Quang Thuy wooden chopsticks set is a national 5-star OCOP product.
Start small
Born into a poor family in Quang Thuy commune, Ba Don town (now Nam Ba Don commune), Le Thanh Trien experienced the hardships of making a living early. After graduating from university, he did not choose a stable path in the city but instead threw himself into making a living by doing many jobs: construction worker, motorbike taxi driver, porter... Every penny earned was imbued with the will to escape poverty, forging the extraordinary determination of the young man.
2012 - the time considered a major turning point in Trien's life when he set foot in Fukui province (Japan) - the land famous for chopstick making. Six months in the land of the rising sun was an enlightening journey, completely changing his life. Trien constantly observed, learned, and remembered every detail. He was deeply impressed by the meticulousness and sophistication in the process of making chopsticks by hand of the Japanese. This planted in his heart a bold idea: Making Vietnamese chopsticks of similar stature but still retaining the Vietnamese "soul".
Returning home, without any design in hand, Trien only had the “drawing” imprinted in his mind. He began to realize his dream by finding an old mechanic in Ho Chi Minh City. Uncle Sau, a veteran worker, became his first companion in the profession. Two generations, working hard together with steel and gears. Despite facing many failures, with perseverance and strong belief, by 2013, the first chopstick making machine, made by Trien and Uncle Sau, was born.
In 2017, Le Thanh Trien decided to return to his hometown. His parents' small house by the Gianh River became the starting point for the journey to realize his dream of making Vietnamese chopsticks, a simple but bold dream of a poor young man. With no capital in hand, he boldly borrowed more than 800 million VND to start his business.
In June 2018, the Quang Thuy Wooden Chopsticks Production and Trading Cooperative was officially established. In the early days, product output was almost the most difficult problem. However, with outstanding product quality, meticulous production process and tireless perseverance, after only two years, Quang Thuy chopsticks gradually gained a foothold in the market, with orders increasing day by day.
Currently, the Cooperative is proud to own 28 modern chopstick machines, operating continuously to meet the market demand in and outside the province. Not stopping there, Le Thanh Trien also proactively transferred 10 chopstick production machines to other localities, contributing to spreading the chopstick making profession, creating livelihoods for many household items and gradually restoring and developing a craft closely associated with the soul of the village.
Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, affirmed: "The province will maintain geographical indications and collective trademarks and pay special attention to protect brands that have been built by the people with passion, such as Quang Thuy chopsticks. This is an identity and cultural asset that needs to be nurtured and widely spread." |
Wooden chopsticks with Vietnamese soul
The cooperative always respects the value of traditional handicrafts, using local materials such as jackfruit wood, longan, rubber... Each piece of wood is carefully selected and dried according to the correct process to ensure optimal durability. The manual chopstick-whipping process requires the skill and extensive experience of the craftsman, because that is when the craftsman "breathes life" into each product.
The highlight that makes the “soul” of Quang Thuy chopsticks is the natural lacquer layer. Mr. Trien has painstakingly restored the traditional lacquer technique, delicately applying it to each pair of chopsticks. The multi-layer painting process has helped the chopsticks become shiny, water-resistant, termite-proof, heat-resistant and retain their color over time. To him, the faint lacquer smell is the “smell of patience”, the crystallization of time.
Mr. Le Thanh Trien introduces Quang Thuy wooden chopsticks products.
Le Thanh Trien continually innovates and diversifies his products. In addition to ordinary chopsticks, he boldly creates high-end chopsticks, turning everyday items into works of art. Chopsticks are inlaid with mother-of-pearl shells, carved with delicate lotus motifs, inlaid with tortoiseshell or with metal tips. Chopsticks become gifts with profound cultural messages, where modern techniques and traditional craftsmanship intersect and blend.
The cooperative currently produces about 300,000 pairs of chopsticks and nearly 20,000 coconut shells along with tens of thousands of toothpick jars and orchid baskets each month. The products are available in many large supermarkets such as Co.op mart, Big C, hotel chains and large markets across the country.
In particular, realizing the explosive trend of digital platform applications, Mr. Trien proactively expanded his online business through reputable e-commerce platforms such as: Postmart, shopee, lazada, voso, smartgap, quangbinhtrade. This is a strategic step, helping the cooperative's products reach a wide range of domestic consumers and reach demanding markets such as: Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China and Europe.
In 2024, the total revenue of the cooperative reaches 12 billion VND, nearly double that of previous years, creating stable jobs for more than 100 local workers, with an average salary of 7 million VND/person/month. With 2 product sets: Kitchenware using lacquer technology achieving 4-star OCOP products at the provincial level and Quang Thuy wooden chopsticks achieving 5-star OCOP products at the national level, Quang Thuy chopsticks have become a bright spot on the OCOP product map of the North Central region.
Mr. Trien is planning to open a chopsticks craft experience site. There, students and tourists can whet, paint, box and bring back meaningful gifts from home. This is also an opportunity to open up a direction for cultural development associated with sustainable tourism for the craft village.
Mr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Deputy Chief of the New Rural Office, Deputy Head of the Department of Cooperative Economics and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Management, said: "The Quang Thuy Wooden Chopsticks Production and Trading Cooperative is a typical model of national OCOP products. Combining production, experience and tourism connection is the right direction. We are building a support plan to develop it into a model craft village of the province."
The story of Le Thanh Trien and Quang Thuy wooden chopsticks is a journey of entrepreneurship with determination, a testament to love, perseverance and the desire to preserve the soul of Vietnamese culture. From a small pair of chopsticks, he created a national brand, affirming the identity of the craft village and inspiring the spirit of self-reliance for the younger generation. This is also his way of elevating Vietnamese agricultural products, so that the Vietnamese spirit can spread in everyday meals.
Quang Ngoc
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/tu-doi-dua-que-den-thuong-hieu-quoc-gia-195532.htm
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