A Journey Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow
The road stretches like a silver ribbon across the Mekong Delta, shimmering under the southern sun. Highway 61 winds through endless fields of emerald green, where the hum of life mingles with the gentle whisper of the river. As you leave Cai Tac behind and head toward Phung Hiep, the landscape begins to change. Shimmering ponds appear like scattered mirrors, each one holding a quiet secret. Beneath their calm surface swims a fish so ordinary at first glance, yet so deeply woven into the soul of this land: the That Lat fish, known to the world as Nopterus.
But this is more than a story about a fish. It’s about a woman—a dreamer who dared to see beyond muddy waters and turn a humble local specialty into a symbol of pride, prosperity, and hope. Her name is Nguyen Kim Thuy. And her Ky Nhu Cooperative in Hau Giang Province isn’t just a farm—it’s a story of resilience, of tradition lovingly cradled in the arms of innovation.
The Birth of a Dream
When Thuy started the Ky Nhu Cooperative in 2019, she didn’t just want to breed fish. She wanted to build a future. Standing by the ponds at dawn, when the mist still danced above the water, she imagined something bigger than herself—a place where farmers could thrive, where culture could live on, where every fish carried the taste and soul of Hau Giang.
The That Lat fish is a survivor. It thrives in places where life seems almost impossible—in estuaries, ponds, canals, even acidic lagoons. Its strength spoke to Thuy, a woman who believed that roots and wings could exist together. From May to July, the ponds come alive with breeding season, and by October, the harvest begins, carrying with it the promise of countless meals and countless dreams.
More Than Fish Farming—A Legacy
For Thuy, this journey was never about profit alone. It was about creating a circle of life—where nothing is wasted, where quality reigns, and where the earth is respected. She built a closed-loop farming system, blending science with care, so that her fish could grow strong and her environment could breathe easy.
Her products tell their own story: marinated fillets that whisper of family dinners, jars of traditional fermented fish sauce steeped in heritage, and snacks that carry the Mekong’s flavors far beyond these waterways. Today, you’ll find them not just in local markets and supermarkets, but in fine restaurants and even across oceans, reaching the U.S.
Recognition has followed her—awards, OCOP 4-star certification, and the quiet admiration of those who know what it takes to keep a tradition alive. But for Thuy, the greatest reward lies closer to home: knowing that the dish her grandmother once cooked still graces modern tables, carrying the same essence of love and belonging.
A Woman, A Vision
Thuy grew up in Hau Giang, where That Lat fish was more than food—it was a part of life. Every bite held memories, every recipe carried stories passed down through generations. To her, preserving this fish meant preserving a piece of herself, her family, her land. And so, she worked tirelessly, turning dreams into reality, transforming muddy ponds into a beacon of sustainable growth.
Today, the Ky Nhu Cooperative employs dozens of workers from rural communes, offering them more than just jobs—offering them dignity, stability, and hope. Here, in a modest village, innovation hums alongside tradition. Processing machines gleam under factory lights, yet every product still bears the warmth of human care. The cooperative now produces up to 18 tons of processed That Lat fish each month—a testament to how far a dream can go when nurtured with love and determination.
A Culinary Ambassador
Step into Ky Nhu’s world, and you’ll see more than fish fillets. You’ll see slices of heritage packaged with elegance, jars that carry the fragrance of the delta, snacks that speak a universal language of taste. These are not just products—they are ambassadors of Hau Giang’s identity, quietly making their way into kitchens and hearts far and wide.
For Thuy, innovation isn’t about erasing the old. It’s about weaving the old into the new—like threads in a tapestry that tell a richer story together. She invests in technology, yes, but never at the cost of the soul of her craft. And in every decision, one thing is clear: this is a woman building more than a business; she is building a legacy.
Looking Ahead
Standing on the threshold of tomorrow, Thuy speaks softly but with conviction: “I hope the cooperative will not only meet but surpass expectations—by offering products that are safe, authentic, and rooted in the land they come from.”
Her words are simple, but they hold the weight of dreams, of nights spent planning, of mornings by the ponds, watching the first rays of sunlight turn the water to gold. She knows the road ahead will not always be easy. Yet, like the That Lat fish that thrives in adversity, she moves forward—strong, graceful, unstoppable.
Because for Thuy, this isn’t just about fish. It’s about a promise: that the flavors of Hau Giang will endure, that traditions will breathe, that the Mekong will always whisper its ancient songs into the future.
And so, on this winding highway, amidst ponds that shimmer like glass, a quiet revolution unfolds—one where tradition and innovation walk hand in hand, shaping a story that is as enduring as the river itself.
