These days, young Ngo Van Quoc is busy preparing for the third export of Hue cakes to the United States. The workforce of Hue One Food Joint Stock Company is also working at full capacity on all stages of production, ensuring strict standards for export goods.
Starting a business in the culinary field.
Ngo Van Quoc, a young man in his 20s and currently the CEO of Hue One Food, shared, “We have been nurturing the idea of exporting Hue's specialty cakes to the US for about two years, hoping to promote and spread the culinary culture of our homeland to friends everywhere. After more than a year of preparation, from paperwork and procedures to preparing ingredients and ensuring traceability to meet the requirements for importing goods into the US, the first container of Hue cakes cleared customs in September 2025.”
The first shipment consisted of 400,000 bánh lọc, nậm, and ít (types of Vietnamese dumplings), processed and packaged according to US standards, packed in approximately 2,000 standard boxes. Upon arrival in the US, the goods were received and distributed through various e-commerce channels and at supermarkets and Vietnamese markets. “The positive reception from people in Hue in particular, Vietnamese people in general, and a large number of people in the US for this distinctive cuisine originating from our hometown of Hue has given our team extra motivation.”
"This also serves as a basis for Hue One Food and related units to cooperate in continuing to ship goods to the US," Quoc shared. In early December 2025, Quoc's company continued its second container shipment, sending various Hue cakes and specialties to the US. In total, the two shipments amounted to approximately 35 tons, opening up opportunities for the "flavors of Hue" to reach people halfway around the world.
Few people know that Ngo Van Quoc and his older brother Ngo Duc Vuong won first prize in the Thua Thien Hue province (now Hue City) startup competition in 2021 with their project "Thuan An Pressed Cake - Crispy Pizza Conquering the World ". This humble dish from the coastal region of Hue has become incredibly popular thanks to the skillful hands of these young men, and is now widely distributed in supermarkets, souvenir shops serving tourists, and at airports, among other places.
In 2025, revenue from bánh ép (pressed rice cakes) alone reached 20 billion VND. With the desire to take Hue's cuisine "further," brothers Vuong and Quoc are continuing to connect with various organizations, especially Kinh Do Specialty Joint Stock Company, to expand production of more Hue specialties such as bánh lọc (tapioca dumplings), nậm (steamed rice cakes), ít (small sticky rice cakes), etc.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue, Director of Kinh Do Specialty Joint Stock Company, informed: "The process of preparing the necessary documents for the official export of Hue cakes to the US was not simple, but the young people persevered. The production line was closely monitored, and then the cakes were deep-frozen at -40 degrees Celsius in a specialized warehouse to ensure that the original taste of the cakes was preserved."
When investing in expanding the production of Hue's specialty cakes, the company determined that it would build a new market, not sell mass-produced goods to "compete" with traditional cake makers. The company also recruited more workers and connected with many people who had previously made cakes to participate in production, creating stable jobs for them.
Taking the flavors of Hue to a wider audience.
Hue City is renowned for its diverse and abundant food and drink offerings, as well as the sophistication in their preparation and presentation, creating a unique culinary culture. For many years, Hue has been considered a culinary tourism destination, and the city is actively promoting the brand "Hue - The Culinary Capital." In particular, Hue City is researching and implementing the necessary procedures to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy.
When talking about Hue cuisine, one cannot overlook the various types of cakes considered specialties of Hue, such as banh loc, banh it, banh nam, etc. These delicious dishes have captivated both domestic and international diners, from humble eateries to famous restaurants like Ba Do, Hanh, Huong, Ba Cu, etc. Furthermore, many Vietnamese living abroad, after each visit to their homeland, never forget to bring back Hue cakes as gifts to countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Korea.
Many people say that Hue's specialty cakes, especially banh loc (tapioca dumpling), have been available in the US for a long time, thanks to the baking experience of those who have left their homeland. However, the "flavor" of the cakes still lacks a bit of the authentic taste of Hue, the taste of the dedicated and meticulous hands of artisans and traditional craftspeople in the ancient capital.
Before the first shipment departed, Ngo Duc Vuong married and settled with his wife in Texas, USA. This gave him time to prepare his warehouse in the US and connect with more sales outlets. Hue-style cakes are distributed through channels such as the largest online platform for Asians in Latin America, grocery stores, and Tan Binh Market, one of the largest Vietnamese markets in the US…
Vuong recounted that in the early days when Hue's specialty cakes went on sale, they were very popular with Vietnamese people and tourists in the US. The team also worked at full capacity and gained valuable experience for subsequent production runs. With the slogan "Bringing Hue home," the exported products were meticulously prepared and imbued with the passion of Hue's artisans.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue said that the unit was very fortunate to have many people knowledgeable about Hue cuisine who provided support and experience; and one of the people who passed on the recipes and guidance to the team was culinary artist Mai Thi Tra. She taught them everything from how to cook the dough, choose the wrapping leaves, to making the flavorful Hue-style shrimp filling, and how to wrap the cakes…
At every Hue cake production trip, artisan Mai Thi Tra is present to inspire the young people. The first-ever official export of Hue cakes to the US market is seen as a journey to bring the flavors of their homeland to international friends. The young people hope that Hue cakes will become a cultural bridge, helping the international community better understand the exquisite value of Hue cuisine in particular and Vietnamese cuisine in general.
Mr. Tran Van My, Chairman of the Hue City Business Association, said: "For a traditional product to pass the technical inspections and hygiene standards of the US market is no easy feat. The young team at Hue One Food has achieved something that many local businesses were previously hesitant to do. Hue One Food continuously improves its processes, restructures production, and boldly invests in technology, creating a fundamental shift. In particular, the daring spirit, innovative thinking, and systematic, persistent business approach of these young people have opened up many positive signs, showing that Hue businesses can enter larger markets if they have a sound strategy."
“We don’t think we’ll stop at the American market; we have even bigger dreams. We hope that Hue cuisine will be promoted and spread to many other countries,” Ngo Van Quoc expressed his hope. The dream of bringing Hue’s specialty cakes to the world, shared by young people like Ngo Duc Vuong, Ngo Van Quoc, Nguyen Thi Hue, and many others, opens up more cultural connections with friends everywhere.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/mot-hanh-trinh-kho-tin-195191.html
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh casts his ballot with voters in Tay Ho ward, Hanoi.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/03/15/1773544401565_dsc-4144-9718-jpg.webp)
![[Photo] Election atmosphere at polling station No. 7, Xuan Dinh ward, Hanoi city](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/03/15/1773543204075_img5935-1773539854991135573309-154-0-1707-2484-crop-17735409472061858573395.jpeg)
Comment (0)