Stories about the land and people of the land of agarwood, as well as the journey to continue the mission of one of the largest agarwood brands in Vietnam.
Since the 1980s, agarwood has been considered a rare product. The craft of making agarwood originates in Thuy Xuan village – a village in Hue specializing in the processing and production of agarwood. Agarwood people will go to the forests in Quang Nam, Quang Binh, or the border of Laos to find agarwood and return after many months. At that time, Thien Moc Huong was one of the first brands to buy agarwood in Vietnam. Up to now, Thien Moc Huong has become one of the familiar names when it comes to agarwood jewelry. Impressed with the journey and mission of bringing agarwood to the world, we went to Thien Moc Huong’s showroom in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. In the sweltering heat of the summer sun, we were immediately soothed by the light aroma when we entered the store. In the luxurious space, we are attracted by the richness of products from frankincense. From traditional rosaries to sophisticated stone bracelets, Thien Moc Huong store is both traditional and dotted with modernity and youth.
Meeting with us is Mr. Ngoc Tran, the representative of the business, belonging to the third generation at Thien Moc Huong. Sitting down with him, we heard stories about the land and people of the land of bass, as well as the journey to continue the mission that the brand has always built over the past 4 decades…
The early days of Thien Moc Huong brand?
During the first 10 years of operation, Thien Moc Huong owned a certain number of customers, mainly from wholesalers in China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. At that time, the group of customers “playing agarwood” in Vietnam was only those who had a deep understanding and passion for agarwood. As market demand increased, Thien Moc Huong gradually expanded its base and production team with skilled artisans throughout the Central region such as Quang Binh, Khanh Hoa, and Quang Nam. In 2005, Thien Moc Huong Nam moved and opened a workshop in Saigon, creating a strong wave of agarwood business. In the face of the rapid development of the economy, Thien Moc Huong still maintains its leading position.
What are the core values that Thien Moc Huong cherishes?
After 4 decades of operation, Thien Moc Huong still carries with her 3 core values: What creates the value of agarwood and products made Reputation: Always strive to do right and fully what has been committed to customers. Creativity: Constantly developing products and pioneering the trend of agarwood jewelry. Dedication: Dedication to our customers, to our work, and to the products we make.
What creates the value of agarwood and products made from agarwood?
The first thing to mention is the value of feng shui. Agarwood is a natural material, only found in a few Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, Cambodia, or Malaysia. Particularly, Vietnam is considered to have the best and most precious agarwood in the world. The process of forming agarwood is also very long and complicated. To make an agarwood ring, it takes 30 to 40 years for the agarwood tree to accumulate enough agarwood.
In other words, each agarwood product is the result of the quintessence that heaven and earth have distilled. Because of this, it is believed that wearing a bass bracelet is to carry with you the essence of life. The light scent of agarwood will help the mind to relax, improve sleep and mental health. From there, the work will become smooth and convenient. Secondly, natural agarwood has a characteristic warm and elegant scent. Burning bass is considered a healthy habit to help reduce stress. Agarwood essential oil retains its scent for a long time and is less volatile. Therefore, it is often used as the lowest note in perfumery.
Finally, there is the element of fashion. In the past, frankincense was mainly used as a miniature, decorative object for living space and was not yet highly applicable. When the agarwood bracelet was born, the day-by-day variety in the design has made it more familiar. Particularly at Thien Moc Huong, the team has integrated modern aesthetics such as gold, silver, or precious stones into the string of agarwood. However, the deep brown color in each agarwood grain still has a familiar traditional character and is delicate jewelry.
Affirming a solid position in the market for the past 4 decades, what is Thien Moc Huong’s secret?
With today’s diverse agarwood market, staying at the top is a challenge. The highlight of Thien Moc Huong lies in the product. Thanks to the constant creativity in design, Thien Moc Huong bracelet blends tradition and modernity, making the product accessible to customers of all ages.
