Interview med Pandasia.
AnhDu Long Vu transitioned from web designer to entrepreneur when he launched Pandasia, an online store for Asian food, in November 2019. As the pandemic hit, the business experienced explosive growth, driven by AnhDu's passion and determination.
In November 2019, just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Denmark, entrepreneur and founder AnhDu Long Vu made his dream come true with Pandasia. His goal was to make authentic Asian cuisine accessible to everyone.
From Code to Cuisine: AnhDu’s Journey from Web Designer to Entrepreneur
Before AnhDu started Pandasia, he worked as a web designer. Although he was skilled at his job, his passion for Asian cuisine was even greater. His deep-rooted interest in Vietnamese food culture, passed down through his family, combined with his expertise in web design, laid the foundation for his own business.
With support from his wife, AnhDu took the leap, quitting his job to fully dedicate himself to Pandasia. He didn’t want to do it halfway, and from one day to the next, he found himself as a self-employed entrepreneur. The business started modestly, with a small storage space in a child's bedroom, but the ambitions were big.
Pandasia’s Explosive Growth: How the Pandemic Changed Everything
The first few months passed quietly. AnhDu gradually got a feel for his business, though there were a couple of moments when he worried whether it would be something he could make a living from. However, orders started coming in, and soon enough, he had to expand his storage with a container in the backyard. This turned out to be quite fortunate because when the pandemic hit, everything suddenly changed. People had time for various projects they usually wouldn’t, and one of those projects was cooking Asian food. Preparing such dishes can take a few hours, time people don’t typically have, but they had plenty of it during lockdown.
AnhDu vividly remembers the first night after the lockdown announcement. As soon as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen finished her press conference, announcing that Denmark would shut down, the orders started pouring in. The rush continued throughout the night. Everything with a long shelf life was wiped out, especially canned goods and dry foods. AnhDu recalls, “It was just like what you saw on TV, people rushed in and ordered everything they could. All my instant noodles were sold out!” AnhDu Long Vu, Pandasia.
During those days, AnhDu worked 80 hours a week, only pausing for a few hours of sleep and to eat. It was all about meeting customers' expectations so they would come back.
"Sometimes things move so fast that you just act and execute, and then you have to learn from it afterwards," AnhDu Long Vu, Pandasia.
While the pandemic undoubtedly triggered rapid growth for the business, it’s AnhDu’s relentless hard work that has sustained it. He had to adapt as things came his way, learning from experience. Most of the time, there was a flow he could follow, but at times it moved so quickly that thinking took a back seat—he just did everything he could and learned from it afterward.
The Inspiration Behind Pandasia: Making Authentic Asian Cuisine Accessible to Everyone
From the very beginning, Pandasia has had a clear mission: to inspire Danes to take the time to prepare authentic Asian cuisine. AnhDu has placed great emphasis on making the website as user-friendly as possible, translating all product descriptions so they are easy to understand and follow. The website is structured to allow users to combine recipes with the available products.
To make things even easier, AnhDu has created a series of instructional videos, demonstrating how various Asian dishes are prepared from start to finish. These videos enable customers to learn the techniques behind the dishes, empowering them to master authentic Asian cooking at home. Additionally, he has implemented a chat function on the website, allowing customers to receive direct assistance and ask questions about specific recipes or ingredients. This feature ensures that no one is left to tackle their cooking projects alone.
Pandasia’s Vision: A Universe of Authentic Asian Cuisine in Denmark
AnhDu has big ambitions for Pandasia. He dreams of creating a complete universe centered around Asian food culture, where Danes can not only buy ingredients but also learn about the history and traditions of cooking. In the future, he hopes to travel to various Asian countries to document how authentic dishes are prepared in their homelands. The goal is to produce an inspiring video series where viewers can experience the origins of the dishes and the local food culture.
At the same time, there are exciting plans for Pandasia on the home front. The company has expanded its warehouse four times in just two years and is working to establish larger partnerships with Asian restaurants in Denmark. AnhDu aims to become a reliable supplier of Asian ingredients to restaurants, and he also plans to produce videos and interviews with the restaurant owners. These collaborations will inspire even more Danes to explore Asian cooking and help create a community around food culture.
Balancing Act and Big Ambitions: AnhDu’s Challenges as a Sole Owner
As the sole owner, AnhDu has often struggled to balance work and personal life. During peak periods, his workweeks can stretch over 80 hours, making it challenging to keep up with all the tasks. The pandemic has also brought significant logistical challenges, including delivery delays and rising transportation costs, which AnhDu has had to manage.
Despite these obstacles, Pandasia has grown so rapidly that AnhDu expects to hire five full-time employees within the next year. Up until now, he has primarily worked with part-time staff, but with the company's fast growth, the time has come to expand the team. Additionally, he plans to broaden the product range with new categories, bringing even more Asian goods to Danish consumers.
Three Key Tips from AnhDu: How to Choose the Right Payment Solution
AnhDu has three valuable tips for those choosing a payment solution for their webshop:
Choose a solution with strong support.
As a new business owner, getting quick help is essential, so make sure to select a payment solution with reliable email and phone support.
Find a solution that runs on its own.
Once the system is set up, it should operate automatically, allowing you to focus on your daily business operations.
Choose a provider that delivers quality.
Look at what other customers are saying about their experiences – this provides a good insight into how well the product or service works in practice.
The Collaboration with pensopay: The Key to Easy and Hassle-Free Payment Processing
Since the start of Pandasia, AnhDu has used pensopay as his payment solution. He chose pensopay because it’s an all-in-one platform that combines both the acquiring and gateway services. AnhDu explains that he researched several payment solutions, but what made pensopay stand out was the communication he had with them. After several great conversations with Pierre, pensopay's CEO, he was convinced it was the right choice.
For AnhDu, pensopay has made payment handling easy and seamless. “Everything is organized—there are guides, and if you have any questions, you just call or write,” AnhDu Long Vu, Pandasia. This kind of automated system is invaluable for a webshop owner like AnhDu, allowing him to focus on other aspects of his business.
Pensopay’s customer service and support are highly appreciated by AnhDu. “There are no stupid questions at pensopay,” AnhDu Long Vu, Pandasia. This level of support is crucial, especially when you’re running a new business.
Although there may be occasional technical challenges, like a rare system outage, AnhDu has had a positive experience with Pensopay’s service. He particularly values the status page that pensopay has created, which allows webshop owners to stay updated on any disruptions and see when issues are expected to be resolved. “That little update makes a big difference when you’re running a webshop,” AnhDu Long Vu, Pandasia.
Thank you, AnhDu, for giving us insight into your business. We’re incredibly proud to call you our partner.
Best of luck with your ongoing adventure.
Team pensopay.
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