As we face the prospect of feeding a rapidly expanding global population, the benefits and necessity of aquaculture are becoming more apparent. It was that realization that led to the founding of Vinh Hoan and our subsequent success. We started in 1997 with the vision of a world where aquaculture products would be as much a part of daily life as agriculture products. It could be argued that day is already here.
As a commercial industry, aquaculture is still in its infancy. But, did you know that more than half of all seafood consumed globally today is the product of aquaculture? In fact, over the past thirty years, Aquaculture has been the fastest growing sector of the food industry, with an impressive average annual growth rate of 9.2%. That steady growth has helped ensure global food security, kept the overall price of fish down, and made fish and seafood more accessible to consumers around the world. We’re proud to have contributed to this trend, but still feel our work is just beginning.
Economist and Nobel Laureate Peter Drucker observed, “Aquaculture, not the Internet, represents the most promising investment opportunity of the 21st Century.” He made this claim in the 1990’s because even then it was apparent that aquaculture was the only sustainable means of meeting the world’s food needs. The challenge, as he saw it, was scaling aquaculture development in a manner that is both economically and environmentally viable. These are the challenges that every employee at Vinh Hoan dedicates themselves to each day.
For all of us at Vinh Hoan, aquaculture goes beyond simply satisfying the protein demands of a hungry populace. It is an opportunity to revitalize economies, take pressure off strained ecosystems, and deliver safe, healthy, food and wellness products to millions of people around the globe. And, that’s something worth working for.
