Vinabiomush stands as a paragon of “Agriculture 4.0” in Viet Nam, representing a convergence where academic knowledge, advanced technology, and entrepreneurial spirit unite to create pristine, environmentally conscious produce.

“Small Ponds Cannot Hold Large Fish”

Whilst Viet Nam possesses numerous mushroom farming models, Trần Tài confidently asserts that the Cordyceps cultivation infrastructure at Vinabiomush ranks amongst the most revolutionary systems available today, achieving an automation rate of 80 per cent.

The CEO read Biotechnology at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City. Following graduation, Trần Tài undertook postgraduate studies at VNUHCM-University of Science, yielding a Master’s degree in Biotechnology: a decision affording the founder a robust professional foundation in mycology.

In 2018, Trần Tài established the Viet Nam Biological Mushroom Company Ltd (Vinabiomush), locating the headquarters and retail outlet in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. The founder initially harboured the conviction that combining professional expertise with premium quality would guarantee customer acceptance. Reality, however, defied such expectations. Numerous pharmaceutical companies approached Vinabiomush to propose cooperation, yet upon inspecting the production facility, these potential partners withdrew.

“Weighed down by this dilemma for days, the realisation dawned that a small pond cannot catch large fish,” recalls Trần Tài. “The rented workshop space precluded expansion. Consequently, the founder resolved to relocate operations to the countryside to function in a truly methodical and professional manner.”

The representative affirms: “To develop and integrate, the Vinabiomush model specifically, and mycology facilities generally, must undergo technological standardisation; absent such measures, the enterprise will never flourish.”

With land provided by family, Trần Tài boldly relocated the entire operation from Thu Duc to Tan Binh Hamlet, Bau Chinh Commune, Ba Ria – Vung Tau. Fortuitously, during this period, the founder undertook a brief observation tour of Japan to study overseas mushroom farming techniques. This journey revolutionised Trần Tài’s perspective on agricultural development.

Trần Tài discerned that most mushroom farms in Viet Nam operate via traditional or, at best, semi-automatic methods, rendering product quality control arduous. According to the Vinabiomush representative, fungi absorb nutrients indiscriminately; should the water source, cultivation substrate, or nutrient solution prove unsafe—or suffer contamination by foreign microbes or toxins—the organisms will assimilate and retain these harmful substances within the fruit body (the mushroom cap or Cordyceps stroma) for extended durations. At many facilities, simply opening a door permits the ingress of external air, an action sufficient to compromise quality.

Upon returning from Japan, Trần Tài restructured the entire operation. Spanning 1,300 square metres, the facility now features distinct zones, including sterilisation rooms, cold storage, inoculation chambers, incubation rooms, and processing areas, ensuring strict quality control at every stage. Notably, the cultivation chamber adheres to Japanese standards, utilising three distinct atmospheric layers: the first completely segregates internal and external air; the second comprises an ozone system to sterilise the environment; and the final layer involves a mechanism continuously pumping fresh air into the room. Consequently, Vinabiomush Cordyceps develop within a completely sterile habitat.

Regarding the current factory system, Trần Tài discloses an investment exceeding 8 billion VND, yet refuses to cease development, as technology advances daily. The desire remains to continue investing to raise the automation rate to approximately 90 per cent, maintaining the belief that “products subject to minimal human intervention become more synchronous, precise, and suffer less damage or loss.”

To date, Vinabiomush offers eight processed Cordyceps lines. Amongst these, two (Vinabiomush Cordyceps tea bags and Vinabiomush dried Cordyceps) have achieved a 4-star OCOP rating; two further items hold a 3-star OCOP rating; and three are recognised as exemplary regional industrial products.

Disseminating the Model to the Community

Vinabiomush serves not only as a pioneer in researching and producing high-tech organic Cordyceps but also as a frequent destination for Youth Union members and young entrepreneurs from various provinces across the nation.

Trần Tài notes a characteristic of the industry: a single factory or production facility cultivates only one fungal variety to prevent cross-contamination; thus, the facility grows solely Cordyceps militaris—a species the CEO introduces as possessing a nutritional profile equivalent to ginseng and lingzhi, alongside crucial amino acids. However, packaging processes for cultivating other medicinal fungi, such as straw mushrooms and black termite mushrooms, have been researched and remain ready for technology transfer to interested parties.

A distinguishing feature ensures the transferred models accompany clear technical guidance alongside field learning at the Vinabiomush farm; consequently, those lacking professional expertise can still succeed. For instance, regarding Vinabiomush, Trần Tài recounts that upon first moving to Ba Ria – Vung Tau, recruitment proved challenging, as rural personnel were not as readily available as in the city. The necessity of training staff from the foundations was accepted, and after merely three months, all personnel mastered the production process. The CEO now almost exclusively provides strategic direction rather than performing direct labour as previously required.

Beyond the Cordyceps model at Vinabiomush, Trần Tài currently collaborates with other units to cultivate Lingzhi mushrooms in Binh Thuan and straw mushrooms in Tien Giang. Initiative was also taken to establish the Viet Nam Edible and Medicinal Mushroom Club.

Trần Tài assesses that, compared to other crops, mushrooms yield high economic value, typically requiring only two to three months per harvest cycle, whilst also remaining less susceptible to weather conditions due to complete indoor cultivation. Nevertheless, in the current phase, mycology requires the total standardisation of factories and technology to compete in the market and, looking further ahead, to export globally.

At present, Trần Tài is diligently preparing so that early next year, the company will export Vinabiomush Cordyceps to a partner in the United States for processing into functional foods.

Nhung Bùi – Viet Nam Investment Review