With a staff strength of above 1,000 and more than 50,000 wholesalers all over the country, Phuthai have been highly appreciated as the most precious company in distribution in Vietnam. With their reputation and image, Phuthai has become the most unique and recognizable trade mark in distribution in Vietnam. They were justly rewarded with the Vietnam Gold Star reward 2005.

With his smart and dynamism, and time spent studying abroad for an MBA, Mr. Pham Dinh Doan from the beginning realized the huge potential distribution market in Vietnam. Taking on the challenges in the brand new distribution field, with not much experience, weak financial resources, Mr. Doan has rapidly made Phuthai to become the leading company providing the service and facilities to flow goods into the market. According to the specialists in the filed of distribution, Phuthai has been recognized as the biggest distributor in Vietnam with a network covering the whole country. The company has two distribution Channels : the direct and indirect channel. The direct channel are the company offices, distribution centers, subsidiaries in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Can Tho, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, a total of 50,000 retailers, 500 wholesalers, 300 Key Account shops. The indirect distribution centers are through 95 sub distributors in the many other provinces. The company has been establishing and dealing with more than 100 suppliers inside and outside the country and distributing 3,000 products range of consumer goods including Food, Beverage Products, Clothes, Household product, personal care product, Fashion and Beauty Products, pharmaceutical product and medical equipment, veterinary, building materials. Phuthai is specially known and famous for distributing well- known brands such as P&G, Cuckoo, Shell, Gillette, Rohto, Dutch Lady, and Triumph. Mr. Viswanathan Shankar, the General Director for P&G revealed: “Up on into Vietnam, we have learnt many experience from Phuthai and we believe that these cooperation would develop and become stable in the coming years”. Becoming “the Biggest Distribution Group” model in Vietnam.” Under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Doan - General Director, the Phuthai Ltd. Co., from its initial beginnings has become Phuthai Group – a group that diversifies into many fields such as : real estate business, construction, logistics and distribution. Maintaining their depth in distribution and becoming the biggest distribution company in Vietnam, The company has set a target in 2007 where there will be 30 modern and fashion distribution centers in the big cities with over 2000 employees and the corporate philosophy is to reduce expense and is the efferent bridge between the manufacturers and the consumers. In order to build Phuthai as a competitive distribution company in light of the presence of foreign distribution company in Vietnam, the company has been concentrating to develop and focus in investing technology, using highly qualified and quality employees. In the past few years, the company spent an annual average of more than 500 million VND on training and development to improve the professional skills of its employees with the goal of achieving “professionalism in working, inculcate good working relationship between employees” According to Mr. Pham Dinh Doan, the Distribution sector highly impacted on the society and economy of the country, it contributes more than 60% to the success of manufacturers. With a population of more than 80 million and an estimated turnover from the distribution market value of 40.000 Billions VND in 2004 he foresee that this will continue to increase in the coming years. Vietnam is a potential and attractive market for distributors and investors from all over the world. These are big challenges for Phuthai as well as the Vietnamese enterprises in the distribution of goods. For the foreign own distribution companies, after two or three years of setting up the network for distribution of goods in Vietnam, they will negotiate with suppliers in order to get the orders with low prices so that they would give stiff terms and conditions for manufactures even though the farmers have low capacity to carry a larger range of products. Consequently, the manufacturing sector would be less and less. Phuthai as well as other companies in distribution really need the support and help in policies and laws such as legal policy in retailing good and the suitable location to delivery the goods. With the award of Vietnam Gold Star in 2005 has reconfirmed Phuthai as a precious trade mark, Phuthai will meet many difficulties in the future. However, Mr. Doan believes that “The prosperity of their companies greatly depends on the leader, “there is no bad employee, only bad management by the employer”. Any company which want to win in the market, must have the strategic plans and differentiate with others”. With the strategies, plans and the talented masterminding of Mr Pham Dinh Doan managing the distribution activities, we hope that, in the near future, Phuthai will achieve its goal and is the efficient bridge between the manufacturers and the consumers.