Vietnam's Sao Mai has brought on line an agricultural-produce and herb processing factory in Quang Ngai Province, into which it invested 500 billion dong (about 19 million dollars, or about 3.0 billion yen at 1 dollar = 156 yen). It processes 10,000 tonnes of fruit a year and exports to Europe, the US, Japan, Korea, and China. It touts a closed-loop value chain connecting a 2,000-hectare cultivation area with the factory, and has already obtained major certifications such as FSSC 22000, Halal, and FDA. In the sourcing of processed fruit and herbs for Japan, a new supply source with certifications in place has stood up.
A 19-million-dollar factory comes on line
This factory, inaugurated in Quang Ngai Province on August 31, 2025, is one into which 500 billion dong (about 19 million dollars) was invested. The site is over 50,000 square meters and introduces Italian-made processing equipment. Its annual processing capacity is 10,000 tonnes, and projected annual sales are said to be 100 million dollars.
The certifications obtained are wide-ranging — FSSC 22000, Halal, Kosher, GACC, and FDA — a design that responds to the import requirements of Europe and the US, the Islamic world, and China respectively.
A closed loop connecting farmers and the factory
Sao Mai directly connects a 2,000-hectare cultivation zone within Quang Ngai Province with the factory. The main crops are passion fruit, pineapple, mango, and guava, and it manages everything from harvest to processing and export in one integrated flow.
Nguyen Hoang Giang, chairman of the province's people's committee, said, "This project connects farmers and companies and builds a closed-loop value chain from cultivation and sourcing to processing and export." The idea of placing the raw-material production area and processing close together is also shared with the passion-fruit processing base Nafoods is advancing in Gia Lai Province.
Organizing products and capacity
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Investment | 500 billion dong (about 19 million dollars / about 3.0 billion yen) |
| Inauguration | August 31, 2025 |
| Site | Over 50,000 square meters |
| Annual processing capacity | 10,000 tonnes of fruit |
| Projected annual sales | 100 million dollars |
| Cultivation zone | 2,000 hectares (within Quang Ngai Province) |
| Certifications obtained | FSSC 22000, Halal, Kosher, GACC, FDA |
Yen conversion at 1 dollar = 156 yen. Products include juice, concentrated juice, fresh fruit/dried fruit, freeze-dried cordyceps, and fermented liquor from fruit/herbs.
Local reactions and employment
The factory employs several hundred local residents, including ethnic-minority workers. The average monthly income is said to be 12 million dong (about 455 dollars), contributing to raising local income. In addition to chairman Nguyen Hoang Giang emphasizing the significance of building the closed loop, the introduction of ERP for production and supply-chain management is also well regarded.
In the industry there are voices that "it is rare to take in even high-value-added items such as herbs and cordyceps." The design gives breadth not just to juice and concentrate but also to fermented liquor and freeze-dried goods, earning on high-unit-price products.
Impact on Japanese buyers and distributors
The fact that it has already obtained FSSC 22000 and FDA clears the precondition Japanese food makers apply when choosing a trading partner. There is the advantage of being able to draw items with demand in Japan too — such as mango and passion-fruit concentrated juice, dried fruit, and freeze-dried materials — together from a single company with certifications in place.
The closed loop connecting to a 2,000-hectare self-managed zone tends to lead to stable raw-material quality and volume. It is a good fit with the Japanese market, which places weight on proof of origin and traceability.
Ripple effects on the industry
In central Vietnam, agricultural-processing investment continues, and with moves such as a sericulture revival in Quang Ngai Province also appearing, the region's primary industry is diversifying. A large processing base like Sao Mai's stabilizes farmers' shipping destinations and pushes the region's agriculture up from a "make it and be done" structure to one of "process it and export it."
Having obtained even Halal brings the Islamic markets of the Middle East and Southeast Asia into view. A structure that can expand into multiple markets, in addition to Japan, raises resilience to demand swings.
Summary
Sao Mai's Quang Ngai factory, armed with a closed loop connecting to 2,000 hectares of cultivation land and a wide range of international certifications, sends processed fruit and herbs to Europe, the US, Japan, Korea, and China. For Japanese buyers, it amounts to one more supply source that has certifications in place and handles even high-value-added items. It is worth keeping an eye on as a sourcing destination for mango and passion-fruit concentrate and dried goods, and freeze-dried materials.
