In recent years, the circular economy model is Vinh Hoan’s share of efforts to mitigate impacts on the global climate change crisis. Through optimizing usage of byproduct s at every stage of the business cycle, the circular economy model converts the value-chain outputs into inputs for other value-chains.
In Vinh Hoan’s fish processing factories, large amounts of trim meat and bones are considered as byproducts, the reuse and utilizing of byproducts in aquaculture is crucial. Depending on the level of processing, more than 70% of the total fish caught is subjected to further processing before being placed on the market, resulting in large amount of approximately 20–80% waste, (*) The concept of circular economy is not only applied in processing, but also in aquaculture. Other aquaculture waste materials can also become recycled.
With a passion for innovation, creativity, and sustainability, Vinh Hoan had begun laying its foundation via several projects to bring this model to life.
Innovative projects in pangasius farming and processing
Since 2011, Vinh Hoan has established Vinh Wellness, dedicated to developing and manufacturing single-sourced collagen and gelatin. The successful production of high-value collagen peptides and gelatin products from pangasius skin is one of the remarkable breakthroughs. Currently, Vinh Wellness's production capacity is up to 3,500 tons per year. Besides utilizing fish skin for collagen and gelatin, other by-products in fish processing are used as fish oil and fish meal inputs. Currently, collagen peptides, gelatin, fish meal, and refined fish oil are among the strategic products contributing to Vinh Hoan's revenue and profit.
Aquaculture is a potential economic sector that plays a vital role in the world's food demand; however, this industry still faces challenges such as limited natural resources. How do we help farmers increase their farming yield while conserving water for future food production? To attempt to solve this challenge, Vinh Hoan has implemented the in-Pond Raceway System (IPRS). The trough system actively feeds on-site water, regardless of the additional water supply. Water in the pond will not require to be replaced and can be used continuously. At the same time, IPRS creates a separate trough collection for fish waste during the farming process. Wastewater during fish farming is sent to biological treatment ponds for filtering. This water can be pumped into farms to serve as irrigation of crops.
Constantly expanding the value chain
Not only pangasius processing, Vinh Hoan also sees potential in the agricultural sector and aims to become a leading food processing corporation . In early 2021, Vinh Hoan established Thanh Ngoc agriculture food company and acquired Sa Giang food company to expand its value chain. These are two important projects to contribute to the vision of the company’s circular economy model.
By-products in the process of growing crops and processing agricultural products will be recycled to produce fertilizer. Vinh Hoan started the construction of Thanh Ngoc agricultural factory in early 2022 and is expected to be completed in October 2022. In phase 1, the factory's capacity will be approximately 150 tons of raw materials per day, producing about 23,000 tons per year.
At the same time, Vinh Hoan’s feed factory is in its final last phase of construction and is expected to operate in the second quarter of 2022. The feed factory has a production capacity of about 350,000 tons per year.
In addition to our current value chain, Vinh Tech, a division of Vinh Hoan, invests in companies that aim for innovation in technology for aquaculture and agriculture. Last year, Vinh Technology invested in developing the potential of insect meal through Entobel, a Singaporean-based biotech company. This is an alternative and sustainable resource for various industries including animal feed and animal health.
Madam Truong Thi Le Khanh, founder, and chairwoman of Vinh Hoan Corporation emphasized: “Vinh Hoan inspires innovation to create a sustainable future. Our success will not stop. Our relentless ambition will take us to open more possibilities.”
Source: (*) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7923225/
Vietnamese pangasius is gaining traction in Japan, where competitive prices and reliable supplies have helped the fish enter professional distribution channels and a major sushi chain.
(vasep.com.vn) A circular economy does not create a “new type of shrimp” or a new certification. Its value lies in helping the shrimp value chain use resources more efficiently, stabilize production, generate additional value from by-products and build the data and evidence needed to meet increasingly stringent market requirements. This was the perspective shared by VASEP at the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum on Promoting a Circular Economy in the Shrimp Industry in the Mekong Delta, held in Can Tho on September 21.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to CPTPP markets reached $264 million in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year-on-year and accounting for 17% of the nation’s total pangasius export turnover. In August alone, export value reached $34 million, inching up 3%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Golden pompano is being selected as a high-value species for the development of high-tech marine aquaculture in Lam Dong Province. In 2026, the provincial Agricultural Extension Center launched a golden pompano farming model using circular HDPE cages in Lien Huong Commune, opening opportunities to apply technology to marine farming at a scale suited to local coastal conditions.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached $3.3 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year on year. However, growth momentum is moderating and market divergece is becoming more pronounced, while the US and EU continue to present significant challenges. The latest insights from the Global shrimp forum 2026 (GSF 2026), held in early September, also indicate that the final months of the year will remain highly competitive as global supply continues to expand and buyers place greater emphasis on quality, product specifications, supply consistency and the ability to meet market-specific demand.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports continued to grow in August 2026, bringing total export value in the first eight months of the year to US$1.5 billion, up 10% year-on-year. August exports alone reached US$205 million, up 6%. However, market performance has become increasingly divergent, with China and Brazil posting positive growth while the U.S. continued to record a sharp decline.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As Vietnam’s tilapia industry searches for new growth opportunities, venturing into brackish-water aquaculture could unlock a formidable competitive moat. Bypassing the volume-and-price bloodbath against established global heavyweights, Vietnam could differentiate itself through high-quality tilapia products tailored to specific farming conditions and value-added market segments.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) 2026 is rapidly shaping up to be a formidable stress test for Vietnamese pangasius exports to the United States. While exports to alternative markets maintain a resilient growth trajectory, the U.S market has declined significantly. In the first eight months of the year, pangasius exports to the U.S fell by nearly 14% year-on-year, with August alone recording a decline of more than 50%. The trend shows that difficulties in the U.S. market are not driven solely by weak consumer demand, but also by multiple layers of trade barriers that are intensifying simultaneously, particularly additional import tariffs, anti-dumping duties and growing protectionism for the domestic catfish industry.
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