De Heus Global Leaders Meet with Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Hanoi, May 4 – The highest-ranking leaders of the Royal De Heus Group from the Netherlands, Co-Presidents and Global CEOs Mr. Co De Heus and Mr. Koen De Heus, visited and held a working session with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) this afternoon.

This significant visit marks the first time both global CEOs of De Heus have come to Vietnam. It underscores not only the strengthening cooperation between Vietnamese and Dutch enterprises but also reinforces the multifaceted friendship and partnership between Vietnam and the Netherlands, especially as the two nations commemorate 49 years of diplomatic relations (1973-2022).

Distinguished Attendees

The meeting saw the presence of key figures from both sides:

From the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD):

• Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Member of the Central Party Committee, Minister.
• Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister.

From the Netherlands:

• Her Excellency Elsbeth Akkeman, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Vietnam.
• Mr. Co De Heus, Co-President and Global CEO.
• Mr. Koen De Heus, Co-President and Global CEO.
• Ms. Akoba Anthoinetta Adriana, Global CEO.
• Mr. Mark Dimitry Bomers, Global CEO.
• Mr. Gabor Fluit, General Director of De Heus Asia.
• Mr. Johan Van Den Ban, General Director of De Heus Vietnam and Cambodia.

From Hung Nhon Group:

• Mr. Vu Manh Hung, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO.
• Ms. Le Phuong Nhon, Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors.

Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

During the reception, Minister Le Minh Hoan expressed gratitude to Ambassador Elsbeth Akkeman for her continuous support and encouragement to Dutch businesses investing and operating in Vietnam. He highlighted that the Netherlands is currently the largest EU foreign direct investment (FDI) partner in Vietnam, with nearly 400 projects totaling approximately $11 billion USD, accounting for almost 50% of total EU investment in Vietnam.

The Minister highly praised the strong relationship between Vietnam and the Netherlands, particularly their cooperation in agriculture. He cited the excellent ties exemplified by the Strategic Partnership on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security established in 2014. Both sides have also signed numerous important prime ministerial-level documents, such as the Memorandum of Understanding on Food Safety Management Cooperation in Vietnam (2017) and the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Agricultural Transformation Cooperation in the Mekong Delta (2019), which serve as foundational frameworks for future collaboration.

De Heus's Impact and Vision

Minister Le Minh Hoan shared his appreciation for the business philosophy of De Heus's two CEOs: "Every day we constantly strive to create and bring safe, healthy food to the growing global population by providing our customers with suitable products and services for their livestock, ensuring sustainable development for the businesses they operate."

The Minister congratulated De Heus on its achievements after more than 13 years in Vietnam. De Heus has grown to become the largest animal and aqua feed producer in Vietnam, boasting 23 factories and being recognized among the top 100 best places to work in Vietnam. "I am very impressed by these figures and believe De Heus will continue to develop further under your guidance and the dynamic, groundbreaking leadership team of De Heus in Vietnam, especially Mr. Gabor, General Director of De Heus Asia, and Mr. Johan, General Director of De Heus Vietnam," Minister Le Minh Hoan stated.

Minister Le Minh Hoan also highly commended the joint venture between De Heus Group and Hung Nhon Group. After more than 10 years of cooperation, De Heus and Hung Nhon have affirmed their position in high-tech agricultural production. Through the sustainable development of an agricultural ecosystem "from farm to table," they are contributing to a stable, sustainable, and prosperous Vietnamese agriculture. "I am very pleased and confident that the two groups are jointly implementing many large-scale livestock projects and complexes nationwide, with a strong focus on the Central Highlands region," the Minister shared.

Future Collaborative Endeavors

To conclude the meeting, Minister Le Minh Hoan proposed that De Heus continue to invest and expand production in Vietnam. Concurrently, De Heus should continue to collaborate with MARD and local authorities to build new-style cooperatives (similar to the Dutch model). This initiative aims to foster powerful cooperative alliances that are highly competitive, not only domestically but also regionally.

During the reception, Minister Le Minh Hoan thanked Ambassador Elsbeth Akkeman for consistently accompanying, supporting, and encouraging Dutch businesses to invest and operate in Vietnam. He highlighted that the Netherlands is currently the largest EU foreign direct investment (FDI) partner in Vietnam, with nearly 400 projects and a total capital of approximately $11 billion USD, representing almost 50% of the total EU investment in Vietnam.

The Minister highly praised the relationship between Vietnam and the Netherlands, especially their cooperation in agriculture. He cited the Strategic Partnership on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, established in 2014, as an example of this strong bond. Furthermore, both nations have signed several important prime ministerial-level documents, including the Memorandum of Understanding on Food Safety Management Cooperation in Vietnam (2017) and the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Agricultural Transformation Cooperation in the Mekong Delta (2019). These agreements form the fundamental frameworks for future collaboration between the two countries.

Sharing with De Heus Group's two highest-ranking leaders, Minister Le Minh Hoan highly praised their CEOs' business philosophy: "Every day we constantly strive to create and bring safe, healthy food to the growing global population by providing our customers with suitable products and services for their livestock, ensuring sustainable development for the businesses they operate."

The Minister congratulated De Heus on its achievements after more than 13 years in Vietnam. De Heus has become the largest animal and aqua feed producer in the country, with 23 factories, and is listed among Vietnam's top 100 best places to work. "I'm very impressed by these figures and believe De Heus will continue to develop even further under your leadership and the dynamic, innovative leadership team of De Heus in Vietnam, especially Mr. Gabor, General Director of De Heus Asia, and Mr. Johan, General Director of De Heus Vietnam," Minister Le Minh Hoan stated.

Minister Lê Minh Hoan also highly praised the joint venture between De Heus Group and Hung Nhon Group. After more than 10 years of cooperation, De Heus and Hung Nhon have solidified their position in high-tech agricultural production. This has been achieved by building a sustainable agricultural ecosystem, from farm to table, aimed at fostering a more stable, sustainable, and prosperous Vietnamese agriculture.

"I am very pleased and confident that the two groups have been, and continue to be, partners in implementing many large-scale livestock projects and complexes nationwide, with a strong focus on the Central Highlands region," the Minister shared.

Concluding the meeting, Minister Lê Minh Hoan urged De Heus to continue investing and expanding production in Vietnam. In parallel, he requested De Heus to continue collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local authorities to build new-style cooperative models (similar to those in the Netherlands). This initiative aims to foster truly competitive cooperative alliances, not only domestically but also regionally.

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