At the Thanh Tuyen Dong Quang fresh noodle facility (Linh Toai commune), the finished noodles are processed and packaged on the same day to ensure quality.
Around 3 or 4 in the morning, the villagers making rice noodles are already awake. The village roads are thinly misted, and the warm yellow light from the kitchens casts a gentle murmur. The sound of running water and the steady hum of the flour mills fill the air. Washing the rice, checking the water, inspecting the flour, testing the heat... The job seems simple, but a wrong move can ruin the noodles – they'll be mushy, sour, or won't form the desired strands.
The noodle-making profession in Dong Yen village dates back to 1973. Initially, noodles were mainly made at home and sold locally, without any brand or label. The profession relies on reputation; honest and clean production attracts customers, while sloppy work can lead to losing business. Dong Quang noodles are remembered for their distinct rice flavor, not unusually white and shiny, and their subtle aroma when freshly made. But the food industry isn't just about aesthetics. Noodle makers must always maintain a balance between preserving flavor and adhering to standards. Even a slight lapse in ingredients, water source, or hygiene can immediately compromise quality, leaving consumers uneasy.
During the 1980s and 1990s, rice noodles were made by hand. Waking up before dawn and working until nearly noon, the income wasn't high, but it was enough for people to stick with the craft. As the market expanded and competition increased, buyers became more demanding. From around 2005-2010, many households invested in machinery to reduce the strenuous work. From 2010 to the present, some establishments have introduced automated production lines, increasing capacity and product consistency. However, this also brought new pressures: increased production meant increased wastewater, and stricter requirements for hygiene, origin, and process became more stringent as the market expanded. Even a single complaint about poor hygiene could damage the reputation of the craft village. Before 2019, households mainly used on-site biogas digesters to contain wastewater. As the scale increased, the digesters deteriorated, and the biogas digesters became overloaded, causing wastewater to be unable to be treated properly and odors to spread. Despite nine households contributing money to build a shared storage tank with sedimentation, filtration, and treatment, it remained overloaded and pollution recurred by early 2021. The reality shows that the environment in craft villages requires a comprehensive solution with sufficient capacity and stable operation.
The former People's Committee of Ha Trung District and the former People's Committee of Ha Hai Commune implemented urgent solutions, working with production households to agree on a plan. The common storage tank was renovated, and the local authorities, in coordination with the Environmental Monitoring Center, applied more effective treatment technology. Simultaneously, the drainage system was concreted to carry the treated wastewater. In 2024, the system was put into operation, contributing to reducing pollution and improving the environment of the craft village.
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At 3 a.m., in his small kitchen, Mr. Trinh Thanh Dan quietly checked the bowl of flour, then reached out to test the water that had just flowed into the tank. He said slowly, "For rice noodles to be naturally white, they must be clean from the rice and clean from the water. If you're careless in even one step, the noodles might look white, but you'll know it immediately when you taste them." For those in the food industry, that saying isn't just for show, but a principle for maintaining quality and customer trust.
Dong Quang vermicelli provides livelihoods for hundreds of workers, with an income of 4 to 5 million VND per person per month. Currently, there are 9 households producing vermicelli using modern machinery, along with many households involved in distribution. On average, the village supplies about 9 tons of vermicelli and noodles daily, generating revenue of 1.8 to 2.2 billion VND. As the industry grows, hygiene and environmental standards become increasingly stringent.
According to Mr. Phung Quang Thanh, owner of Thanh Tuyen Dong Quang fresh noodle shop, the noodle-making profession now requires not only deliciousness but also adherence to proper procedures, hygiene standards, and responsible practices. He said: "Nowadays, it's not just about making it delicious anymore, but about ensuring customer satisfaction. Customers will only return if they find it clean and authentic after their first taste."
From then on, Thanh Tuyen fresh rice noodle facility developed a new approach, maintaining natural fermentation, selecting 100% clean, unadulterated rice, avoiding bleaching agents or harmful additives, and investing in machinery to ensure more consistent and safer products. Simultaneously, the factory layout is streamlined, equipment is regularly cleaned, workers wear protective gear, and packaging and labeling are gradually improved for easier consumer identification.
Notably, his son, Phung Quang Thoai, is building an "OCOP brand" for the family's rice noodle product. Thoai shared: "The purpose of implementing OCOP is to give the product a name and a place in the market, so that young people today will be committed to the village's traditional craft."
According to Hoang Huy Tu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Linh Toai commune, the development of the craft requires planning a concentrated production area, improving infrastructure, and supporting establishments in standardizing food safety and hygiene conditions and environmental management. “Without proper planning and good control over hygiene and the environment, it's difficult to expand the market for a traditional craft. Conversely, if done cleanly, correctly, and with a strong brand, Dong Quang vermicelli can absolutely become a key product of the locality. In the future, the locality will continue to work alongside production households in guiding procedures, completing documentation, building labels, establishing traceability, connecting with consumers, and gradually bringing the product into a stable distribution system,” Mr. Tu emphasized.
Preserving a traditional craft sometimes starts with very small choices: buyers prioritize products with clear origins, and craftspeople must work more systematically and respect the environment. When Dong Quang vermicelli is upgraded to OCOP standards, the vermicelli from the village will reach even further.
Text and photos: Tang Thuy
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/mo-huong-cho-soi-bun-dong-quang-nbsp-di-xa-hon-276109.htm
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