Clean rice noodles - born from the village.

From a suburban village where rice noodles were dried in the sun and wind, Hung Lo – now part of Van Phu ward – has undergone a long journey to become a familiar brand of clean rice noodles for domestic consumers and is gradually expanding into the international market. This story not only preserves the craft but also demonstrates how a purely agricultural village proactively seeks new paths: producing clean products, building a brand, establishing a foothold in the market, and preserving its traditional craft.

Preserving traditional crafts by innovating them.

Mr. Cao Dang Duy - Director of Hung Lo Rice Noodle Cooperative, along with staff, inspects the quality of the noodles during the drying process.

Today, Hung Lo is not only a familiar place name but has also become the name of a brand of clean rice noodles trusted by consumers in many provinces and cities. Mr. Cao Dang Duy, Director of the Hung Lo Rice Noodle Cooperative, shared: In 2004, the Hung Lo rice noodle making village was recognized as a traditional craft village. However, for a long time, the craft village remained small-scale, with products mainly consumed within the former Viet Tri City. Amidst the struggle for survival, the traditional craft faced the risk of disappearing.

After years of struggling with other jobs without finding a sustainable path, Duy decided to return to his village. He returned not only to make noodles, but also to find ways to preserve the craft and practice it in a new way. In 2016, with the support of the local government, he mobilized 12 households to establish the Hung Lo Rice Noodle Cooperative. A year later, the product was recognized as a collective trademark, beginning the process of building OCOP standards – a gateway to longer-term development for the craft village.

“We chose the message 'Clean Rice Noodles – Born from the Village' to affirm the purely agricultural, purely Vietnamese values, from ingredients to flavor and cultural depth. This is a product made by the people of Hung Lo ancient village themselves, with the desire to bring to the community a source of clean, safe food, associated with a green lifestyle,” shared Mr. Cao Dang Duy.

To uphold the principle of "cleanliness," the Hung Lo Rice Noodle Cooperative persistently pursues innovation while preserving tradition. The village's noodle-making secrets are safeguarded, alongside investments in machinery, technological improvements, and the standardization of workshops and production processes. Every stage is strictly controlled, from raw materials to finished products, ensuring that all member households share the same quality standards. Furthermore, the cooperative proactively collaborates with partners, expands its market, and brings its local noodles beyond the village boundaries.

What sets Hung Lo rice noodles apart is the feel of the noodles in your hand: chewy, elastic, fragrant with the aroma of rice, and they don't become mushy when cooked. Few people know that to achieve that chewiness, the noodles must go through a brushing process – a seemingly simple step but one that determines the smoothness and evenness of the strands, ensuring they don't stick together or become hard when cooked.

In the workshop, Duy doesn't just stand by and watch. Even as the director of the cooperative, he rolls up his sleeves and works alongside the workers whenever possible. "Machines help reduce manual labor, but they can't completely replace the hands of the workers. They start early in the morning to dry the noodles in the morning sun and only finish when the last packages are packed in the late afternoon," Duy said, offering a simple explanation of the value of manual labor in the craft village.

Opening the way to the global market.

From the milestone of being recognized with a 4-star OCOP rating, Hung Lo rice noodles began a new journey. Production flourished, the market expanded, and 2022 became a memorable year when Hung Lo rice noodles were exported to Japan for the first time. The first shipment was highly appreciated by the partner, gradually building the reputation of a traditional craft village.

In the domestic market, Hung Lo rice noodles are gradually establishing a firm foothold. From family kitchens to supermarket chains and restaurants, the product is present in most provinces and cities, participating in many modern distribution channels. Every day, 3-4 tons of finished rice noodles are delivered to the market.

Along with the domestic market, export orders to Japan and Taiwan are maintained steadily. To date, the cooperative has 3 product lines that have achieved OCOP 4-star rating and 1 product line that has achieved OCOP 5-star rating; and was awarded the Mai An Tiêm Award – Outstanding Product of the Cooperative in 2024 (Coop Gold Product Awards 2024).

Hung Lo's clean rice noodles are on display at the Ho Chi Minh City fair showcasing OCOP products from various localities.

Nearly 10 years since its establishment, the cooperative has formed a stable production scale with a workshop of approximately 5,000 ^m² , 12 members, and 40 regular workers. Production reaches 40-50 tons per month, with annual revenue exceeding 15 billion VND; in 2025 alone, total sales are estimated at around 900 tons. For Mr. Cao Dang Duy, these figures only truly matter when the traditional craft is preserved and people have stable jobs right in their homeland.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, a worker who has been with the cooperative for many years, shared: "Most of the workers here are locals. Since working at the cooperative, our family's finances have become more stable." This simple joy is the measure of the sustainability of the craft village.

According to Mr. Le Huy Ha, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Van Phu Ward, the locality continues to support, promote, and publicize the development of handicraft industries to encourage residents to confidently develop these industries. Building on the foundation of traditional craft villages, Hung Lo has launched many new products such as watermelon noodles, brown rice noodles, water spinach noodles, pumpkin noodles, etc., expanding the market segment while effectively exploiting the advantages of local agricultural products.

Preserving a traditional craft is difficult enough, but bringing it into the modern market is even harder. However, the journey of Hung Lo rice noodles shows that when people have enough faith in the value of their own village, dare to innovate on the foundation of tradition, and persevere on the path of clean products, then those sun-dried noodles of yesterday can absolutely go far, bringing livelihoods, pride, and a way to sustainably preserve the village in today's fast-paced life.

Huong Giang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/mi-gao-sach-sinh-ra-tu-lang-245360.htm