Viet Nam's leading exporter of sea grapes

A life-changing turn from the pharmaceutical sector to the open sea

A vision of his hometown's unique marine specialty completely changed the life of Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy, General Director of DT Khanh Hoa Seaweed Joint Stock Company (DT Group) in Khanh Hoa province.

More than 13 years ago, while holding a stable managerial position with an enviable salary in the pharmaceutical sector in Nha Trang, a meeting with a doctor became a turning point in his life. The doctor shared about the valuable nutritional value of sea grapes, a food known as "'green caviar" in Japan. Realizing that the natural conditions of Khanh Hoa waters were perfectly suited for farming, combined with high demand and major potential in international markets, especially in Japan, Mr. Duy made a bold and dramatic shift, leaving his stable job to pour all his passion and capital into starting a business with sea grapes.

The early days of his startup journey were filled with challenges. At that time, sea grape farming in Vietnam was still in the early stage. Farming and care techniques were fraught with difficulties, resulting in low yields and uneven quality that failed to meet the strict standards of export markets. Sea grapes are highly perishable and spoil within 2-3 days if not properly stored. Pressure on capital and output increasingly weighed on Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy.

"To maintain production, research, and the development of raw material areas, I had to mortgage my only house to pursue this dream," Mr. Duy shared. This trade-off reflected his strong belief in the potential of sea grapes and his ambition to bring Vietnamese products to the world.

With tireless perseverance, Mr. Duy and the DT Group team gradually mastered the technology, continuously improved farming processes in the clean, nutrient-rich marine environment, and applied advanced quality management standards.

After nearly a decade of persistence, DT Group conquered the Japanese market, which is renowned as one of the world’s most demanding and rigorous markets in terms of food safety standards. The Japanese themselves recognized the superior quality of Khanh Hoa sea grapes, and DT Group began exporting hundreds of tons of products each year to the "homeland" of this seaweed species.

Reaching global markets and sustainable organic aspiration

Currently, DT Group has affirmed its position as a leading enterprise in sea grape production and processing in Vietnam, with an impressive export capacity of roughly 40 tons of fresh and dehydrated sea grapes per month to high-end markets such as Japan and the U.S.

One of the key factors that make the difference for the company is its mastery of dehydrated sea grape technology (reducing saltwater content to just 20%). According to Mr. Duy, this technology not only preserves the full nutritional content, natural color, and distinctive flavor of sea grapes but also prolongs the storage time to up to six months, helping Vietnamese sea grapes to be transported more easily and favored by international consumers.

The quality of DT Group’s Okinawa dehydrated sea grapes has been recognized through a series of prestigious certifications, including ISO, HACCP, FDA food safety certification (U.S.), and recognition as a 4-star OCOP product.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy’s success extends far beyond economic gains, creating significant social value and contributing to the development of a sustainable marine economy for Khanh Hoa province and neighboring localities. With a raw material area of more than 75 ha, officially recognized by the Vietnam Records Organization as the largest Japanese sea grape farming area and output in the country, DT Group not only secures its own supply but also closely links with local farmers. The company cooperates with more than 70 households, helping them shift from low-efficiency aquaculture models to sea grape farming, thereby providing coastal communities with a more stable and sustainable source of income.

Regarding future plans, "King of Sea Grapes" Nguyen Quang Duy continues to set more ambitious goals. Particularly, DT Group is actively coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to perfect advanced farming processes, aiming to obtain Vietnam’s first-ever organic certification for sea grape products.

The company is also expanding its raw material areas and diversifying its deeply processed, value-added product portfolio for export, such as sea grape snacks, sea grape vegetarian seasoning, sea grape juice, sea grape–bird’s nest sweet soup, and sea grape–oyster protein, while developing a model for visiting and experiencing sea grape farming and processing. These specialized product development strategies have opened new opportunities for international cooperation.

Most recently, DT Group achieved a major step forward by signing additional strategic partnerships with product distribution companies in Japan. This event once again affirms that the Vietnamese sea grape brand built by Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy is fully capable and of sufficient quality to conquer one of the world’s most demanding markets.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Duy is not only a successful entrepreneur but also an inspiring figure and typical example demonstrating that with a far-reaching vision, deep dedication, and perseverance, Vietnamese agricultural and marine products can gain their rightful place on the global commercial map.