Moreover, the team always pays attention to the meanings and spiritual values that agarwood brings to users. Therefore, Thien Moc Huong wishes to bring dedicated care services to agarwood users everywhere, no matter where they buy agarwood. In addition to wire changing and bead polishing services, the brand’s products also come with lifetime maintenance.
What difficulties did Thien Moc Huong face during its development?
With a large and diverse customer base, the biggest problem is how to serve and manage international customer files. Currently, Thien Moc Huong has 80,000 customers in more than 20 countries. But the showrooms are only available in Vietnam and have no locations abroad. Geographical barriers make it difficult to consult and take care of after-sales services, making the customer’s buying experience incomplete. In addition, the stage of packaging and transportation is also a factor to pay attention to, because it is necessary to ensure that the product when it arrives at the customer’s hand must be intact and undamaged. The focus of the team is how to provide the same thoughtful international customer experience as direct buyers. Currently, for international orders, some strings and brass beads are attached to the product, in order to prevent future product damage. With available instructional videos, customers can completely self-maintain at home.
How did Thien Moc Huong come out into the world? Which strategy helps the brand to make its mark internationally?
Previously, traders from Asian countries came to Vietnam to buy agarwood. When Thien Moc Huong started reaching out to the world, thanks to the previous prestige as well as the inherent value of Vietnamese agarwood, we were quickly welcomed by the world market. Along with maintaining product quality, the brand has left its own mark in the hearts of friends in five continents. Up to now, the brand has reached customers in more than 20 countries such as Singapore, Australia, Canada, USA…
In the past 5 years, the brand’s strategy is to cooperate and develop with major sales channels in the world. At the same time, we also have a program to develop agents , find and expand domestic and foreign business partners, helping Thien Moc Huong to go further in the international market. For domestic customers, agarwood has great meaning and value in terms of feng shui. As for foreign friends, agarwood is a souvenir, a gift that reminds them of Vietnam.
After 40 years of establishment, what are the memorable milestones of Thien Moc Huong?
After 40 years of pursuing her dream, Thien Moc Huong has experienced many difficulties and challenges. Besides, there are memorable milestones, marking the brilliant development of the brand. In particular, from 1980 to 2015, after more than 35 years of efforts, from 1 Agarwood factory in the Central region, Thien Moc Huong has now covered the country, with 2 official showrooms in Ho Chi Minh City. Minh and Hanoi with more than 10 agents in the provinces and selling points at international airports.
For 2 consecutive years 2017 and 2018, Thien Moc Huong became the only Vietnamese agarwood brand representing Vietnam on the Southeast Asian Youth train and was honored to be chosen as a gift for the Japanese royal family and 10 Nguyen Dynasty. national player.
Most recently, July 1, 2020, marks the 40-year journey of Thien Moc Huong, with the companionship and love of more than 80,000 customers in more than 20 countries.
What makes Thien Moc Huong team proudest when it comes to their brand?
That is the trust of customers. Thien Moc Huong is always proud to have guests who always cherish the incense and bring their trust to the brand.
The most meaningful thing for the team is to see that their products, after all these years, are always kept and loved by customers. For them, frankincense no longer stops at jewelry but becomes a precious memento, a meaningful piece in life. Moreover, during the past journey, we believe that new customers are the biggest factor creating the success of Thien Moc Huong.
What are the plans ahead of Thien Moc Huong?
In the near future, the team will continue to invest in developing new product lines, helping the bass products reach more customers in more countries. Along with that is the problem of developing international customer care services, and cooperating with foreign units to bring Vietnamese agarwood to the international arena. Information about preferential programs from Thien Moc Huong:
- Showroom 1: 71 Nguyen Khac Nhu, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Showroom 2: 120 Hai Ba Trung Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
- Opening time: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm every day of the week
- Hotline: 0933 348 368
- Refer to agarwood products at: www.thienmochuong.com or www.tmhagarwood.com
(Reference Sources: Câu chuyện thương hiệu: Thiên Mộc Hương — 4 Thập kỷ thăng hoa cùng trầm hương )
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