On a scorching afternoon of March 2010, a tall American man wearing flip-flops strolled into Cu (Old) market in downtown Saigon. He paused to look in at com tam (broken rice) restaurants, seafood and rice stalls to ask sellers about Vietnamese people’s culinary arts.
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| The American billionaire at HCM City’s Ton That Dam market. |
Fred DeLuca, a billionaire and co-founder of the world’s leading fast food chain, Subway came to Vietnam with his wife to discover Vietnam in their own way. They were ready to chat with anyone as they walked together along the downtown streets to check out restaurants and buy gifts. Pointing to his sandals, the 62-year-old billionaire said: “I paid 250,000 dong for it. I know this is a high price. It may be valued at only 140,000 dong, but the salesman was lovely and this is a fun memory of Vietnam.”
Over three days in Vietnam, he ate bread twice and could say “banh mi” (bread) very clearly. He also liked bamboo shoots and soups. “I’m gaining weight. Vietnamese food is very delicious!” he remarked on his last day.
DeLuca was interested by Cu Market in District 1. He stopped at each stall to talk with sellers. Being interested in Vietnamese people’s fast food, he curiously asked salespeople which types of rice that Vietnamese like and why Vietnamese like com tam (a friend recommended this cuisine to him before he went to Vietnam). Attracted by the fragrance of pork ribs grilled over charcoal on the street, he asked the salesman about the spices.
Mark McGrath, his co-worker in HCM City, commented that DeLuca wanted to know everything. He asked about little things, such as what does pho bo (noodle soup with beef) mean, com tam (broken rice) is made with which kind of rice and why do people flock to that restaurant?.
“We have many restaurants in the world and we only want to develop them better. But one day a friend of mine advised me to open restaurants in Vietnam. So I came here,” he explained.
He came to experience what his friend told him about Vietnam. “I’m enchanted by Vietnamese food. Vietnamese cuisine is very delicious. I’ve tried banh mi thit (bread with pork) and I’m attracted by its sauce. The people here are so wonderful, very open and hospitable. HCM City is bigger than I imagined and very populated, with many motorbikes.”
Fred DeLuca started his career at the age of 17 with $1000 he borrowed from a friend. He had no idea that he would become a billionaire 45 years later and the owner of a network of 32,000 fast-food restaurants in 91 countries.
Forbes ranks the Subway Group as one of 400 most successful businessmen and 242nd on the list of the richest American men, with net assets of $1.5 billion. Last year Subway earned a total revenue of $13.8 billion.
