Turning by-products into high-value export products

VCN - By investing in research and applying technology, many businesses not only solve the problem of waste and the environment but also create high-value products and export them to many markets.
Two export products to Canada rose dramatically under CPTPP Two export products to Canada rose dramatically under CPTPP
New directions for two key export products of the seafood industry New directions for two key export products of the seafood industry
Turning by-products into high-value export products
VNF's shrimp by-product products are being well received in many export markets. Photo: Provided by the enterprise

Create a new life cycle for by-products and waste

According to statistics from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, each year in Vietnam, about 1.8 million tons of plastic waste are discharged into the environment. However, the treatment of plastic waste is still limited. This raises many concerns for Mr. Do Anh Dung, Director of Dong Do Trading and Service Company Limited - a company established in 2000 with the main activity of providing scaffolding and formwork accessories for construction works. From practical experience, Mr. Dung realized that the disadvantage of plywood products is that they are exploited from natural sources, so they are limited, dependent on weather conditions and geographical distance, causing production costs to increase due to increasingly depleted raw materials. Therefore, he wanted to find a material that could replace traditional materials with abundant and easily controlled raw materials.

In 2018, Dong Do established and put into production phase 1 of Vision formwork factory in Long An. With the launch of Eco plastic formwork panels, Dong Do has taken advantage of recycled plastic materials as production materials as well as recycling products after use, reducing the need to cut down trees for production materials.

With the current phase 1, Dong Do can process about 20 - 25 tons of plastic per day and operate continuously 24/24 hours. Correspondingly, each month the company processes about 600 - 750 tons of plastic, and brings to the market about 25,000 - 30,000 plastic sheets, each sheet has an average weight of about 30 kg.

According to Mr. Dung, the market demand for plastic sheet products made from derivative plastic is very large because it can replace many other products. Therefore, in the near future, the company will focus on producing eco-plastic sheets with the best quality and the cheapest price so that it can be brought to the market in the largest quantity. In the future, Dong Do plans to export abroad, even open factories operating abroad, especially in developed countries.

Another by-product that many businesses are investing in researching and developing into high-value products is coffee grounds. In 2023, AirX Carbon - a purely Vietnamese startup launched the world's first carbon-negative material from coffee grounds. Currently, many large brands and corporations such as Nestlé, Paula's Choice, Uniqlo, Roche and Intercontinental Hotels Group... have joined hands with this business.

Previously, since 2017, Fashion Connection Joint Stock Company (Faslink) has also created a stir in the Vietnamese textile market when it cooperated with Singtex to research and launch the world's first coffee shirt product and commercialized it in Vietnam. Up to now, Faslink's coffee fiber fabric has been widely used in many types of clothing such as jeans, trousers... with more than 40 fashion brands, typically: Owen, Yody, Coolmate, Routine...

Export goods processed from by-products

As one of the world's largest shrimp exporting countries, every year the Vietnamese shrimp industry discharges a large amount of by-products, mainly heads, shells, scraps of meat, and spoiled shrimp. According to research by the Vietnam Investments Group, the value created from shrimp by-products increases according to the application of the final product as follows: in the livestock industry, the value increases 3-5 times; in the food industry, the value increases 5-10 times; in the nutritional food industry, it increases 15-20 times; and in the pharmaceutical industry, it increases 20-30 times. Currently, according to preliminary estimates, Vietnam is discharging and wasting 1,000 tons of shrimp by-products per day, including heads, shells, and other parts that are not used in the seafood processing process.

However, currently, most shrimp by-products are still processed in simple ways, most commonly by steaming, drying, and grinding, so the value is very low. By cooperating with domestic and foreign scientists, Vietnam Food Joint Stock Company (VNF) has extracted many valuable essences from shrimp by-products. Notably, chitosan is a biological material with great potential for the future. In medicine, chitosan is a substance that can promote wound healing, is an ingredient in anti-obesity drugs, and is a raw material for the production of glucosamine - a drug to support the treatment of joint diseases. In the world, 1 kg of pure chitosan for the medical industry can be sold for several hundred USD.

Ms. Nguyen Van An, VNF Strategy Director, said that after 10 years of research, development and testing, VNF has extracted 5 main groups of biological active ingredients, including: food ingredients; biological nutrition (easily digestible hydrolyzed protein); multifunctional biological polymer (chitosan); antioxidant astaxanthin and probiotics. Along with that are 80 different products put into 6 main application groups including livestock, farming, pets, food, human health care and many other industries. More specifically, VNF's products are being exported to many markets such as Europe, UK, Korea, Taiwan (China), India, Malaysia...

Similar to VNF, Phuc Sinh Joint Stock Company has also successfully developed cascara tea from the skin of coffee beans - a by-product of coffee processing. What is special is that this product is being very positively received by customers in the international market and brings very high value, even higher than the main product, green coffee. Mr. Phan Minh Thong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Phuc Sinh Company, said that Phuc Sinh currently produces about 10 tons of cascara tea each year. 90% of this is being exported to markets. Notably, the export value of these 10 tons of tea is currently equivalent to 40 tons of exported coffee.

The real story of VNF as well as Phuc Sinh has shown that investing in research and applying technology not only helps solve the problem of waste and agricultural by-products, but also creates high-value products, contributing to the profits of enterprises as well as bringing benefits to the economy.

