In its early days of operation, Dong Nai Industrial Development and Investment Company (Sonadezi’s predecessor) did not own its own office. The company temporarily occupied half of the first floor of a 4-storey building in Vung Tau T-junction, An Binh ward, Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province (c/o Dong Nai Department of Industry). Later, the Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee decided to assign the entire building of the Department of Industry to the Company, with the former to move to a building on Vo Thi Sau street, Quyet Thang ward.

When the Department of Industry handed over the building to the Company, all company employees included Mr. Nguyen Van Thuyen – Director, Ms. Chu Thi Thu – Deputy Director, Mr. Vu Ngoc Tuy – Chief Accountant, Ms. Hoang Thi Quy – Accountant, Mr. Chu Thanh Son – Chinese Interpreter, Mr. Nguyen Manh Dung – Architect and Ms. Nguyen Thanh Nga – Typist, joined Dai Dong Co., Ltd from the beginning and continued their service after the Company was renamed Dong Nai Industrial Development and Investment Company.

After the office handover, all of its employees started working on repair and refurbishment immediately. A temporary kitchen was set up in the former kitchen of the Department of Industry. The typist and accountants spared some time in later morning to prepare lunch for everyone.

As a new-found company, though, it had to host working sessions with or provided hospitality to its partners quite often. However, due to its limited budget, the Director strictly requested to save up hospitality and event expenses. Guest receptions were held at the Company office with the drink served being rice wine ordered from a reputable brewery in Bien Hoa while beer was not provided to guests and no payments beyond allowable limits were to be paid. This was like hospitality style of poor households who were hard working and managed to save every penny. That was one of the factors contributing to Sonadezi’s success in the past, present and future.

For such hospitality practices, there is a poem that many Sonadezi employees still remember this day. The poem reads as follows:

As a new-found company,

Being poor with limited budget,

Providing hospitality with our prepared meals,

Rice wine being served as the priority,

Good beer as everyone’s preferred drink

But it’s not possible as we are short of money,

When we are more mature,

Beer would be provided without any limits!

(The order of Director Thuyen).