Minh Long Ceramics: The inspirational journey of a national brand going global

Birthed by the land of Vietnam, Minh Long proudly bears the title of “The King of Viet Ceramics”, treasuring an artisanal legacy spanning half a century. Founded by Ly Ngoc Minh of the fourth generation of skilled, dedicated artisans of the Ly family, Minh Long has become a leading ceramic producer that won the prestigious “National Brand” award six times, the “Vietnam high-quality goods” award 22 times, and successfully reached major markets in Asia, Europe, and North America.

It all started in 1970 in Binh Duong, the cradle of traditional ceramics and porcelains industry, when a 20-year-old inherited the “heirloom secrets” of pottery making in his family and launched a new ceramic production company named Minh Long.

Minh Long Ceramics represent Vietnamese crafts for international consumers

Since then, Minh Long has become a widely-recognised and prestigious brand with premium ceramic and porcelain products that stand out for their durability, luxurious glaze, and sophisticated designs. Not only do Minh Long ceramics and porcelains used as decorative statement pieces in households, restaurants, and hotels, they are also frequently given as souvenirs to guests of honour in many of Vietnam’s major diplomatic events.

To achieve the prestige and quality it is touted to be, the company has invested numerous state-of-the-art technology, modern machinery, and equipment imported exclusively from the world’s leading suppliers in Germany and Japan allow for one-time burning of ceramics at 1,380 degrees Celsius, colour painting on porcelain and nano production for premium quality. Besides Minh Long, no other ceramic brand in the world possesses such advanced heating technology that produces a virtually perfect enamel layer – highly glossy, sturdy, dust-free, and free of toxic substances.

Imbued with national pride and centuries-long traditional craftsmanship, Minh Long’s ceramics and porcelains have always been a work of art that Vietnamese people hold dear to their hearts. The harmonious blend of Vietnamese cultural values and Western-inspired modernity is what really captures the love of both domestic and global consumers.

Bringing the first Minh Long ceramic products to Amazon

With cross-border e-commerce gaining momentum and further accelerated by COVID-19, Minh Long was quick to catch up. In the competitive international market, Minh Long had to find a way to stand out from many other brands around the world with superior product quality and unique designs. And the first step for successful global outreach is choosing the best partner.

“Minh Long's vision is to become a leading ceramic brand on a global scale. To achieve that, our products must be accessible to customers around the world and Amazon is our chosen partner who can facilitate that. We believe that the fastest and most effective channel to reach customers beyond Vietnam's borders is Amazon – a leader in cross-border e-commerce,” shared Ly Huy Sang, deputy general director of Minh Long I Company.

According to Sang, Amazon owns a greate resource of customer base and facilities which can greatly assist local enterprises like Minh Long in logistics, operations, and cost management.

For Minh Long, the precondition for successful market penetration has to be the product itself. To cater to the distinctive needs of global consumers, the brand has conducted in-depth research to segment the market and come up with corresponding designs. In terms of human resources, Minh Long has developed a dedicated team for overseas e-commerce export. After months of preparation, on September 2021, the first ceramic products of Minh Long hit the virtual shelves of Amazon.

Ever since, Minh Long has witnessed increases in sales and positive feedbacks from global consumers. One customer from the US expressed his love for Minh Long’s sophisticated designs, which encouraged him to learn about some of Vietnam’s natural landscapes. Another customer was satisfied with the superior quality and highly reasonable price of the porcelain products. These feedbacks prompted the brand to make even greater strides and bring more products to Amazon.

In retrospect, Sang attributed the fast, cost-effective, and streamlined export process to the timely assistance of Amazon Global Selling team. From the very first stages, Amazon Global Selling team in Vietnam has closely supported Minh Long with export paperwork, account registration, and merchandising strategies.

Amazon Global Selling team also recommended trustworthy partners to Minh Long to ensure optimal operations. Furthermore, to help with marketing, which is one of the biggest challenges for local businesses when going global, Amazon has provided suitable marketing tools and valuable market insights for Minh Long to enhance their strategies.

As for the shipping of such fragile, prone-to-scratches products, Amazon has clear guidelines on packaging and marking specifications for Minh Long to follow, making sure the products will arrive intact. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is also of great help when it comes to storing products and after-sale services.

As FBA allows selling partners to store their products in Amazon's fulfilment centres all over the world, where Amazon picks, packs, delivers, and provides customer service for these products, Minh Long can minimise the shipping of delicate ceramic items, especially in the events of product exchange, therefore protect their brand name in the global market.

Cross-border e-commerce continues to reshape today’s business landscape. Although there exist many difficulties when going global, enterprises, especially local sellers, can successfully make a mark in the international market when backed by reliable partners like Amazon Global Selling. Sang explained: “When it comes to accessible cross-border e-commerce, Amazon is certain a top-of-mind name. Working with leading companies with the necessary experience and resources like that, we can rest assured and trust them to handle any situation professionally."

In the future, Minh Long will continue to promote Vietnam’s cultural values and traditional craft through premium products. In doing so, Minh Long is helping to put Vietnamese ceramics on the international map, and Amazon will be its companion every step of the way.