Nestlé Vietnam honored at 25th Golden Dragon Awards

This is recognition of the company’s long-term efforts in building a regenerative agriculture ecosystem, while also affirming Vietnam’s position in the corporation’s global value chain.

The Golden Dragon Awards 2026 were held in a particularly significant context, marking the 25-year journey of honoring the foreign direct investment (FDI) business community in Vietnam. Having surpassed stringent evaluation criteria on growth indicators, compliance, and especially environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments, Nestlé Vietnam was highly rated by the selection council for its model of sustainable agricultural value chain linkage, contributing to the transformation of Vietnam’s coffee and food industry landscape.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Le Thi Hoai Thuong, Director of Corporate Affairs at Nestlé Vietnam, shared: “We are truly honored that Nestlé Vietnam’s persistent efforts over many years have been recognized at the 2026 Golden Dragon Awards. This is not only a great encouragement, but also a motivation for us to continue accompanying farmers and partners, gradually building a sustainable agricultural value chain, as well as other sustainability initiatives and programs, contributing to the harmonious and long-term socio-economic development of Vietnam.”

Being listed among the Top 10 exemplary FDI enterprises not only demonstrates Nestlé’s operational capacity, but also reflects the alignment between the group’s long-term commitments and Vietnam’s strategic goals on sustainable development, value chain integration, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

30-year journey and Nestlé’s mark

Since officially establishing its presence in Vietnam in 1995, Nestlé has undergone more than three decades of development. From an initial representative office, the company has expanded its operations with modern factories in Dong Nai and Hung Yen, positioning Vietnam as a strategic link in the group’s global supply chain.

The core contribution of Nestlé Vietnam lies in the award category honoring the development of a sustainable agricultural value chain. Through the global NESCAFÉ Plan implemented in Vietnam since 2011, Nestlé has transferred regenerative farming practices to more than 21,000 coffee farming households in the Central Highlands provinces. This program has not only helped farmers increase productivity by 30% to 100%, but also reduced water usage by 40% and chemical fertilizer use by 20%, thereby contributing to the protection of soil resources, water sources, and biodiversity.

In the production and value-added segment for coffee beans, strong investment in deep processing technology has turned Vietnam into Nestlé’s largest coffee production hub in the region. Today, “Made in Vietnam” coffee products are exported to more than 30 international markets, including highly demanding green-standard markets such as the European Union, the United States, and Japan.

25 years of the Golden Dragon Awards

The 25th Golden Dragon Awards, organized by Vietnam Economic Times (VnEconomy), continue to affirm their position as one of the most prestigious programs for the FDI business community. Over the past quarter-century, the program has witnessed a significant transformation in foreign capital flows into Vietnam: from focusing on outsourcing and low-cost labor advantages to a new phase centered on high technology, green economy, and digital transformation.

This year’s award theme focuses on the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises in leading emerging development trends. Recognition of organizations such as Nestlé Vietnam sends a strong message about the importance of combining international capital flows with local values to create shared prosperity.

Over the past 25 years, the Golden Dragon Awards have not only honored outstanding enterprises but also served as a bridge connecting foreign investors with local authorities and domestic partners. In doing so, the program has contributed to improving the investment environment and positioning Vietnam as a strategic destination in the global value chain.

The 25th anniversary event once again affirms that the success of leading FDI enterprises is an important part of Vietnam’s sustainable economic growth outlook in the coming decades.

Nestlé Vietnam is one of the pioneering businesses actively implementing solutions to meet the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Through the Nescafé Plan, the company collaborates with farmers to ensure that 100% of coffee exported to the EU is GPS-traceable to each individual farm, and commits to non-deforestation.