Quan (born 1979, living in Dau Giay commune, Dong Nai province) is one of 63 farmers nationwide honored as Vietnam’s outstanding farmers 2025 in the "Proud Vietnamese Farmers" program.

His 25-year journey with beekeeping began with an unexpected decision. After completing his military service and returning to his hometown, he struggled to find a clear career path.

In late 1999, at a visit to a bee farm, the sight of diligent bees tirelessly producing sweet honey sparked his passion. From that moment, Quan decided to pursue beekeeping and become a “honey hunter.”

The early days of his startup were filled with challenges. Starting with just a few small hives, he had to move them to different points according to flower seasons. His products were mostly sold to processing companies at relatively low value.

“Every time I sold honey, I felt my product was no different from others and the value was low. I told myself I had to be patient and keep learning, choosing strong bee breeds, properly caring for the colonies, and finding the right flower regions to enhance the value of my honey,” Quan said.

In 2015, he expanded his production, cutting out intermediaries and selling honey directly to consumers. He continued improving his model by applying advanced technology to ensure the best honey quality.

That same year, the Quan Phat honey facility was officially established. However, in a market flooded with various honey products and strong advertisements, small producers like Quan faced difficulties building trust. “To gain customer trust and choice, the only way is to improve quality and prove by results,” he said.

A turning point with export standards

In 2017, Quan attended a workshop under the EU-Mutrap project where he heard about Europe's strict standards for exported honey to preserve flavor and commercial value.

Afterwards, he received a certificate completing training on improving Vietnamese honey quality meeting European market requirements.

"Then, I was both happy and worried. Previously, I only sold domestically, never thought of export. I started improving my techniques to make sure the honey wasn’t just tasty, but also met international standards,” Quan recalled.

In 2020, he began using the framed hive method to produce high-quality centrifuged honey. In 2022, he introduced honeycomb-in-frame (honey in wax), a new product that was enthusiastically welcomed by the market.

Framed hive beekeeping is a modern method that uses movable frames inside hives to scientifically organize and manage bee colonies. 

This technique allows beekeepers to easily inspect hives, harvest honey, and optimize productivity. Instead of allowing bees to build combs freely, the method encourages them to construct combs on designated frames, making hive management far more efficient.

“I started researching honeycomb-in-frame products in 2017. The bee colonies must be much stronger than usual, and the nectar conversion time is much longer, up to 25 days. But in return, I can collect nutrient-rich ‘ripe honey’,” Quan explained.

After years of dedicated research, the final product succeeded and gained widespread market acceptance. Since 2023, Quan Phat’s honeycomb-in-frame products have been exported internationally, with orders reaching up to 30,000 boxes per month.

Quan has also explored new markets such as Japan, Australia, and several European countries, bringing Vietnamese honey to the world.

Quan’s success lies not only in revenue but also in his ability to connect and uplift the community. He works with tens of local farmers, sharing experience and modern techniques to help them improve product quality to international standards. As a result, many participating households now earn a stable income, averaging around VND350 million per household annually.

His signature products, such as honeycomb-in-frame and centrifuged honey, have received 3-star OCOP (one commune, one product) certification. He has also filed intellectual property registrations for refined honey.

Today, Quan is the owner of a honey production and business facility with annual revenue exceeding VND25 billion. He provides stable jobs for dozens of workers and maintains partnerships with more than 100 farming households across the country.

Hoang Anh