Specialties from Nghe An Province and Vu's Entrepreneurial Story
(Baonghean.vn) - Although not born in Nghe An, Vu was "fateful" enough to become a citizen of Vinh City. Giving up his import-export business and the distribution channels he had painstakingly built in Da Nang, Vu returned to Vinh to start his own business with the aspiration of becoming a bridge to spread Nghe An's specialties to the world...
Bringing a "fresh breeze" to OCOP booths.
Born in 1991 into a family in Huong Son (Ha Tinh province), Dao Quang Vu was sent by his family to study in Vinh City (Nghe An province) from a young age. After graduating from the Academy of Finance, Vu moved to Da Nang to work for an import-export company.
In 2015, Vu opened his own company, also specializing in this field. Regularly working with partners from Laos, Thailand, Taiwan, China, India, Japan, etc., Vu recognized the vast export potential of Vietnamese agricultural products, and he decided to return to Nghe An to start his own business with the hope of bringing it to the forefront.agricultural products of Nghe AnReach further.
According to Vu, "fate" led him to marry a woman from Nghe An in 2019. This motivated him to return to his "hometown." Then, by chance, when a store showcasing local OCOP products in Vinh City needed someone to lead and effectively revitalize it, Vu immediately took on the role.
Vu associated the "Nghe An OCOP Product Showroom" with a familiar and endearing name: "Nghe An Specialty Shop." Vu convinced those involved with a five-year strategy outlining a journey to bring Nghe An specialties further afield. With careful planning and dedication, driven by a strong desire to expand...OCOP products of Nghe An provinceWith his ambition reaching further, Vu is gradually realizing his strategy.
Vu transformed the store into an open space, showcasing and selling products while also serving as a place for sightseeing, shopping, and experiencing. The store gradually became a destination for tourists and a familiar address for consumers; in 2023 alone, it welcomed 40 international tour groups, 200 domestic tour groups, and tens of thousands of individual consumers. The store has also made a significant contribution to supporting OCOP (One Commune One Product) product manufacturers in Nghe An province in establishing distribution channels and securing a stable market share.
Vu shared: “The term “exporting in place” used by Thailand has helped their country export many products to many countries around the world. I want to apply it to promoting OCOP products in Nghe An through tourism channels, and from there, the products will gradually spread to other provinces, cities, and countries. This approach helps suppliers save on distribution channel costs and is very effective.”
With 5 years of experience in the agricultural import and export sector, and comparing the competitive advantages with Thailand, Vu realized that Nghe An's agricultural products have many advantages for export: quality, design, production volume, etc. However, there are also quite a few weaknesses. These include standardized production processes, registered growing areas, pricing strategies, and the ecosystem of communication, packaging, and e-commerce.
Vu said: “For OCOP products from Nghe An to be exported, they must identify their product advantages; they must incorporate stories about the region and cultural values into the product. In addition, they must understand the tastes and consumption habits of each country.”
For example, countries with fast-moving consumer goods prefer simple, convenient packaging; countries like Japan and China are more meticulous about aesthetics, so their packaging must also reflect attention to detail and craftsmanship; and developed countries prioritize green consumption… With my accumulated experience, I am ready to share it with businesses, support the export ecosystem, and advise on procedures and policies for stakeholders.”
Realizing the dream of earning foreign currency from Nghe An's specialties.
And on that "journey," while accompanying businesses and cooperatives in bringing OCOP products to a wider market and exporting them to other countries, Vu also took the lead in realizing the goal of "earning foreign currency from local specialties." Vu chose Ky Son ginger and Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea (Ky Son) to process into products that are both distinctive, well-received by international markets, and have high export value.
The characteristics of Ky Son ginger include high medicinal properties, a warming effect, and a fragrant aroma, which can be processed into health-protective products such as herbal roll-on sticks, foot soak filter bags, and shoe deodorizing sprays. Currently, the herbal inhaler sticks are available on the market, being marketed in cold climate countries such as Germany and Austria, and have received positive feedback from customers.
"If processed ginger products are successfully exported, it will not only diversify the range of products from a local specialty with a geographical indication, but also help people sell raw ginger more easily at a higher price," Vu shared.
Another of Vu's most cherished projects is developing Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea into a high-class and distinctive tea line. According to Vu, the Shan Tuyet tea plant itself is special, as few places have the suitable soil and climate for cultivation. In Vietnam, Shan Tuyet tea is found in several localities such as Ha Giang, Son La, Yen Bai, Dien Bien, and Nghe An… And each place, with its unique climate and soil characteristics, produces tea that is therefore different.
“Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea has a unique flavor that few other regions possess. It's a beautiful tea product with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste. In particular, the Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea plant is closely associated with the lives of the Mong people, reflecting their diligence, hard work, and strong cultural identity. Therefore, Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea products carry the rich cultural value of the region. Currently, we have launched two lines of tea processed from Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea plants: green tea and black tea,” Vu said.
To bring Shan Tuyet tea products to a wider market, Vu personally went to great lengths to learn about the characteristics of the Shan Tuyet tea plant in Ky Son; he ate, lived, and worked alongside the Mong people in caring for and harvesting the tea; he traveled with a backpack to all the ancient tea-growing regions in Vietnam; and he ventured to countries with distinctive tea cultures such as China, Japan, and Taiwan to learn and seek export opportunities.
Through his research, Vu realized that the export opportunities for Shan Tuyet tea have great potential and offer high value. However, the road to success is still long, requiring further experience and refinement. But the fact that green tea and black tea processed from Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea have become popular gift items for many companies, and that it participated in the 2023 Taiwan Tea Festival, represents a significant step forward in bringing Huoi Tu Shan Tuyet tea to the global market.
