9X starts a business with cordyceps, earning 2-3 billion VND/month

Self-control of seed sources with the quality equivalent to imported products

Taking us on a tour of his farm, Mr. Dieu explained that in order to produce cordyceps, it is first compulsory to have good-quality seed sources. Then create a nutritional environment (embryo). Next is to multiply the biomass to increase the density of the original seed. Then, culture the seed into the embryo and put it into freezing. After freezing, put it in the growing room.

With appropriate temperature, light, and oxygen conditions, after about 60 days, cordyceps will fully develop and can be harvested. After harvesting, cordyceps can be sold for fresh consumption, such as eating hot pot, making tea, etc. However, cordyceps are mainly dried (freeze drying) so that they can be preserved and easily transported long distances. 

Currently, Mr. Le Xuan Dieu's farm has many products from cordyceps, such as fresh cordyceps, dried cordyceps, wine, herbal tea, and steamed bird's nest. In particular, fresh and freeze-dried cordyceps products are recognized as 4-star OCOP products by the Long An Provincial People's Committee. In addition, bird's nest steamed with cordyceps; cordyceps wine soaked in Abelmoschus sagittifolius ginseng; and detox herbal tea are recognized as 3-star OCOP products.

“The whole cordyceps production process will take about 3 months. In these stages, good and quality seeds determine up to 70% of success, followed by temperature and light factors," Mr. Dieu said about the factors that determine the success of cordyceps production.

Therefore, for seed sources, he previously chose to import them from Japan. After many years of both production and research, he has selected to conduct cross-breeding to produce seeds with the quality equivalent to imported products. Not having to import seeds for more than a year helps this cost reduce significantly.

However, the quality of mushrooms on Mr. Dieu's farm is very uniform and can reach 70% of products of natural origin.

In addition, he also constantly researches and improves technology to increase the success rate of the production process. In the early days, the rate of quality mushrooms was very low. Each box of fresh mushrooms (including about 180 g of growing media) after separating the dried mushrooms only yields 3 g. Currently, the yield of dried mushrooms from each fresh box has increased 3-4 times (about 12-16 g).

Since then, the price of cordyceps has decreased a lot compared to a few years ago. Each kilogram of dried mushrooms now costs only 12–15 million VND, only about 1/5–1/4 of the previous price (about 70 million VND/kg). Therefore, many middle-income consumers can also access this product that used to be very high-end.

Currently, each month this facility produces about 100,000 boxes of fresh cordyceps. Each box is about 180 grams, and many types of products are processed, bringing a revenue of 2-3 billion VND.

3 years of diligent study and research

Talking about his start-up process, Mr. Dieu said that his hometown is Ben Luc district, Long An province. He and his wife have expertise in biotechnology. In 2014, he knew about cordyceps, so while studying, he researched this type of mushroom. Thanks to the teachers at school who enthusiastically guided and provided seeds, he had more conditions for research.

By 2017, Mr. Dieu and his wife had successfully researched in the laboratory. For the next 9 consecutive months, Mr. Dieu and his wife determined to put all their efforts into researching and perfecting products of higher and stable quality, with three initial products: fresh cordyceps, dried cordyceps, and cordyceps wine.

When he had products, he offered them from acquaintances to partners who he just met for the first time, and everyone highly appreciated his products. At that time, his production scale only reached 3,000 fresh boxes/month.

To expand production, in 2020, Mr. Dieu and his group of friends decided to establish Vaco Agriculture Co., Ltd. (in Thanh Duc commune, Ben Luc district, Long An province) with Mr. Le Xuan Dieu as Director. From here, the farm's production scale has increased to 100,000 boxes/month. 

Currently, Mr. Le Xuan Dieu's facility is in stable operation and has created jobs for more than 40 workers, of whom 30 are in Long An province. Unskilled workers will have an income of 7 million VND/month. Income of highly qualified labor (engineer) is 15 million VND/month.

Vacofarm's Cordyceps Militaris is grown on a biomass substrate including brown rice, ground silkworm pupae, vitamins, minerals, etc. The products is cultured in a growing room that meets international standards ISO 22000:2018. Pharmaceutical ingredients include high-quality standard Cordycepin reaching larger than 2 mg/g and standard Adenosine reaching larger than 2.5 mg/g. In biomass, there are 17 types of amino acids and vitamins (Vitamin A, C, B12, B2, E, K) and trace elements (Al, Si, K, Na).