Hoang Minh Nhat JSC: A Symbiotic Logistics Model Elevating the Value of Vietnamese Rice

In this growth story, logistics has been positioned at the heart of HMN’s value-chain governance—where delivery reliability and quality standards ultimately determine competitiveness.

Thoi Lai: The Anchor of a Strong Raw-Material Base

HMN’s headquarters and plant are located in Thoi Lai, Can Tho, close to key raw-material areas in An Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and other neighboring provinces.

This proximity to rice-growing regions enables the company to proactively receive paddy and rice, reduce post-harvest time lag, and stabilize input supply for its processing lines. It also provides a foundation for HMN to invest in processing capacity, quality control, and the progressive completion of its export value chain.

On its website, HMN emphasizes an integrated linkage approach with a “turnkey solution for rice cultivation produced under factory orders,” applying consistent quality management from farming to finished products. The company also reports a partnership network of 17 cooperatives and approximately 3,000 hectares of cultivation. When farming areas and the factory operate under a unified standard, logistics gains the “baseline data” needed to design transportation, warehousing, and delivery solutions suited to each product type and market route.

Logistics as a Competitive Advantage

In the global rice market, advantage no longer rests solely on output or price; it increasingly lies in the ability to organize an efficient, flexible, and trustworthy value chain.

For HMN, logistics is directly linked to preserving rice quality, ensuring delivery timelines, optimizing costs, and sustaining credibility with international partners.

Even a slight disruption - shipping schedules, loading operations, or storage conditions - can reduce product value and trigger contractual risk.

The “Premium Quality Rice Exporter” message on HMN’s website suggests a rigorous quality-control pathway and an orientation toward meeting stringent food safety standards in Europe, the United States, and Canada. As market standards rise, logistics must be matched by operational standards: from route selection and packaging specifications to storage conditions and delivery time control - so quality does not “break” at the final mile.

2006-2022: Inland Waterways as the Lifeline

During 2006–2022, HMN’s logistics relied primarily on inland waterway transport, consistent with the riverine conditions of the Mekong Delta. Barges served as the main mode for moving rice from the factory warehouses to major ports in Ho Chi Minh City such as Cat Lai, Tan Thuan, Phu Huu, and Thieng Lieng.

In this period, inland waterways, transshipment points, and ports played a “lifeline” role, keeping the flow of rice to export markets stable.

However, the traditional model also revealed limitations: dependence on tides and weather, and difficulty controlling schedules during peak seasons.

These pressures became a practical driver for the company to redesign logistics toward greater flexibility.

2022–2025: Multimodal Water–Road Integration, Factory Stuffing

From 2022 onward, alongside improvements in regional transport infrastructure, HMN shifted to a more flexible logistics model: integrating inland waterways with road transport, directly connecting the factory to nearby ports such as Tra Noc, Hoang Dieu, Cai Cui, and ports along the Hau River—thereby significantly shortening delivery time.

More importantly, HMN moved from “buying services” to partnering across the value chain. Many logistics companies have visited and worked with HMN to develop operating plans aligned with the specific requirements of rice.

A notable example is the partnership with U&I Logistics JSC during 2024–2025, adopting a synchronized approach - from organizing container stuffing at the warehouse, coordinating transport modes, connecting with ports, to working directly with shipping lines.

According to records, the container-stuffing process at HMN’s plant is well-organized and strictly compliant with standards for quantity, quality, and cargo safety. End-to-end control - from production and stuffing to delivery helps reduce risk and improve supply-chain reliability.

For rice cargo - sensitive to moisture and handling practices “stuffing at source” is how the company locks in quality before the long journey begins.

2026: Cost Optimization, Upholding Delivery Credibility

Entering 2026, HMN aims to further scale up, increase export value, and contribute to the positioning of Vietnamese rice.

At the same time, the company identifies logistics costs as a key variable directly affecting competitiveness; logistics expenses in agricultural exports - especially rice - still account for a relatively high proportion.

To balance costs sustainably, HMN is described as strengthening coordination with logistics partners, carriers, port systems, and shipping lines to optimize the supply chain and manage costs over the long term.

Conversely, stronger logistics capability also enables the company to confidently expand its product portfolio and specifications (such as ST25, ST21, KDM, Japonica, and Jasmine), thereby meeting diverse orders and market needs.

Conclusion

From HMN’s experience, logistics is no longer a standalone function - it is a connective force that amplifies value across the entire rice export chain.

Only when manufacturers, logistics providers, carriers, ports, and shipping lines participate with a long-term partnership spirit - sharing responsibilities and benefits - can the value chain operate efficiently and sustainably.

A “symbiotic logistics” model - optimizing the entire chain rather than isolated segments - thus becomes the key for Vietnamese rice to compete not only on price, but on quality, stability, and delivery credibility.

By Phuc Nguyen