The man who brought the baking craft to the village opened a new path to rural livelihood in Van Hien.
Having learned the craft in a remote mountainous province, Ms. Phan Thi Hang returned to Tan Son 6 hamlet, bringing with her the family's secret recipe for baked goods, establishing a new profession in her Van Hien homeland. For 20 years, she has diligently worked with flour and fire, not only building a traditional bakery brand but also creating stable livelihoods for dozens of local women, contributing to the enrichment of the rural economic landscape.
I fell in love with the profession.
Upon entering the bakery of Ms. Phan Thi Hang's family, the sweet, delicate aroma of freshly baked pastries wafts through the air, captivating anyone who sees them. On a long table in the center of the workshop, hundreds of golden-brown pastries, lightly glossy after being brushed with egg wash, are neatly arranged, awaiting packaging. The village artisans work swiftly: some shape the pastries, others knead the dough, some put them in the oven, and others cut them, creating a lively and rhythmic flow of work.
This business started in 2005, when Ms. Hang packed her bags and went to Cao Bang to learn the trade from her younger sister. The story of how she got into the business was quite coincidental: Ms. Hang's younger sister followed relatives to China to work, learned the family's traditional baked goods recipe, returned home to open a business, and earned a stable income.
Seeing that the craft suited her strengths, Ms. Hang was determined to learn it. After just three months of diligent observation and practice of each step, she mastered the secrets from dough and filling to baking techniques. Returning to Van Hien commune, she started building the first baked goods business at her family home, establishing a new craft in the countryside.
From the very beginning, Ms. Hang has focused on the quality of each cake. The crust must be made from carefully selected, soft, smooth, and cool-to-the-touch wheat flour; the sugar syrup must be cooked to the right consistency to ensure the dough is both pliable and fragrant. During baking, the temperature must be precisely controlled, and the surface of the cake is brushed with just the right amount of egg to achieve an attractive golden-brown color. Currently, there are two types of fillings: coconut-sesame-mung bean and mixed filling. The mixed filling is a harmonious combination of melon seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, lotus seeds, candied winter melon, and char siu (barbecued pork), with a touch of lime leaves and the aroma of rose liqueur, creating a rich, light, and unforgettable flavor.
For 20 years in the profession, Ms. Hang has always reminded herself and her bakers to "work with heart." She says that each cake is not just a product sold on the market, but also a part of the essence of traditional cuisine. Therefore, the workshop absolutely does not use preservatives and always focuses on freshness and cleanliness from the selection of ingredients to the production process. It is this strictness that has helped the Tan Son 6 baked goods brand gain a lasting place in the hearts of customers.
Creating new livelihoods from traditional flavors.
Although mooncakes are produced year-round, the peak season is from the 15th day of the 7th lunar month to the Mid-Autumn Festival. During that time, the workshop operates at almost full capacity. On some days, Ms. Hang and her workers make up to 7,000-8,000 mooncakes. Despite the large quantity, the quality is not compromised; the mooncakes are sold as soon as they are made, ensuring their freshness and deliciousness.
While the market is increasingly diverse with many confectionery products, and even the baked goods category itself offers a wide variety of types, colors, and flavors, Ms. Hang's family's baked goods still maintain a unique position. Many regular customers say that the taste of her cakes is unforgettable, because of its simple yet sophisticated traditional quality that is unlike anywhere else. Since 2023, Ms. Hang's baked goods have been awarded a 3-star OCOP rating, a significant milestone affirming their quality and opening up opportunities for further expansion.
Not content with just the traditional flavor, Ms. Hang proactively researches consumer trends to improve her products. Customers today prefer less sweetness, so she has reduced the amount of sugar and added vegetarian fillings such as lotus seed paste and smooth mung bean paste. Despite these changes, she always maintains the original flavor of the traditional mooncake. For her, innovation is about growth, not losing sight of the roots.
The consistently produced batches of cakes also provide a stable livelihood for many local workers. The workshop currently employs 10 regular workers, mostly women past retirement age, who earn a steady income of 150,000 – 200,000 VND per day. Many women have been working at the workshop for 6-7 years because the work is light, flexible, and allows them time to care for their families.
With an income of 4.5 – 6 million VND per month, this is an important source of income that helps them improve their lives and reduce the burden during the off-season. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai, a long-time worker, shared: “The work here is easy, allowing me to take care of my family while increasing my income. Receiving wages every day provides extra income, making me feel secure and committed to this job.”
The market is mainly within the province but very stable. At Do Luong market, trader Nguyen Thi Lan said: "We sell about 100 cakes imported from the factory every day. Customers really like them because the cakes are soft, fragrant, and reasonably priced. They are homemade cakes, but the quality is no less than branded products." To meet the increasing demand, Ms. Hang boldly invested in a system of dough kneading machines, ovens, cake cutting machines, etc., to increase productivity and ensure hygiene. She plans to expand the factory, hire more workers, train local women, and promote her products on digital platforms to expand the market.
According to Mr. Hoang Dinh Thuan, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Van Hien commune, Ms. Hang's model is making a significant contribution to the transformation of the rural economic structure, diversifying occupations and creating local jobs for people. Each year, the business generates an income of approximately 300 million VND, making a positive contribution to the new rural development movement.
From a craft learned in a foreign land, the aroma of baked goods has now taken root and spread throughout Van Hien village. Ms. Hang not only preserves the traditional flavor but also opens up new livelihoods, helping many local women stabilize their income. The perfectly baked batches of cakes, the rhythmic red flames in the workshop, tell a story of diligence, creativity, and love for the craft, contributing to a vibrant and lively picture of the rural economy.
