Many opportunities arise for businesses when participating in local cultural spaces.

In recent days, AEON MALL Hue has attracted a large number of visitors for sightseeing and shopping. Besides visiting famous fashion and food stores, the local culture area has also drawn many customers to experience and shop. Located in the Do Quyen lobby, on the first floor, the local culture area covers a total area of ​​200 square meters with 10 stalls selling local products, each stall measuring 4 square meters.

Businesses will be allocated booths to showcase local products, as well as the unique characteristics of the land and people of Hue . In addition, this space will connect Hue culture and Japanese culture.

When we arrived, there were a total of 9 businesses participating in the Local Corner area, with 8 of them from Hue, accounting for 8 out of 10 booths. Notable Hue brands present included Doan Trang embroidery products, Huefarm's specialty jams and spices, and SBC Hoang Gia's Bo Chinh ginseng products…

Ms. Ho Nhat Phuong, Director of SBC Hoang Gia Co., Ltd., said that Hue businesses have a great opportunity to participate in the AEON MALL booth. The most significant benefit is that the quality of their business profiles will be enhanced, thanks to the established brand reputation of AEON MALL. Furthermore, the customer base of this shopping mall is quite broad, including not only local residents but also many domestic and international tourists. This is an opportunity for businesses in the province to reach a wider range of customers.

However, actually establishing a presence here is a long journey, because AEON MALL is a reputable and high-quality establishment, so bringing products into this shopping mall requires meeting many strict conditions, especially regarding product quality. Nevertheless, thanks to the support of local leaders, departments, and especially the Provincial Center for Investment Promotion, Trade and Business Support, businesses have had a relatively smooth experience in introducing and selling their goods at the mall. According to businesses, the Provincial Center for Investment Promotion, Trade and Business Support has played a bridging role by both gathering feedback from businesses and engaging in dialogue with AEON MALL to achieve harmony between local businesses and AEON MALL.

Sharing insights on the local cultural area, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Thao, Director of the Provincial Center for Investment Promotion, Trade and Business Support, said that surveys of large supermarkets in the area show that most products sold in these supermarkets are from businesses outside the province. During interactions with local businesses, they expressed a strong desire to have their products sold in the supermarkets. The idea of ​​working to promote the sale of Hue businesses' products in this shopping center originated from this desire.

Accordingly, the Provincial Center for Investment Promotion, Trade and Business Support has held numerous direct meetings with Mr. Okada Masaki - Senior General Manager for the Central Region and General Manager of AEON MALL Hue - to discuss solutions to support local businesses in operating within AEON MALL Hue. With the influence of provincial leaders and relevant departments, both sides have agreed to implement the idea of ​​establishing a local cultural zone with various support policies for businesses.

Currently, AEON MALL Hue has agreed on a preferential pricing policy specifically for local businesses, including support for display costs (design, decoration, setup, display equipment, etc.); businesses can sign short-term contracts to mitigate risks; and two businesses can share one booth, creating more opportunities for businesses to share and reduce risks. To date, Thua Thien Hue has 8 businesses/9 booths that have signed display contracts here, and one business is in negotiations to sign a contract to participate in the Local Corner space.

The presence of local businesses in this largest shopping mall in Central Vietnam is a significant step in affirming the brand of Hue businesses, and at the same time, demonstrates AEON MALL's strong commitment to community development and social responsibility in Thua Thien Hue province.

Text and photos: Hoang Anh