Vietnam’s Vinh Hoan appeals to children and elderly averse to fish with surimi-wrapped dumplings
A business division of Vinh Hoan Corporation, Vinh Foods’ two main product lines are premium pangasius fillets and “value-added” (ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook) items.
At the Seafood Excellence Asia Awards held in conjunction with the Seafood Expo Asia trade show, which took place in Singapore from September 4 to 6, the firm’s Lucky Bags won the Best New Product accolade.
The award-winner is a dumpling-style product, with the filling comprising pangasius surimi, shrimp, spices, and vegetables including corn, carrots and green onions.
Notably, the filling is enveloped in a wrapper made from pangasius surimi, instead of the typical flour-based dumpling skin. The wrappers come in various vibrant colours, each derived from fruits and vegetables, such as pumpkin, butterfly pea flower, spinach, spirulina, dragon fruit, and gac fruit.
“Lucky Bags is a product born from our new factory last year. It cooks in just eight to 10 minutes via steaming, boiling in soup, pan-frying, or even air-frying. It is particularly suitable for children or old people who don’t like to eat fish, serving as a good option to increase consumption of fish-derived nutrients,” Hoa Truong, Chief Sales Officer at Vinh Hoan, told FoodNavigator-Asia.
Sold as a frozen food, it has a shelf life of 18 months and is currently exported to New Zealand. Through participating in trade shows, the company hopes to find more customers and distributors that are interested in the product.
Lucky Bags is part of Vinh Foods’ portfolio targeted at catering to the fast-paced lifestyle of modern consumers, which is characterised by limited meal preparation time and prioritisation of convenience.
The line-up also includes breaded and marinated fish products, pangasius surimi products such as fish tofu and crab sticks, and pre-prepared meals like pho bowl.
According to Truong, the company’s R&D team is constantly working on new product concepts and recipes to fulfil consumer needs.
“Consumers today take a very proactive approach towards their health and well-being. They like healthy and appetising meals cooked at home, and are looking for creations — in terms of both retail products and when dining out — while holding higher expectations.”
Circular economy in action
Founded in 1997, Vinh Hoan’s core business is in the farming, processing and export of pangasius fish.
The firm claims to have presence in 50 markets, with the biggest being the US, followed by Europe, China, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.
Truong said that the company has established a “fully integrated” system that boasts sustainable and responsible farming practices, internationally recognised manufacturing processes, and superior product quality.
As the firm’s pangasius farms supply 60 to 70% of its raw materials, the health of the fishes can be monitored and maintained throughout the farming process.
Additionally, the farms adopt techniques that minimise impact on natural water sources and the surrounding ecosystem.
“Apart from our own farms, Vinh Hoan only sources pangasius from certified farmers that meet our quality and freshness standards. Partnering with organisations like the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) also helps us uphold the highest standards of sustainability and traceability, which in turn enables us to export to markets in the US, Europe, etc.”
Beyond eco-friendly farming practices, the company’s strategic development is based on the circular economy model to minimise waste, maximise the use of resources, and optimise the value chain.
For example, fish fillet by-products have been researched and utilised to make valuable products, such as collagen, gelatin, fish oil, and animal feed.
“This circular approach not only reduces waste, but also contributes to a more sustainable production process and minimises the company’s overall ecological footprint.”
