FedEx announces winners of 2025 international trade challenge focused on sustainability

The first-place award went to Team Spicy Noodles—Jamie Smith from Republic of Korea and Nguyễn Ngọc Khánh from Vietnam—for their proposal on an upcycling brand that converts textile waste into custom embroidered artwork. Runner-up teams included Team Innovement (Janelle Anika S. Tan from Philippines and Royden So from Hong Kong SAR), who created a smart wall panel using textile waste; and Team ReTex (Panasarn Traithavil from Thailand and Phan Lan Anh from Vietnam), who proposed residential solar panels.

Ee‑Hui Tan, Managing Director of Operations for FedEx in Vietnam and Cambodia said: “As a judge at the Vietnam local finals earlier this year, I was inspired by the ingenuity and purpose our students brought to the challenge. Their victory at the finale is a proud achievement, showcasing the talent and commitment of Vietnamese youth to global sustainable development. At FedEx, we remain committed to empowering youth by fostering sustainability awareness and to connect their ideas on a global stage.”

Reflecting on their experience as winners in Team Spicy Noodles Jamie Smith from Republic of Korea and Nguyễn Ngọc Khánh from Vietnam said: “Competing alongside such talented peers from across Asia Pacific has been transformative. This challenge pushed us beyond textbook theories into real-world problem-solving, where we learned that successful international trade requires not just business acumen, but cultural sensitivity and genuine collaboration. This experience has given us the confidence to pursue entrepreneurial ventures that can make a meaningful impact across borders.”

Maziar Sabet, president and CEO of JA Asia Pacific added: “Every time we bring young people together from across the Asia Pacific region, we see not just talent, but vision, drive, and the courage to build a better future for all. The FedEx/JA International Trade Challenge inspires our young leaders to collaborate with their partners, connect across borders, and grow as changemakers. At Junior Achievement, we remain deeply committed to unlocking the latent potential in our children and youth. When shown the trust and given the opportunity they don’t simply step out into the world - they create a better one.”

FedEx plans further support for these winners by offering them exclusive visits to its operational facilities in their home countries so they can learn firsthand about logistics operations—a new initiative introduced this year as part of its commitment to mentorship.

The FedEx / JA International Trade Challenge program is jointly run by FedEx and JA Asia Pacific (a member organization under JA Worldwide). Over its 19-year history more than 50,000 students throughout Asia Pacific have participated in activities designed to teach business concepts through both classroom learning as well as teamwork exercises. Additionally beyond student-focused programs like JA ITC FedEx supports small businesses via initiatives such as its Small Business Grant Contest (SBGC), which aims at helping SMEs throughout Asia Pacific.