INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Oct. 24, 2025) — From the farm fields of Indiana, soybeans grown by Hoosier farmers took the spotlight of the largest food competition during this year’s World Food Championships (WFC), Oct. 16-17, at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center. The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the state’s soybean checkoff program, hosted several top chefs from Vietnam to showcase how Indiana soybeans, especially high oleic varieties, contribute to healthier and better-tasting food.
Working in tandem with the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), ISA hosted chefs and culinary influencers from Vietnam who had previously competed in the ISA-sponsored Best Poultry Challenge – Season 3. This program, held in September, was a cooking competition in Danang that highlighted U.S. chicken and duck in Vietnamese Cuisine.
The chefs traveled to Indiana this month to take part in this year’s WFC, visit Indiana farms and learn more about high oleic soybean oil. For the second consecutive year, high oleic soybean oil was provided to WFC competitors through a partnership with the event. High oleic soybean oil served as the “official cooking oil” for the WFC and was made available to all contestants via the event’s Kitchen Arena pantry.
The chefs from Vietnam performed cooking demonstrations featuring Indiana-grown poultry products prepared in high oleic soybean oil during the WFC. Among the chefs was Doan Van Tuan, the executive chef of the Furama Resort and Ariyana Convention Center in Danang. “It was an amazing experience preparing U.S. duck in high oleic soybean oil from Indiana farmers through a Vietnamese dish,” Doan said. “The customers love food prepared in the high oleic soybean oil. It’s a good color and quality.”
The Furama Resort and Ariyana Convention Center was the host of this year’s Best Poultry Challenge in Vietnam. ISA Board Director David Hardin, a farmer from Avon, Ind., attended the Challenge in Vietnam, then he hosted the chefs for a tour on his farm following the WFC. He said most of world’s population is outside of Indiana and the United States. Events like the Best Poultry Challenge and the WFC allow farmers to showcase products to a wider market.
“While in Vietnam in September, I learned it is a very dynamic market with a young population that is growing in its purchasing power,” Hardin explained. “They are the type of consumers we are looking for. We have been working with different influencers in the food space over there attempting to get U.S. products and Indiana products into their restaurants. We hope that it’s going to trickle down to the average consumer in Vietnam to eat more U.S. poultry that has been grown with Indiana soybeans.”
Influencing consumers
Chon Hoa “Crystal” Nguyen is one of those food-space, social media personalities that ISA and USAPEEC has worked with to promote the Best Poultry Challenge in Vietnam. Crystal also attended the WFC and toured Indiana farms. “This is my first time in the U.S. and in Indiana,” she said. “It’s a pleasure and an honor to work with Indiana farmers and the Indiana Soybean Alliance through programming they support highlighting the quality of their products.”
Crystal added that it was a great opportunity for the Vietnamese chefs to showcase their talents for American consumers, too. “We are so happy and honored to represent Vietnam in these demonstrations. With the help of USAPEEC and ISA we are promoting Vietnamese cuisine using U.S. chicken and duck. It was exciting to show the different ways we use these products. The chef team visited Indiana farms, and it was exciting to see how big the machinery is and how the crop is managed sustainably while working on a large scale. It was great to see the corn and soybeans in the field. We trust the quality of the corn and soybeans that make U.S. chicken and duck healthy. Our chefs recognize the consistent quality.”
Along with Hardin, the group from Vietnam also toured the farm of ISA Director Chris Eck, who has also grown high oleic soybeans on his Shelby County farm for several years. Eck attended the Best Poultry Challenge with Hardin earlier this fall. Hardin said improving trade relations with countries like Vietnam opens opportunities for Hoosier farmers. He added that soybean meal is a primary feed source for poultry. Five years ago, prior to the Best Poultry Challenge, Vietnam imported nearly zero U.S. poultry products. Today, Vietnam is the seventh-largest importer of U.S. poultry.
So, soybeans helped grow the poultry that was cooked, and high oleic soybean oil was in the pans that cooked the poultry. Hardin was pleased to hear the chefs’ compliments about high oleic soybean oil, but he wasn’t surprised.
“I’ve been growing high oleic soybeans for six years now, and we see their benefit,” he said. “They are just like regular soybeans, and they fit into our crop rotation well. They work well with the cover crops we use on our farm. From the consumer’s standpoint, we talk to chefs all the time who just rave about how they can use high oleic oil for a longer time in their fryers. The food they’re frying doesn’t seem to absorb the oil or have a greasy feel or taste. The fact that high oleic oil is obviously much more heart healthy is just another added benefit.”
World Food Championships
The 2025 World Food Championships, known as “Indy’s Most Delicious Event,” featured more than 400 teams battling for their share of $450,000 in prize money and the coveted title of World Champion. The event also included the 58th annual World Championship Chili Cook-off along with unique ticketed attractions including the Taste of WFC Premium Experience. Partners and fans of fine cuisine can relive WFC events by going to worldfoodchampionships.com.
“We are thrilled to welcome back the Indiana Soybean Alliance,” said Mike McCloud, Founder and CEO of the WFC. “Their continued support not only highlights the versatility of soy but also helps us connect consumers, chefs and farmers in meaningful ways inside the Kitchen Arena and beyond.”
High oleic soybean oil delivers enhanced functional benefits within food service operations such as superior high heat stability. Exclusively a U.S. product, it extends product shelf life and offers the longest fry life of any edible oil. High oleic soybean oil lasts longer than standard vegetable oils in high-temperature and extended-use applications because of its heat and oxidative stability. In addition, the oil’s neutral flavor profile allows it to blend well in a variety of foods and lets the true and natural flavors of the ingredients stand out.
Many venues around Indiana are already using high oleic soybean oil including the Indianapolis Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Pacers’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Purdue University’s Ross-Ade Stadium and Mackey Arena, and the Indianapolis Zoo – among others.
“Indiana’s soybean farmers are very proud to have 100 percent high oleic soybean oil on center stage during the World Food Championships, because we know this is one more step toward building demand for our soybeans,” said ISA Chair Denise Scarborough, a farmer from LaCrosse, Ind. “In many venues around Indiana, high oleic soybean oil has showcased its clean taste, longer fryer durability, and health benefits. We’re happy to partner with the World Food Championships to share this product with food enthusiasts from around the world.”
The Indiana Soybean Alliance, recognized by the Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Qualified State Soybean Board, is a statewide organization that works to enhance the viability of Indiana soybean farmers through the effective and efficient investment of soybean checkoff funds into soybean market development, education and promotion programs. ISA works with the United Soybean Board, which promotes U.S. Soy and soy foods nationally.
