Mai Tuấn Anh, CEO of Yam Kitchen Co Ltd, has recently attracted attention with his Cusami project to develop a range of nutritious and healthy cassava-based baked foods. They are ideal for individuals on weight-loss diets or with diabetes, celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Anh says that through this project he aims to elevate traditional Vietnamese cuisine and enhance the value of cassava, a staple crop in his native Củ Chi District in HCM City. His project won the first prize at the 2024 Green Startup and Sustainable Development Projects/Ideas Competition organised by the Business Association of High-Quality Vietnamese Goods and the Business Study and Assistance Centre.

He tells Việt Nam News reporter Xuân Hương about his project’s progress and future plans.

Inner Sanctum:  Could you introduce yourself and tell us what inspired you to create healthy baked goods?

I used to weigh 93 kilos, had high blood fat levels, and was on the verge of developing diabetes. Now I’m down to 75 kilos, and my health indicators have significantly improved thanks to a diet with less refined starch, more fibre and reduced sugar.

Looking around, I saw many of my relatives suffering from diabetes, primarily due to their diet. The excessive consumption of rapidly digestible starches leads to fat accumulation and blood glucose spikes.

However, when I suggested they eat cassava as a healthier alternative, they found it difficult to cook. That was when I realised the need for a convenient solution—something as simple as placing it in an air fryer for about 10 minutes and it is ready to eat. This inspired me to develop a range of cassava-based foods that are both nutritious and delicious.

 

Moreover, as a native of Củ Chi, where cassava is a main agricultural product, I wanted to add value to it. Currently Việt Nam primarily exports raw cassava for industrial use. By promoting cassava-based cuisine, we can create a niche market for native cassava varieties, increasing farmers' incomes.

Inner Sanctum:  What makes Cusami unique in the food industry?

Global and Vietnamese food trends are shifting from eating in large quantities to eating well, focusing on taste, aesthetics and health benefits. Cusami products reduce sugar by 80 per cent and use palm sugar instead. Our goal is to create a signature line of cassava-based baked goods.

Việt Nam is well known for beverages like tea and coffee but lacks a distinctive bakery product derived from local crops to pair with them. Although bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) is popular, it relies on imported wheat flour since Việt Nam does not grow wheat. That is why Cusami aspires to create bakery products made from cassava.

Inner Sanctum: Can you elaborate on the Cusami project and its successes?

Cusami’s flagship product is baked cassava cakes. Additionally, we offer cassava-based bánh giò, a type of banana-leaf wrapped, pyramid-shaped  dumpling, but made of cassava instead of rice dough.

Cusami has a retail outlet on Cao Thắng Street, District 10, HCM City. We have also successfully used food carts to sell cassava bánh giò, and the carts are placed in multiple locations. This initiative not only provides part-time jobs for students and local residents but also increases consumer engagement.

We plan to partner with cafés and convenience store chains to distribute Cusami products (e.g. replacing traditional pastries with cassava-based options in coffee chains like Highlands Coffee). Additionally, we aim to expand into supermarket chains with vacuum-sealed, frozen cassava baked foods that can be reheated in air fryers.

We will introduce a lean franchise model, allowing entrepreneurs to start a cassava food cart business with an initial investment of only VNĐ2 million (US$78). This initiative serves two purposes: securing stable demand for cassava roots for farmers in Phú Mỹ Hưng Commune, Củ Chi District, and providing an affordable startup opportunity for individuals without financial difficulties.

Inner Sanctum:  What challenges have you faced in implementing the project? What gives your products a competitive edge in the health-focused bakery market?

Our biggest challenge was in R&D. It took hundreds of test batches to perfect the recipe for our cassava cakes, ensuring a soft crust and a variety of flavourful fillings.

With over seven years of experience in the culinary industry, my team and I have worked on improving product texture, diversifying fillings and optimising convenience while maintaining a reasonable shelf life.

Cusami’s production facility meets HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) standards, making our products eligible for supermarket distribution.

However, increasing market awareness remains a gradual process.

One of Cusami’s strongest advantages is our cost-effective local cassava sourcing. Cassava is a widely grown yet underutilised crop in Việt Nam, with 500,000 hectares cultivated annually, producing 10 million tonnes of fresh roots. By securing procurement contracts with farmers, we can reduce costs while boosting their income.

Cassava farming in Việt Nam is quite organic—farmers simply clear weeds, plant the roots, and harvest them after five or six months with minimal pesticide use. But many consumers still perceive cassava as a low-value crop rather than a healthy, slow-digesting starch suitable for diabetics and weight-conscious individuals. Cusami aims to change this perception through education and innovative product development.

Inner Sanctum:  What are your plans for developing the Cusami brand?

Cusami currently sources cassava from Phú Mỹ Hưng Commune, Củ Chi, and we plan to work with local farmers to grow cassava to VietGAP standards. Our goal is to establish a high-quality raw material zone for export.

 

We will start with VietGAP certification and gradually move toward GlobalGAP or USDA Organic standards, ensuring higher purchase prices for farmers while gaining access to premium export markets.

The global weight-loss food market is valued at approximately $109 billion, and Cusami sees immense potential in serving health-conscious consumers.

We will this year focus on social media marketing (TikTok, Facebook) and direct-to-consumer sales, highlighting our cassava-based foods as a healthy slow-carb alternative, similar to sweet potatoes and brown rice. Nutritionists and fitness coaches will help educate consumers about the benefits of cassava foods.

Secondly, we will enhance our product R&D to introduce more exciting flavours. Currently, our baked cassava cakes feature toppings such as Taiwanese-style salted egg lava, Taiwanese-style pineapple jam, and cheesy beef filling. To attract more customers, especially young consumers, we are developing new flavours like tiramisu and pink guava lava filling.

Traditionally, cassava cakes have been enjoyed by older generations. However, by integrating modern technology and high-quality ingredients, we are making traditional cakes more visually appealing and flavourful, attracting a broader clientele, particularly young ones.

Cusami is also working with partners specialising in exporting and distributing Vietnamese baked goods to the US and European markets to expand our reach internationally. VNS