Why is Cao Sao Vang absent from the Vietnamese market?

Since the 60s and 70s of the last century, Cao Sao Vang oil boxes were not only a familiar health care product for Vietnamese people, but also famous in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

High-priced oil box, a few cents, exported in large quantities

Cao Sao Vang was researched and produced after 1954, based on a previously popular product, the white tiger brand balm, made in Singapore.

At first, the State assigned this pharmaceutical product to the Central Pharmaceutical Enterprise 3, now the Central Pharmaceutical Company 3 (Hai Phong), to research and produce. After a long period of investment in quality improvement, since 1969, the Sao Vang branded balm product was officially launched on the market.

Cao Sao Vang contains camphor, beeswax and precious essential oils of Vietnam, such as mint, cinnamon, cajeput, and basil. The outstanding effect of this balm is to prevent colds, treat stomachaches, headaches, runny noses, motion sickness, etc. The small box of balm was sold for only a few cents at that time, but soon became a personal protection item for many people when the weather changed.

Product marketing activities from the early days. Photo: OPCPharma.

Sao Vang Balm is a pocket product of many people on long trips, officers, employees, students working abroad. And the balm box with the logo of the golden star of victory has also become a useful and meaningful gift from Vietnamese people to international friends.

Since the country's reunification in 1975, Vietnam has reached a cooperation agreement on exporting Cao Sao Vang products to the Soviet Union. To ensure the commitment of large export quantity, the Pharmaceutical Corporation has assigned 5 pharmaceutical factories to jointly produce this product. The export record was recorded in 1983, a factory in Da Nang was assigned to produce up to 20 million boxes.

However, after the contract with the Soviet Union ended, Cao Sao Vang production dropped significantly. Many pharmaceutical enterprises registered to produce this product on the basis of using the same logo and brand, but few units operated effectively and maintained stable output. Besides domestic production and circulation, some units sought output through export channels to Russia and Germany.

Domestic customers are bored, foreign customers are crazy about it.

Nowadays, due to the great competition from various personal health care products, such as balm oil, eucalyptus oil, cajeput oil..., Cao Sao Vang box seems to have become a "once famous" product in the domestic market.

And with the foreign-oriented mentality of consumers, the market has recorded a large number of Vietnamese customers willing to spend large sums of money on imported products, instead of just spending more than 2,000 VND for a box of Vietnamese quality balm.

But after a period of silence, from 2013 until now, Cao Sao Vang suddenly "bounced back" to the international market, with sales always in a state of "almost out of stock" or "sold out" on famous online sales websites such as eBay or Amazon, online pharmaceutical stores in many countries such as the UK, US, Australia...

Facing fierce competition in the domestic market, Cao Sao Vang is currently a best-selling product on many international online shopping sites. Photo taken from the website.

Many public reviews from foreign users on these websites show that even if they have to buy at a retail price of around 40,000 VND per box, 10 times more expensive than the domestic price, not to mention the shipping fee of 5 USD per delivery, customers still accept it.

The factor that makes Cao Sao Vang convincing to the majority lies in the actual effectiveness of the product in preventing and treating diseases, and its compact presentation, convenient for traveling.

"Moreover, the presence of international online sales networks in Vietnam has helped many businesses and sales units have more opportunities to introduce their products. Thanks to that, the amount of retail sales has increased significantly.

Direct customer reviews under product information, if positive, are also an effective and meaningful advertising measure for the product," said Nguyen Ngoc Anh, a marketing specialist for a pharmaceutical company.

Emily G., a young British mother, shared: "I have been using this for my daughter since she was 3 years old. It is very effective. Especially in winter, I always keep 1 or 2 boxes in the house to prevent colds, runny noses, and headaches for the whole family. The scent is warm and pleasant. Compared to many other products, this one is cheaper and better."

Currently, the market has recorded many units producing Cao Sao Vang with the same brand name and logo. The retail price difference between the products is not significant. Taking advantage of the satisfaction of international customers, Cao Sao Vang Vietnam is now present in more than 15 countries around the world.