Ly Huy Sang - General Director of Minh Long I: Minh Long in the most fortunate era

Once talking about Minh Long, those who are ceramic lovers are proud of the Vietnamese brand which has been sustainably available in the market for more than five decades.

The continuing journey is led by Ly Huy Sang, General Director of Minh Long, also Minh Long’s fourth generation. With knowledge gained from advanced Western education, combined with a deep passion for ceramics and a profound pride of his family heritage, Sang is opening new, groundbreaking and distinguished chapters for his lineage and contributing to the prosperity and beauty of the nation.

Early this year, Minh Long celebrated 55th anniversary. How do you feel about the milestone?

I feel very lucky and proud to live and grow up together with Minh Long. Over the company’s 55-year history, I have worked for Minh Long for 25 years. I have witnessed every step of its journey - from early days when it was a simple factory with bare walls and thatched roofs, to now when it has been full of the world’s state-of-the-art equipment.

The 55-year journey of Minh Long is a story of both founders and those who are working for the company. Like a big family, they have preserved and upheld its core values.

For a brand, 55 years may not be a very long time; but spending 25 years working for Minh Long is truly remarkable for me, giving me a deep love and countless powerful impressions.

I will never forget those who have accompanied us on this journey including local authorities and our partners, friends, colleagues and loyal customers who have always expressed their admiration and encouragement for every time Minh Long launched a new product.

As a successor, I continue the journey of “preserving a thousand stories” of ceramics in a new light which is expected to be more vibrant and remarkable.

What is the secret behind Minh Long’s success in affirming its brand over the past 55 years?

To survive and thrive sustainably over the past 55 years, Minh Long strictly follows a set of core principles - prioritizing product quality and ensuring absolute safety and health of the consumers as well as the community. At the same time, Minh Long has consistently focused on continuous innovation, both in production technology and development of new products.

These principles have enabled Minh Long to enhance its reputation and market position, and the trust of customers for more than half a century.

What are Minh Long’s most remarkable achievements over the past 55 years?

From a handcrafted fine arts company, Minh Long has transformed into a lifestyle brand offering not only physical products, but also those serving spiritual and emotional needs.

After years of tireless learning, Minh Long was shined when we could master single-firing technology at 1,380°C — the highest German standard — combined with a fully automated system.

Minh Long also created the world’s first healthy cook porcelain non-toxic Dutch oven pot that can withstand thermal shocks of over 800°C. The oven pot can be used directly on induction cooktops and that so far no other manufacturer in the world has made such the achievement.

After nearly two decades of researching and testing, Minh Long recently unveiled a collection of traditional Vietnamese musical instruments made entirely of porcelain including Đàn tranh (Vietnamese long zither), Đàn bầu (monochord zither), violin, flute, and more. This groundbreaking innovation connects traditional art with modern technology, elevating Minh Long to a whole new level.

Early this year, Minh Long inaugurated the Minh Long Ceramic and Porcelain Museum displaying unique objects which have been seen in Vietnam for the first time.

Minh Long has produced a wide range of more than 60,000 products of different categories, from the smallest items such as jewelry and souvenirs, to everyday kitchen and dining essentials like bowls, plates, dishes, and spoons, all the way to interior decor products including vases, furniture, paintings, and more.

Products of Minh Long brand are recognized both globally and domestically not only for their quality but also their artistic and cultural value, embodying the spirit of the nation. This is reflected in local patterns, traditional activities seen in Vietnamese daily life, and the beautiful landscapes across the country.

Minh Long’s ceramic products have also been selected as gifts for over 50 countries worldwide. I believe this achievement is not only our pride but also the pride of all Vietnamese.

You hosted the "Golden Spoon" competition in 2013 to connect Minh Long products with Vietnamese cuisine. Could you share more about this?

I had the opportunity to experience many delicious dishes from around the world. Vietnamese cuisine, however is the best for me, as it offers a variety of colors, diverse flavors, along with cultural stories from our rich and diverse regional culture.

During the competition, cooking tools and dining sets of Minh Long were used. Through the Golden Spoon, I wanted to collaborate with culinary schools, and support and honor Vietnamese-food chefs across the country.

I truly realized how rich Vietnamese cuisine is when traveling to various regions and tasting local dishes during the competition. Vietnamese food often balances flavors and harmonizes in nutrition - with lots of greens, minimal fats, and each dish has its own unique dipping sauce, depending on the cooking style of the different regions.

Moreover, the ingredients are incredibly diverse and fascinating. I had the chance to taste a variety of spices with sweet, sour, bitter, astringent, and even salty flavors, like the trái muối (salted fruit) from the Northwestern region. Generally, ingredients across Vietnam are a rich treasure, waiting to be properly explored and promoted.

After several successful seasons and making a significant impact, the "Golden Spoon" has participated in events to promote Vietnamese cuisine at home and abroad, such as the ASEAN-India International Fair in Bangkok (Thailand) introducing Vietnamese spices, the AMBIENTE Handicraft Fair in Frankfurt (Germany) where chefs performed cooking and promoting Vietnamese food, the Vietnam Culinary Challenge 2017 and the Future Chef 2017.

Additionally, the Golden Spoon organizers launched the “Golden Spoon Professional Chefs Club," which now has over 100 members, including culinary experts, renowned chefs in Vietnam, and chefs listed in the Top 15 teams in the previous seasons of the competition.

Even though more than ten years have passed, the legacy of the Golden Spoon still has been in the heart of Vietnamese food lovers and chefs who won the competition. It is one of the priceless gifts, letting me know that I have contributed to promoting Vietnamese cuisine in some way.

Vietnamese cuisine is now recognized globally. In your opinion, what factors are essential to effectively promote it to the world?

In today’s flat world, there are many ways to easily promote cuisine. Besides traditional channels such as newspapers, television, and radio, social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, to name but a few help Vietnamese cuisine to reach global audiences.

The key question is “How do we promote our products?”

In my point of view, we enjoy food with five senses. Therefore, a delicious dish must be visually appealing and ensure food safety (Western consumers often consider this factor even more important than presentation). Importantly, the quality must remain consistent, just as good as when it is first launched. Based on such factors, Vietnamese cuisine will secure a strong and respected position in the world.

As the fourth-generation successor of your family legacy, do you feel any pressure?

Running Minh Long is not a pressure for me as I’ve been involved in the company’s operation for 25 years, and the company is growing strongly and steadily. However, I do feel the pressure coming with age and health because no one can maintain the two forever.

I believe maintaining Minh Long as it is today is relatively easy, but driving the company forward with new innovations for the future is much more challenging. That’s why we’re actively training the next generation who can strike a balance between preserving Minh Long’s heritage and adapting to the new demands.

Looking ahead from this 55-year milestone, what is your vision for Minh Long in the future?

Vietnam is a developing country with strong purchasing power while Minh Long is a reputable Vietnamese brand with a legacy lasting more than 55 years, the factors have made the company more competitive in the domestic market.

In addition to these strengths, the joint efforts by our Board of Directors and staff, I strongly believe that Minh Long is currently in the most fortunate era, enabling us to achieve even more remarkable milestones in the years ahead.

Thank you for your sharing.

According to Saigon New Day