Appreciating Vietnamese agricultural products, Sandy Phuong-Kat Nguyen founded Co Cay Hoa La, putting pure ginger, lemongrass, and turmeric into shampoo and shower gel.

At the end of August, startup Co Cay Hoa La made a splash when it surpassed more than 2,000 strong competitors to win the first prize in Vietnam's Table at Startup Wheel 2023 - the largest and most in-depth startup competition in Vietnam, with influence in Asia for 11 years now.

Through three knockout rounds spanning half a year, this startup overcame many difficult challenges. Judges highly appreciated Co Cay Hoa La for its startup story, quality products, and contribution to the community. At the same time, they also spread the green living trend, supporting more women and children in highland areas to develop their livelihoods.

In addition, Ms. Kat Nguyen - co-founder of the brand - was awarded the title "Outstanding Female Founder". Startup Wheel 2023 attracts the participation of 2,116 projects from 34 countries and territories.
Starting from a love of nature, exploring the potential of Vietnamese agricultural products and hoping to create healthy products, in 2017, Ms Sandy Phuong and her sister Kat Nguyen decided to start a business.

The founder, Kat Nguyen, said, "The organic natural shampoo segment is inherently risky, but the idea of a Vietnamese brand reaching international level motivated my sister and I to invest in basic equipment, standard production techniques, and build Co Cay Hoa La.

Ms. Kat Nguyen and her colleagues consider each product a gift from nature. Consumers find it familiar, close, and easy to experience when they recognize the ingredients of ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, coconut... All ingredients are selected and purchased from local medicinal herbs that meet local standards and are produced at factories according to cGMP standards of the Ministry of Health.

The female founder verified that parabens, active substances frequently present in traditional cosmetic preservatives and harmful chemicals that can cause inflammation or skin cancer, are absent from 100% of Co Cay Hoa La products.

Since the first day of establishment, the Co Cay Hoa La team has always been aware of improving quality meeting all strict standards and requirements of the most demanding international customers. They continuously research, continuously improve, and, at the same time, select standard raw material areas and reputable partners. At the same time, maximize the application of Ecocert Cosmos-certified organic ingredients.

Ms Kat Nguyen explained that Ecocert Cosmos was awarded by Ecocert - an organization with nearly 30 years of experience evaluating and certifying organic products in France and more than 130 countries. Brands with this certificate are eligible for global commercialization.

Over the past 6 years, Co Cay Hoa La has distributed millions of products, receiving positive feedback about quality. Users can access e-commerce platforms and retail chains such as Aeon Mall, Pharmacity, Long Chau, Con Cung...

"We also create opportunities to start a business with product packages from 3 million VND, profit margin of 30-40%, bringing income to more than 6,000 women, helping them to be financially independent and confident in their life," the female founder said.

In addition, this startup also promotes social activities: supporting meals for poor children in highland areas, spreading green living inspiration such as using cloth bags instead of nylon, recycling bottles...

The herbal shampoo "2 in 1" is the brand's "first child", containing benign ingredients such as polygonum multiflorum thunb, olive oil, macadamia oil, argan oil, grapefruit essential oil, shea butter and collagen. The creative team focuses on scent, name, and seriously invests in quality and image to conquer all types of users.

 
After the success of polygonum shampoo, the journey to bring "Vietnamese agricultural products to the international level" gradually expanded with the Co Cay Hoa Leaf team. The brand continues to test and launch lines containing organic ingredients such as ginger and lemongrass shampoo and conditioner, X2 Nano turmeric gel women's solution, coconut ginger shampoo and conditioner, ginger and turmeric shower gel...

Kat Nguyen said: "We advocate bringing cosmetics directly to consumers with transparent ingredients, clear commitments and spreading positive values, thereby inspiring beauty to the world."

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