts.

 

I would like to cite one case to illuminate Hoang Long’s efforts and funds for ASC application. Hoang Long had invested eight hectares of water surface in its 48 hectare complex to build a waste water treatment container. This is considered the largest waste water treatment lake for a tra fish farming zone in Vietnam. If this water surface was not used for waste water treatment, the company would be able to harvest additional 6,400 tonnes of fish or 800 tonnes per hectare. Raising fish in accordance with ASC standard takes additional cost of VND2,000 - 3,000 per kilo in comparison with traditional fishing method. This is clearly a huge challenge for businesses when they apply ASC.

 

Apart from brand values that we can get from the ASC certification, what makes us proud is how we do. We do our best, not just pass some requirements. We think that what we do does not limit to the fish but also generate other social values. Or in other words, we must take care of surroundings.

 

I certainly believe so. With what has happened and with the visits paid by ASC Director , WWF executives and European clients, Hoang Long Seafood brand has a new assertion after obtaining the ASC certification and that is an intangible value. And, it is really a great consolation for Hoang Long Seafood when it did not hesitate to invest for ASC certification. ASC will open up opportunities in the long run and unlock new customer bases and markets in the future.

 

First, we will continue to consolidate and expand the tra fish farming areas we have systematically invested, strengthened vertical chain links , and expanded into a new product - tilapia.

 

Currently, Hoang Long Seafood’s factories have a monthly capacity of 2,500 tonnes. They consume 90 - 100 tonnes of input materials a day. Its ASC-certified pangasius farming areas produce 7,500 tonnes of fillets, nearly 150 containers of fillets a month. The company’s material areas now meet 50 per cent of its factories’ demand.

We now have two species of tilapia, black tilapia and red tilapia. Each species has its own strengths. We are also planning to build ASC process for tilapia in order to reach a higher position on the world market which quickly accepts tilapia from Vietnam. This is the second year Hoang Long is involved with tilapia and gets initial successes. The company has received the Global GAP certification for this business and expected to have ASC certification at the end of this year.

 

Currently, Hoang Long’s tilapia products are being exported to the US and European markets. Connection Seafood Company purchased tilapia from Hoang Long and planned to purchase ASC-certified tilapia. We have also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with this partner to distribute tilapia products in Switzerland and the UK. That is a very good signal.

 

As for ASC-certified tra catfish, Hoang Long currently has two major customers in the Netherlands and Sweden. Seafood Connection Company distributes the company’s products in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium and FISKANO Company supplies Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Hoang Long is very successful in these markets.