• The Vietnamese company, that holds both ASC and BAP certifications, is making a strategic transition from pangasius to meet evolving market demands and unlock new growth opportunities.
• The partnership has already reached a significant milestone with the successful establishment of an optimally structured base population.
Benchmark Genetics Norway (BGN) recently announced a long-term strategic collaboration with Nam Viet Corporation (NaViCo) to develop an advanced selective breeding program for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Vietnam. The partnership brings together NaViCo’s position as one of Vietnam’s largest aquaculture companies with the ambition to develop a fully integrated tilapia value chain, and BGN’s global expertise in designing and operating high-performance breeding programs for more than 30 aquaculture species.
“Our ambition is to position tilapia as a premium product and export from Vietnam, supported by a fully integrated and sustainable value chain,” said Doan Chi Thien, Chief Executive Officer at NaViCo. “Partnering with Benchmark Genetics ensures access to world-class technologies that enable us to deliver consistent product quality and meet growing market expectations.”
NaViCo is making a strategic transition from pangasius to tilapia to meet evolving market demands and unlock new growth opportunities. As one of the world’s largest concentrated aquaculture farming operations, NaViCo holds both ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) certifications – two of the most rigorous global standards for responsible aquaculture. These achievements highlight the company’s long-standing commitment to quality, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.
It is important to say that the three representatives from NaViCo and Benchmark Genetics who have signed a collaborative strategic agreement were NaViCo’s CEO, Doãn Chí Thiên; Founder and Chairman of NaViCo, Doãn Tới; and by the Benchmark Genetics part, its Senior Geneticist, Trịnh Quốc Trọng.
Significant Milestone
As part of the collaboration, Benchmark Genetics will design and provide ongoing expert guidance and operational support for a state-of-the-art selective breeding program for Nile tilapia, applying proven genetic improvement strategies to enhance growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, and robustness — traits essential for cost-effective production and delivering premium tilapia to both domestic and international markets.
The partnership has already reached a significant milestone with the successful establishment of an optimally structured base population. This achievement marks the transition from program design to implementation and lays the groundwork for long-term genetic improvement. Building on this foundation, the partners are now preparing to integrate genomic selection to maximize genetic gain for survival, robustness, and other commercially important traits, positioning the program at the forefront of modern tilapia breeding and further strengthening NaViCo’s position as a leading global producer of high-quality seafood.
Combination of Skills
According to the information provided by the two companies, the program will be implemented in Vietnam, providing long-term value to NaViCo’s operations, its customers, and the broader tilapia sector in Southeast Asia. By combining NaViCo’s operational scale with Benchmark Genetics’ industry-leading genetics services, the partnership aims to set new industry benchmarks for quality, efficiency, and sustainability in tilapia farming.
“NaViCo is a forward-thinking partner with a bold vision for the future of tilapia farming in Vietnam,” said Morten Rye, Director of Genetics Services and International Strategies at Benchmark Genetics. “We are proud to contribute our global expertise in genetic improvement to support NaViCo’s ambitious goal and to help raise the standard for sustainable aquaculture in one of the world’s most important seafood-producing nations.”
Unlocking Better Biological and Commercial Performance
Benchmark Genetics is a global aquaculture genetics company dedicated to helping producers unlock better biological and commercial performance through genetic innovation. As a leading global supplier of Atlantic salmon eggs, they deliver high-performance genetics to aquaculture producers in more than 36 countries worldwide — serving both net-pen and land-based production systems.
Beyond egg supply, they offer advanced Genetics Services and Genotyping Services, combining decades of breeding expertise with cutting-edge genomic tools to create measurable value for aquaculture producers worldwide.
Headquartered in Bergen, Norway, Benchmark Genetics partners with aquaculture producers around the world to help shape the future of sustainable aquaculture. Their solutions support breeding program development, genomic selection, custom genotyping, cryopreservation, and data-driven performance improvement—helping customers enhance growth, robustness, health, welfare, and profitability.
