Bun brand owner appeals to Ho Chi Minh City authorities after a 552 million VND penalty

On the evening of April 12, 2026, Nguyen Thi Binh, general director of Nguyen Binh Bun Joint Stock Company, said she filed an urgent appeal to the Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee, Nguyen Van Duoc, after Tan Son Ward issued an administrative violation penalty totaling 552 million VND.

Ms. Binh said the company’s case involved inconsistencies in how wastewater discharge was measured and in the timing of sampling. She also referenced a past incident involving flour spillage. Given the company’s small scale—its manual production facility covers about 70 square meters and employs six workers—she argued the penalty could function as a de facto “death sentence” for the business.

Appeal request and proposed adjustment

Ms. Binh asked the city to review the measurement procedures and the company’s actual water bill data, with the goal of adjusting the penalty to reflect the scale of production. She also requested consideration of deferring payment or easing the penalty to help the company continue operating and maintain employment.

Long-term environmental proposal for small facilities

To address broader environmental challenges, Ms. Binh proposed that Ho Chi Minh City plan a traditional food village cluster with centralized wastewater treatment infrastructure to support small production facilities. She also called for a favorable credit package to enable relocation, technology upgrades, and installation of compliant environmental systems.

She said relocating to industrial zones is difficult due to high rents and insufficient infrastructure, which makes investment harder for small enterprises.

Wastewater treatment capacity and operational constraints

According to Ms. Binh, traditional starch-based noodle production currently lacks facilities capable of fully meeting wastewater treatment standards. She said Nguyen Binh Bun has invested in a wastewater treatment system with a capacity of 30 m3/day, but for a small workshop the costs for chemicals and operator engineers remain substantial.

She added that earlier operations faced challenges related to microbial viability and odors, which affected compliance with food safety standards.

Company background and current operating status

Ms. Binh and the Nguyen Binh Bun brand drew attention in 2018 when they appeared on Shark Tank seeking 200 billion VND in funding. She said production has since contracted, with only a few workers, and that she personally operates the machinery to sustain output, mainly on a contract basis with fluctuating volumes.

For more information, the company’s situation was also covered by local reporting from Ngoi Lao Dong and related reports.