I could not help but write down my feelings after returning from Bac Tom's deeply moving 2024 year-end gathering. Although I was exhausted after two weekend days crossing mountain passes to visit the organic farming areas of PGS Tuyen Quang farmers, returning to Hanoi as darkness fell, in the biting winter chill where the day's faint remaining rays of sunlight were enveloped by dusk, all I wanted was to rest after such a long journey rather than attend the year-end party with Bac Tom. The person who pulled me out of this lethargy was a young woman named Hay—a name that means "wonderful," and she truly is wonderful: a girl who spent five years with PGS and continues to return to support PGS even while working at an import-export company. Without even changing out of my travel clothes, I rushed straight to Bac Tom, and all weariness melted away, replaced by the excitement of a large, joyful, sincere, and truly warm family gathering.
Milestones of Cooperation with Organic Farmers
Bac Tom and PGS: A Shared Journey
The clean food chain "Bac Tom" was founded in 2009 and has accompanied a young PGS ever since. Fifteen years of growth have also been fifteen years of walking alongside PGS, standing shoulder-to-shoulder to support organic farmers. As a purveyor of natural, clean food, Bac Tom has steadily built trust with its customers, embedding authenticity and heartfelt simplicity into its corporate culture, running deep through every member of the team.
During the 15th-anniversary celebration, Mr. Tran Manh Chien – CEO of Bac Tom – shared the story of his arduous journey, pouring immense dedication into partnering with genuine PGS farmers in particular and farmers nationwide in general to create a reliable source of quality food for society. There were moments when he felt utterly exhausted, drained of energy, and disheartened. That was during the period of rapid overheating around 2015–2016. Clean food stores were opening everywhere. Bac Tom expanded to 27 outlets under the assumption that a larger chain would inherently be better. Only by late 2016 did the consequences become starkly clear. Mr. Chien confided that these new "offspring" were not nurtured well; although they grew rapidly at first, they faded away just as quickly. That was his wake-up call to regroup and revitalize his spirit. His first decisive step was to overhaul corporate governance. By granting preferential ESOP shares to key staff and inviting them to co-invest, he applied the principle of participatory management that PGS has always championed. In tandem with governance reform, he began genuinely integrating the core values of "Authenticity – Harmony with Nature" into every activity and policy of the system, accompanied by robust training and communication so that every employee could absorb, internalize, understand, and practice these corporate values in both life and work. Slow and steady, the chain has recorded remarkable progress, especially in cultivating a strong sense of ownership among Bac Tom's staff. Some employees even declined performance bonuses, explaining that they already felt like true owners of Bac Tom and that the rewards should instead encourage newer teammates. Having walked alongside PGS for 15 years, side by side from each other's first tentative steps, witnessing the triumphs and trials of a young enterprise brave enough to stand by organic farmers from the very beginning, Bac Tom has also served as an incubator for the future CEOs of reputable food chains such as Soi Bien, Tam Dat, and others. Today, in this cozy atmosphere welcoming the new year, seeing Bac Tom's staff enthusiastically and confidently run the entire program, watching the dance performances of PGS farmers who traveled long distances from Luong Son, Hoa Binh, and Ha Nam to share in the joy, listening to heartfelt songs and skits about PGS farmers, and enjoying the dances performed by the children of the Bac Tom family, one truly appreciates Bac Tom's spectacular transformation.
Wishing the Bac Tom family a new year that preserves its humane values, continuing to grow and walk hand-in-hand with farmers and PGS across Vietnam.
_Tu Thi Tuyet Nhung – Former Head of the PGS Vietnam Coordination Committee._
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