1st Woman-Led Fish Processing Enterprise Setting its Sights on Alibaba Empowers Next-Gen Leader

Ms. Nhem Channy, the driving force behind Battambang's Heng Channy Angkor Meas Co., Ltd., embodies the spirit of International Women's Day 2025. Her story is one of family traditions meeting modern innovation, showcasing the incredible power of women in entrepreneurship. In 2017, she founded her fish processing business, drawing on her mother's unique food preservation expertise and adding modern innovation.

Heng Channy Angkor Meas boasts a diverse range of high-quality fishery and agricultural products. The company's dedication to excellence earned them the Cambodian Quality Seal (CQS), a testament to their commitment to quality and safety. This achievement was made possible through the support of the EU-funded CAPFISH-Capture: Post-harvest Fisheries Development project, implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Fisheries Administration (FiA).

Today, you can find her products in many of the major Cambodian supermarkets like Lucky, Macro, and AEON. But she also wants to sell her products beyond Cambodia. She's looking at international markets, such as working with the Thai Business Council in Cambodia to get her products into Big C and 7-Eleven stores in Thailand. She also has an export agreement with a Korean food distributor and is working on another agreement with a Korean importer, which will strengthen the presence of her products on the international stage.

Looking to the future, Ms. Channy understands the importance of embracing the digital marketplace. She is exploring future market options, including the digital market platform Alibaba, which is to list her products. If she succeeds, this strategy promises to unlock new global markets and greatly expand the company's reach. Buyers were particularly impressed by the company's impact as a woman-led business: promoting local products incorporating R&D, creating jobs for locals, especially women, and providing learning opportunities for students. This highlights Ms. Channy's commitment to both business and community development.

But Ms. Channy's success isn't just about business; it's also about empowering the next generation of women leaders. She has appointed her daughter as the General Manager of Heng Channy Angkor Meas, providing her with invaluable mentorship and opportunities for growth. "Leading humans requires us to be their parents, brothers and sisters, and friends," she says, emphasizing the importance of close and sincere collaboration and strategic planning.

Her daughter shares her mother's forward-thinking vision, recognizing the critical role of innovation in today's rapidly evolving world. "In this contemporary world, we need more IT and innovation support to make our products more interesting and appealing," she explains. Her vision aligns perfectly with the Women's Day 2025 theme of creating a feminist future where every woman has the opportunity to thrive.

Through her remarkable business sense and unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation, Ms. Channy is a true champion for women's and girls' rights, equality, and empowerment. Her commitment to showcasing the best Cambodian products on the global stage, nurtured by the support and collaboration of her daughter, serves as an inspiring example of what women can achieve when they work together to build a more equitable and prosperous future for all. 

Ms. Channy's story is a testament to the power of women's entrepreneurship and leadership in building a better world, perfectly embodying the spirit of International Women's Day 2025.