Three Generations, One Journey of Growth

A very special journey began in a coastal fishing village in Da Nang. For more than half a century, it has been a journey of adding value to local seafood, reaching distant markets and winning over some of the world's most demanding customers.

Dong Phuong Company Limited's modern and highly automated production line

What makes this journey truly remarkable is that it has been shaped by three generations of one family: from the first steps in building the foundation for exports, to the generation dedicated to raising the value of local seafood, and now to a new generation of young entrepreneurs carrying the legacy forward with modern thinking and a commitment to sustainable development.

That journey continues through Dong Phuong Company Limited, a company that processes and exports renowned Japanese specialty foods made from Vietnamese seafood. By doing so, it showcases the skill, creativity, and spirit of continuous learning of the Vietnamese people on the international stage.

Japanese specialties with Vietnamese identity and value

Pham Quang Huy, Deputy Director of Dong Phuong Company Limited, shared that his grandfather came from a family with generations of ties to the fishing industry in the Quang Nam-Da Nang region, now Da Nang City. Understanding the hardships faced by local fishermen, he established a seafood purchasing business, taught himself seafood processing and freezing techniques, and found a way to export products to Japan. In 1991, his grandfather founded Minh Quang Enterprise, specializing in processed seafood exports, with squid and octopus as its flagship products.

Building upon more than 30 years of development experience, Dong Phuong Company Limited was officially established in 2000 under the management of his son, Pham Van Quang, who is Huy’s father. Concurrently, to meet the tourism development direction of Da Nang City, the company relocated its factory operations to the Dien Nam-Dien Ngoc Industrial Zone.

Although the company expanded and its operating model evolved, the core values established by the previous generation have remained unchanged at Dong Phuong: meticulous attention to every product and an unwavering commitment to its partners.

A defining moment in Dong Phuong's development came during one of Pham Van Quang's business trips to Japan. There, he saw firsthand the octopus exported by the company being transformed into Takoyaki (grilled octopus balls), a famous street food regarded as an icon of Japanese culinary culture.

"Why do Vietnamese companies only export raw materials instead of producing high-value products like these?" Seeing his homeland's prized seafood transformed into a famous dish that created significant economic value in Japan, the question stayed with him. From then on, he began learning from and collaborating with Japanese partners, investing in production lines, and personally training employees, determined to produce Takoyaki in Vietnam.

After many rounds of experimentation, Quang and the Dong Phuong team mastered Takoyaki production technology, creating products that met the stringent standards of the Japanese market.

When the first batches of Takoyaki rolled off the production line, Dong Phuong gained more than just new orders. It earned the respect of its partners for the processing expertise and creativity of Vietnamese people. Rather than exporting octopus as a raw material, the company transformed Vietnamese octopus into a finished product that successfully made its way back to the birthplace of the dish.

Beyond Takoyaki, Dong Phuong has also successfully developed and produced other specialty foods, including Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes), Chijimi (Korean savory pancakes), and pizza, while maintaining its strong position in traditional seafood processing.

Yet the company's greatest achievement lies not in its revenue, but in proving one simple truth: "Vietnamese companies are fully capable of producing high value- added products that meet international standards."

The company's manufacturing system meets the stringent standards of international markets

A new journey of ambition

If the first generation laid the foundation and the second opened a new chapter, today the third generation is carrying the journey forward with a broader, long-term vision. After studying in Canada, Pham Quang Huy returned to Vietnam and gradually took on a leadership role at Dong Phuong, while building on his family's legacy with fresh ideas and a modern approach.

The young entrepreneur's most significant initiative is Dong Phuong's investment in a new production facility in Thang Binh Commune, Da Nang City. Despite having more convenient location options, Huy chose to invest in his hometown to create jobs for local workers and contribute to the community that has supported his family for generations.

The new factory is equipped with modern quality control systems that improve productivity, support large scale export orders, and provide a solid foundation for the company's long-term development.

Today, with three production facilities and a combined capacity of up to 10,000 tons per year, Dong Phuong supplies international markets with premium seafood filled pastries, seafood products, and agricultural products. Its export markets have expanded well beyond Japan to include the United States, the EU, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, China, Singapore, and other countries.

To compete confidently in global markets, Dong Phuong has successfully implemented rigorous quality management systems, including HACCP, ISO, BRC, and HALAL. The company is working toward a fully integrated production ecosystem to support its goal of becoming the region's leading supplier of seafood filled pastries in both scale and quality.

Alongside the company's growth ambitions, Pham Quang Huy remains committed to the enduring values passed down through previous generations: meticulous attention to every product, trust with business partners, and long-term development over short-term gains.

Dong Phuong is steadily advancing its green development strategy by preparing to invest in rooftop solar power, improving energy efficiency, promoting a circular economy, enhancing wastewater treatment, and strengthening raw material traceability. These initiatives also help the company meet increasingly stringent international environmental standards.

The company also remains committed to providing a supportive workplace and ensuring the well-being of its employees. Today, Dong Phuong's factories provide stable employment for more than 600 local workers, with another 600 jobs expected once the Thang Binh factory reaches full capacity.

Among his future plans, Pham Quang Huy places special importance on bringing Takoyaki and Dong Phuong’s premium products closer to domestic consumers. At present, the company’s production capacity is focused on export orders, but this also serves as a driving force for Dong Phuong to continue expanding its scale to serve the domestic market in the near future.

This reflects the ambition of today’s young generation of Vietnamese entrepreneurs: bringing Vietnamese products to the world and then returning to serve their homeland.

By Ngoc Tung, Vietnam Business Forum