By Nguyen Hien/Bui Diep

Related News

Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the first 11 months of 2024

Preliminary assessment of Vietnam international merchandise trade performance in the first 11 months of 2024

Highlights 1. According to trade statistics of Vietnam Customs, in November of 2024, a 4.1% downwards in total external merchandise turnover of Vietnam was recorded as compared to the result of October 2024. Exports went down 5.3 %, to USD 33.73 billion and imports decreased 2.8%, to USD 32.67 billion in terms of month-on-month basis. As a result, there was a USD 1.07 billion surplus in Vietnam’s trade balance in this month.

Latest News

Việt Nam becomes second biggest garment exporter globally

Việt Nam becomes second biggest garment exporter globally

Việt Nam’s garment and textiles export is projected to hit nearly US$44 billion this year, positioning the country as the world’s second biggest exporter, only behind India, said General Director of the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) Cao Hữu Hiếu.
Vietnam may surpass Bangladesh in garment export: report

Vietnam may surpass Bangladesh in garment export: report

Vietnam’s apparel and textile sector is set to earn an export revenue of $44 billion this year, up 11 percent year-on-year, and will likely surpass Bangladesh to become the world’s second-biggest exporter in the sector.
Export tax to increase for 13 construction materials

Export tax to increase for 13 construction materials

The rate was specified in Chapter 68 of the Government’s Decree 26, issued on May 1, 2023.
Building a brand to elevate Vietnamese rice

Building a brand to elevate Vietnamese rice

VCN - The implementation of the Sustainable development plan for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice specialized cultivation, aligned with green growth, will contribute to building the brand of Vietnamese rice. This effort meets current market trends and consumer preferences, thereby enhancing the value of Vietnamese rice.

More News

FTA Index helps measure the effectiveness of FTA implementation

FTA Index helps measure the effectiveness of FTA implementation

VCN - Participation in many new-generation free trade agreements (FTAs) has opened up many opportunities for Vietnam to grow and diversify import-export markets, attracting investment. However, there are also many difficulties and challenges that require a set of indicators to evaluate the implementation results of FTAs ​​(FTA Index) to measure the implementation results.
Nghệ An Province anticipates record FDI amidst economic upswing

Nghệ An Province anticipates record FDI amidst economic upswing

This places the province among the top 10 nationwide in FDI attraction, showcasing its increasing appeal to international investors.
Green farming development needs supportive policies to attract investors

Green farming development needs supportive policies to attract investors

The numbers investing in this sector remains modest, because the supportive mechanisms and policies for the investors are not attractive enough, according to experts.
Vietnamese enterprises adapt to green logistics trend

Vietnamese enterprises adapt to green logistics trend

Principal of the School of Business at the National Economics University, Associate Professor Dr Tạ Văn Lợi, talked to Vietnam News Agency about solutions for domestic enterprises to become more green in terms of logistics.
Paving the way for Vietnamese agricultural products in China

Paving the way for Vietnamese agricultural products in China

VCN - The signing of protocols between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the General Administration of Customs of China has created momentum for many domestic agricultural products. In 2025 and the coming years, participating in cross-border e-commerce channels is considered a potential direction for domestic enterprises to directly approach Chinese consumers.
VN seafood export surpass 2024 goal of $10 billion

VN seafood export surpass 2024 goal of $10 billion

Việt Nam’s seafood export in 2024 has surpassed its target of US$10 billion despite many challenges related to the market, logistics and materials, according to the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Exporters urged to actively prepare for trade defence investigation risks when exporting to the UK

Exporters urged to actively prepare for trade defence investigation risks when exporting to the UK

The UKVFTA and the UK’s official participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) from December 15 are creating significant opportunities for Việt Nam to expand exports to the UK. However, the risk of trade defence investigations is always present.
Electronic imports exceed $100 billion

Electronic imports exceed $100 billion

Computers, electronic products and components are the first import group to exceed the US$100 billion mark this year.
Forestry exports set a record of $17.3 billion

Forestry exports set a record of $17.3 billion

Việt Nam’s forestry export turnover is estimated to reach a record of US$17.3 billion in 2024.
Read More

Your care

Latest Most read
Việt Nam becomes second biggest garment exporter globally

Việt Nam becomes second biggest garment exporter globally

Việt Nam’s garment and textiles export is projected to hit nearly US$44 billion this year, positioning the country as the world’s second biggest exporter, only behind India, said General Director of the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) Cao Hữu Hiếu.
Vietnam may surpass Bangladesh in garment export: report

Vietnam may surpass Bangladesh in garment export: report

Vietnam’s apparel and textile sector is set to earn an export revenue of $44 billion this year, up 11 percent year-on-year, and will likely surpass Bangladesh to become the world’s second-biggest exporter in the sector.
Export tax to increase for 13 construction materials

Export tax to increase for 13 construction materials

The rate was specified in Chapter 68 of the Government’s Decree 26, issued on May 1, 2023.
Building a brand to elevate Vietnamese rice

Building a brand to elevate Vietnamese rice

The implementation of the Sustainable development plan for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice specialized cultivation, aligned with green growth, will contribute to building the brand of Vietnamese rice.
FTA Index helps measure the effectiveness of FTA implementation

FTA Index helps measure the effectiveness of FTA implementation

VCN - In 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has developed a Project on the set of indicators to assess the implementation results of FTAs ​​(FTA Index). Currently, the FTA Index is in the process of being finalized and will be announced as soon as p
Mobile Version