Minh Phu
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 7 sources
Vietnamese shrimp farming and processing company exporting frozen shrimp.
Until Minh Phu traces its fish and seafood to the boat or farm and has the conditions of the people who catch or farm it checked independently, it can't show that they are free and fairly paid.
Other prawns and shellfish brands
Nothing we've rated in prawns and shellfish is better than Lacks transparency yet.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on fish and seafood that it can't trace to the boat or farm. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace it and check the conditions of the people who catch or farm it.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in Vietnam.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Relies on fish and seafood it can't trace to the boat or farm
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Minh Phu's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: fishing fleets and processing plants have some of the worst documented forced labour, including trafficked crews held at sea for years.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Relies on fish and seafood from fishing boats and farms, where crews and farm workers, often migrants recruited into debt, have been held for months or years, beaten and denied pay, out of reach of factory audits. It hasn't shown any steps to trace its fish and seafood to the boat or farm or have the conditions of the people who catch or farm it checked, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Minh Phu processes shrimp in its own plants in Ca Mau and Hau Giang in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, mostly with women workers. It runs its own hatchery and about 900 ha of farms, but most shrimp comes from outside farmers, including a 50,000 ha mangrove supply network; it publishes no farm list. Some farms and plants hold ASC and BAP certificates. No independent checks of farm or plant workers are published. A 2024 sector report alleged falling wages and safety on Vietnamese shrimp farms but named no company. Australia is a key export market.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | Minh Phu is not among the companies assessed in the 2026 KnowTheChain food and beverage benchmark. View |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- During a 2013 strike by more than 3,000 workers at Minh Phu's Hau Giang plant over a halved Tet bonus, workers also complained of shifts from 5:30 am to nearly 7 pm and no social or health insurance for most staff (VietNamNet, 2013). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- New report alleges worker abuse in Vietnam shrimp farming sector (IntraFish, 2024) · search the archive · Sustainability Incubator report alleged worsening pay and conditions on Vietnamese shrimp farms; no companies named
- 2026 KnowTheChain food and beverage benchmark · search the archive · Companies assessed in 2026; Minh Phu not included
- Chairman resolves standoff with 3,000 workers demanding Tet bonus (VietNamNet, 2013) · search the archive · Over 3,000 workers struck at Minh Phu Hau Giang; complaints of long shifts and lack of social and health insurance
- Minh Phu - a leading seafood brand in Vietnam (Vietnam News Agency, 2016) · search the archive · Two factories in Ca Mau and Hau Giang; over 13,000 workers, mostly women; BAP 4-star, ASC, GlobalG.A.P. certificates
- Thousands of workers on strike demand Tet bonus (DTiNews, 2013) · search the archive · Strike at Minh Phu-Hau Giang in January 2013 over a half-month bonus
- Minh Phu (MPC) establishes subsidiary in Australia (VASEP, 2025) · search the archive · Australia 13.2% of Minh Phu revenue in first half of 2025; Australian subsidiary set up
Published by Minh Phu or its owner
- Minh Phu business areas · search the archive · Own hatchery in Ninh Thuan; own farms of 302 ha and 600 ha; 50,000 ha mangrove supply area with ASC and BAP; processing at Ca Mau complex and Hau Giang factory
Company details
- Headquarters
- Vietnam
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Minh Phu ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/minh-phu, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Minh Phu.