A An - The Journey of building an international-standard rice brand

Mr. Truong Manh Linh, General Director of A An Food Joint Stock Company (right), addressed the seminar "Positioning Vietnamese Rice 2025".

With the recognition as "Vietnam National Brand 2024", A An marks a significant milestone in its journey to establish the Vietnamese rice brand in the international market.

With the recognition as "Vietnam National Brand 2024", A An marks a significant milestone in its journey to establish the Vietnamese rice brand in the international market.

Credibility Assurance When Going Global

In an interview with The World & Vietnam Report, Mr. Truong Manh Linh, General Director of A An Food Joint Stock Company, stated that achieving the National Brand not only acknowledges product quality but also serves as a "brand passport" when approaching demanding markets.

"This title enhances the trust of partners, consumers, and distribution systems. It is also proof of the company's capability, compelling us to take greater responsibility for every grain of rice we bring to the market," he said.

A An's products have already entered demanding markets and received high evaluations from partners. In Japan, A An collaborates with Kiraboshi Bank and importer Spicehouse to introduce the A AN rice to the Japanese market. Additionally, A An Food Joint Stock Company is working to introduce Japonica rice into 140 BELC supermarkets across Japan.

In the European market, A An Food Joint Stock Company has signed an agreement with AWTC GmbH (Germany) for the exclusive distribution of the A An rice brand.

Maintaining quality amid climate change

Unlike manufacturing industries, rice products heavily depend on natural fluctuations. Mr. Truong Manh Linh admits that A An Food Joint Stock Company's biggest challenge is maintaining stable rice quality amidst global climate change, particularly the increasingly severe salinity intrusion in the Mekong Delta, while foreign partners demand higher quality standards, not only in taste but also in "clean" rice.

A An Food Joint Stock Company is renowned for its ST25 A An rice products (A An Fragrant Rice, Premium ST25 Shrimp Rice).

A An Food Joint Stock Company is renowned for its ST25 A An rice products (A An Fragrant Rice, Premium ST25 Shrimp Rice), Japonica A A rice, An Lanh rice... These products are specialities of the Mekong Delta region, requiring a standard cultivation process.

If the environment changes too drastically, it can affect the flavour and quality of the rice. "We are compelled to invest deeply in controlling the raw material areas and applying technology to adapt," Mr. Linh shared.

"Golden Key": Closed Value Chain

To maintain quality, a notable point in A An's strategy is building a closed value chain from rice seeds to fields, factories, and distribution, thereby avoiding the long-standing issues of blending and adulteration in the domestic rice market.

Additionally, A An simultaneously applies multiple international standards, including HACCP, ISO, BRC, GlobalG.A.P., and a transparent traceability system in accordance with export standards.

"The important thing is to apply standards without disrupting the traditional farming culture of farmers. We accompany and adjust according to the characteristics of each region," Mr. Linh stated.

A farmer in the An Giang raw material area shared: "We cooperate with A An with clear traceability of raw materials. A An Food Joint Stock Company's engineers provide technical training, material support, and guaranteed purchase, so farmers are assured. Clean production also increases the value of the rice grain."

A An's products have already entered demanding markets like Japan and received high evaluations from partners.

Sustainable development: Emission reduction, circular economy, and digitalisation

Participating in the Government's 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice project, A An is transforming its agricultural practices towards sustainability. Models like "3 reductions - 3 increases", reducing water, fertilisers, and pesticides, are widely applied.

The 1-5 reductions cultivation process involves using certified seeds, while the 5 reductions are achieved by reducing the use of seeds, fertilisers, water, pesticides, and post-harvest losses.

Simultaneously, A An has integrated digitalisation into production, such as managing raw material areas with software, applying QR code traceability systems, and digitising operations and logistics.

Notably, rice by-products are fully utilised: Bran for animal feed production. Husk is partly used in rice drying processes and supplied to thermal power or organic fertiliser units...

This model helps the company gradually build a circular economy chain, minimising environmental impact.

This is also part of implementing ESG standards, a mandatory trend when participating in the international supply chain.

Transforming Vietnamese Identity into Competitive Value

According to A An's leadership, the Mekong Delta possesses a unique rice ecosystem that "not many countries have". The diversity in varieties, aroma, stickiness, and sweet aftertaste are natural advantages that can become brand elements if properly controlled and branded.

When associated with regional identity and sustainable agriculture stories, it creates a distinct difference when exporting. "International consumers are increasingly focused on locality and product stories. A An builds its brand based on the very essence of Vietnam," Mr. Linh said.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Thuy (Ho Chi Minh City) shared, "I choose the A An brand because it gives me peace of mind. The rice is more fragrant, especially ST25, which is very sticky when cooked. Importantly, they clearly state where the rice is from, what variety, with no ambiguity."

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