According to a 2021 census conducted by Statistics Canada, there are over 3,300 people who have identified themselves as Southeast Asians in Richmond. Of all the visual minority groups in Richmond, Southeast Asians are ranked fifth in population, after Chinese, South Asians, Filipino, and Japanese.

Southeast Asians include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and more. The Vietnamese culture in particular, are seeing an up rise in popularity, especially in the food and beverage industry.

In March of 2019, a brand-new Vietnamese-themed restaurant, Obanhmi, opened its doors to the public. The name of the business is a transliteration of “ổ bánh mì”, which means bread in Vietnamese. The idea of opening a Vietnamese shop was created when the owners were enjoying a barbeque meal.

“Naming a business after the product can be a simple and effective way to create brand recognition and communicate the core offering of the business,” says Eric Duong, one of the owners of Obanhmi.

Obanhmi features banh mi, rolls and teas. A banh mi, or bánh mì, is a short French baguette that is cut lengthwise and is filled with savory ingredients. Fillings such as chicken, beef, or shredded pork are often paired up with pickled carrots, radish, steamed pork roll, cilantro, chili, cucumber and more. 

“Our chef comes up with seasonal items such as soups and new drinks to add variety to the menu, which can keep customers interested,” says Duong.

When it comes to the heart and soul of a banh mi, the winner has to go to the “paté”. Paté is a creamy and savoury mixture spread on the buns of a banh mi, often made with a mixture of pig liver, meat, vegetables and an assortment of spices. Different restaurants and shops will create their own special flavoring of paté and that is what makes each one of them unique.

Overall, a banh mi can be similar to a subway sandwich as it is comparable by visual representation. Banh mi can be served both hot or cold, which makes it a great choice for lunch at the office, an outdoor picnic, or at a casual gathering.

One thing that separates Obanhmi from its competitors is the wide array of flavors and options. Unlike other Vietnamese catering venues, Obanhmi menu includes vegetarian, vegan, and even halal options for its customers. 

“We tell every customer ‘there’s at least one 5-star option on the menu for anyone’” says Duong.

With the goal of becoming a household name within the community and in British Columbia, Duong shares the secret to the business’s success. 

“There’s no doubt you cannot substitute all the things they teach in business school,” says Duong. “We do think all of those things boil down to treating customers and team members well. Customers can feel it when our team is happy, and customers can taste the difference when the staff puts heart and care in prepping.”

Nonetheless, there are bound to be challenges and obstacles along the way to the road of success. Upkeeping the highest of quality, whether that would be food or customer service can be a tough ball to juggle. However, the staff and management team at Obanhmi are quick to respond to customer’s requests while improving every step of the way.

“Mistakes do happen, and sometimes the quality is off, so we actively make sure operation is good and customers get a consistent and high-quality dining experience,” says Duong.

Even though banh mi was designed for a quick bite and takeout, the business still took a hit during the interruption of the pandemic. COVID-19 shifted the way people visits the restaurants. There has been a change from dining out to taking out the food from the restaurants.

“It changed the way we think about organizing the space—we still offer some seating, but we learned to optimize more of the space for more efficient operation, which means quicker service for customers,” says Duong.

Staying green and environmental sustainability has been a hot topic in the recent years. Obanhmi is an avid supporter of reducing plastic wastes, starting from changing the materials of their containers and utensils.

“We changed the lids (of the Vietnamese coffee) to a film seal which reduces plastic,” says Duong. “We are always researching eco-friendly packaging and at the same time balance it with the cost of running a business - it has to make sense for a ‘no-frill’ sandwich shop.”

Hearing the customers say “I love Obanhmi” is perhaps the biggest encouragement that anyone can give to its staff and management team. The business connects with its community through providing job opportunities and is open to any partnership to local events and causes. 

Happy employees and over the roof customer satisfaction are what keeps Obanhmi running and in business. Without it, Obahmi would not have achieved the height of its success that it is currently enjoying.

“Sounds cliche but it’s simple­treat them well. It’s principle no. 1 in our operation handbook,” says Duong.

To future entrepreneurs who are deciding to go down the path of opening their own restaurants or food venues, Duong has shared three critical tips.

The first tip is to make sure that the goal and the ideologies of the owners are on the same page.

“Find one good partner, who shares the same vision and philosophy of doing business, and they must be good at things that you are not good at,” says Duong

The second tip is to spend the money wisely.

“Don’t spend money and time on a logo and website first - that is not what makes the business successful,” says Duong.

The last tip is to never stop learning.

“Learn the industry, spend time learning beyond all the obvious things,” says Duong.

Today, there are eight stores across the cities of Richmond, Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, and Langley. The customers can expect to find freshly made banh mis, rolls, and iced coffees made with love at any location. Whether you’re a meat lover, vegetarian, or even halal, you would surely find your own definition of happiness when visiting any of the Obanhmi locations. 

The Richmond branch can be found on unit 140, 6211 Buswell Street, Richmond. It is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. 

For the complete menu selections, please visit obanhmishop.com/menu.