Sweet and fragrant traditional rice wine from Toan Thang.

Behind the rich, subtly sweet flavor of Toan Thang's traditional rice wine lies a passionate entrepreneurial story of Ms. Huynh Thi Loan (born in 1969, Thanh Hoa commune, Cai Lay town, Tien Giang province).

Driven by concerns about the harmful effects of alcohol on public health, she nurtured a product that not only preserves traditional culinary cultural values ​​but also spreads positive values. Recently, the product was honored with a 3-star OCOP certification.

In the fertile land of Cai Lay town, the entrepreneurial story of Ms. Huynh Thi Loan, owner of Toan Thang Traditional Rice Wine Business in Thanh Hoa commune, has left a special mark. While many people pursue modern business ideas, Ms. Loan chose a unique and passionate path: brewing rice wine and rice wine using traditional methods, not only for business purposes but also to preserve and develop the distinctive traditional flavors of her homeland.

Mrs. Loan rolled the fermented rice into balls.

Sharing her thoughts on this unique idea, Ms. Loan said that she herself had experienced parties and gatherings with friends where alcohol seemed to become an indispensable "catalyst." Witnessing the negative effects of alcohol abuse on health and mental well-being, she conceived of a beverage that would both preserve the cultural aspect of social interaction and be good for the body, especially for women.

"I've always dreamed of creating a beverage that would both bring joy to social interactions and be good for the body, helping women look more beautiful," Ms. Loan shared about her startup idea.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nghiem, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa commune, the commune's leadership has consistently focused on directing relevant departments and socio-political organizations to actively promote the traditional Toan Thang rice wine product to a wide range of consumers. This is a representative product of the commune, deeply rooted in traditional values. In the future, Thanh Hoa commune will continue to review and create favorable conditions for potential and outstanding product owners to participate in the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program. The commune hopes to have more high-quality OCOP products, making a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of Thanh Hoa commune.

From that thought, the idea of ​​starting a business gradually took shape in her mind. With the encouragement and support of her husband, Ms. Loan began to realize her dream, overcoming the pressures of the early days of business.

"My husband has always been supportive and wholeheartedly helped me with my work. His companionship has given me more confidence on my business journey," Ms. Loan further shared.

However, her initial entrepreneurial journey was far from smooth, facing countless difficulties, from systematically learning the traditional rice wine fermentation process to conducting endless experiments to achieve the distinctive flavor and consistent quality of the product.

“Producing traditional rice wine and naturally fermented glutinous rice wine takes a considerable amount of time and is difficult to apply scientific and technological methods to. Waiting for a finished product can sometimes be very long, but the results are not as expected, which has made me feel discouraged and want to give up many times,” Ms. Loan recalled the difficult early days.

The batches of rice wine didn't meet expectations, and the failures seemed to drown all her efforts. However, with perseverance and a love for her work, Ms. Loan constantly learned, researched, and drew lessons from her setbacks to keep moving forward.

The difficulties didn't stop at the production process; Ms. Loan also faced challenges in building a brand and finding a market. In a market flooded with countless beverage products, bringing a traditional product like rice wine closer to consumers was no easy task.

However, thanks to the quality, distinctive delicious flavor, and health benefits that fermented rice and fermented rice water offer, Ms. Loan's products gradually won over local consumers.

Mrs. Loan poured sugar water over the fermented rice after it had been left to ferment for 3 days.

To date, the Toan Thang traditional rice wine brand has become a familiar and popular name. Market recognition is the "sweet reward" for the tireless efforts of Ms. Huynh Thi Loan.

Not content with her initial successes, Ms. Loan also harbors plans for further development of the brand, researching and applying new technologies to the production process to improve product quality; at the same time, she plans to expand the market through online sales channels such as Zalo, Facebook, and e-commerce platforms.

The entrepreneurial story of Ms. Huynh Thi Loan with her traditional Toan Thang rice wine and fermented rice water is not only a story of business success, but also an inspiration for those who dare to pursue their passion and cherish traditional culinary cultural values. From personal concerns, Ms. Loan created a product that not only offers health benefits but also contributes to enriching the culinary landscape of Tien Giang province.

The success of the Toan Thang traditional rice wine, an OCOP product brand, is a testament to the dedication and tireless efforts of a woman over 55 years old. Ms. Loan remains committed to further developing the essence of the product to bring consumers more diverse, sophisticated, and increasingly healthier options.

ANH TU - HA NAM

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/kinh-te/202504/ngot-thom-com-ruou-truyen-thong-toan-thang-1039415/