Starting a business with Lý Sơn aspirations

Lý Sơn has long been known as the capital of the “Garlic Kingdom.” Fields of onions and garlic are covered in white sand and bordered by lava rocks—volcanic deposits. Of the island district's nearly 10 km2, as much as 1/3 is used to grow onions and garlic.

Phạm Văn Công was born in 1987 on Lý Sơn Island. Watching his elders diligently grow Lý Sơn onions and garlic while trade remained small-scale, Công long dreamed of building his own Lý Sơn garlic brand. Throughout university he continually explored and learned. After many failures, Dori garlic officially launched in 2016, with total investment to date of nearly 1 billion.

‘Dori means Dream of Ré: the dream of Cù Lao Ré Island—Ré is the former name of Lý Sơn Island. I believe Dori will help me convey the aspirations of the people of Lý Sơn to friends around the world and help unite the Lý Sơn community,’ Công shared confidently.

With guidance from the Lý Sơn island district authorities, Công is currently working with local farmers to develop an organic garlic cultivation model to increase production. He is also carrying out a province-commissioned project to research and produce black garlic on a large scale. Black garlic is garlic that becomes a nutritious functional food after fermentation.

‘There are many explanations for the outstanding quality of Lý Sơn garlic. Perhaps its greater value and quality, and the affection consumers have for it, come from the difficult, labor-intensive process. If you have the opportunity to go into the fields with the farmers, you will see how hard they work to grow each bulb of garlic,’ Công said.

After nearly half a year of tireless tending, the result is gleaming white garlic bulbs infused with the pungency of the sea, the red basalt soil, and the sun over burning sand. Through their diligence, Công and the farmers on the outpost island of Lý Sơn constantly carry their homeland’s aspirations farther afield.