The owner of Khai Hoan fish sauce: Making a traditional fish sauce job is very extreme, from the body to the mind
Khai Hoan is a famous brand of fish sauce known to many people in Phu Quoc pearl island, Kien Giang province. The captain of the Khai Hoan boat was once a doctor, Mrs. Ho Kim Lien. She used to be the deputy director of Phu Quoc General Hospital. Retired in 2000, she now devotes herself to Khai Hoan full-time.
“We have a fleet of fishing boats and 10 logistics ships with a total workforce of 300,” Ms. Lien proudly shared.
As a follower of the tradition of her parents, what belongs to fish sauce has been infiltrated into her body ever since, this woman’s passion is now just how to create the best products.
According to Ms. Lien, quality management according to the traditional method is very difficult, requiring producers and traders to have a mind and a vision. Besides, it is also necessary to support the state so that traditional fish sauce can be spread far in the country as well as abroad.
“Developing a traditional profession is very extreme: from body to mind. The extreme is to study the actual quality, looking from the fresh fish, each brewing method to the finished product. Because Phu Quoc fish sauce has intangible value, national brand and regional characteristics. I am the successor generation, so I have to know how to preserve, embellish and develop the treasures left by our forefathers,” said owner Khai Hoan.
Currently, Khai Hoan has 800 boxes of carp with an output of 10,000 – 12,000 tons of fish, thanks to the exploitation mainly from Khai Hoan’s fleet. 90% of products are consumed domestically. Ms. Lien is also the person who manages the quality of fish sauce because it is a family secret. Both of her children have also followed in their mother’s footsteps after returning from studying in Australia.
In the face of the risk that Phu Quoc anchovies will be exhausted, Khai Hoan has actively managed fish sauce in a chain, from catching, brewing, finished products, bottling and selling to consumers to ensure there are enough raw materials. and catch quality.
The work of this female leader starts from 6 am to 10 pm. Despite being busy, the owner Khai Hoan said that she is still the housewife for the family for 3 meals, even though she has a helper. As a doctor, she is very attentive and careful about the diet for the whole family.