The woman and her journey to digitize Northwest specialties.

Traditional dishes from the Northwest highlands are increasingly establishing their place in the hearts of consumers everywhere.

Người Lao Động•18/05/2026

Ms. Ma Thi Luyen with her products. Photo: Provided by the subject.

Behind the Thọ Luyến Foods brand, with its batches of pork sausage, black pork sausage, and smoked dried meat, lies the inspiring journey of Ms. Mã Thị Luyến – a Tay ethnic woman from Lào Cai . With her keen insight and determination, she successfully implemented digital transformation, turning products from her small kitchen into a sustainable livelihood, opening up a new direction for regional agricultural products.

Starting a business from a small kitchen.

Dishes like Vietnamese sausage and dried meat are very familiar in the homes of people in the Northwest highlands. For Ms. Ma Thi Luyen, her business didn't start with grand plans or ambitious "entrepreneurial" aspirations. She was always concerned about preserving the authentic flavors of her hometown dishes, the dishes her family used to enjoy together around the fireplace as children, such as Vietnamese sausage, dried meat, and black pig sausage.

In a market where food is abundant but it's difficult to find clean, additive-free options, the couple decided to make their own products with the heart of a parent. "I think if my family needs safe food, then surely many other families need it too," Ms. Luyen confided.

From that incredibly simple idea, the Tho Luyen Foods brand was officially formed. In the early days, the family's production scale was very small; every step was done manually by the couple at home, using only a few kilograms of meat each day. Customers were mainly acquaintances, neighbors, or people shopping at traditional markets. Sales at that time relied entirely on word-of-mouth; those who knew about it bought it, and those who found it delicious recommended it to others.

Despite dedicating herself wholeheartedly to her craft, Ms. Luyen's products still face certain limitations due to a lack of widespread recognition. Some days, she can't sell her finished products, while other days she runs out of stock. Her biggest challenge is having a good product but lacking the ability to tell her story effectively, so that customers understand the true value behind each dish.

The traditional smoking process of dried meats and black pork sausages using fire at Ms. Ma Thi Luyen's production facility. Photo: Provided by the subject.

Digital transformation: A bridge connecting highland products to distant markets.

The opportunity that led this Tay ethnic woman to digital transformation happened quite by chance through programs for women entrepreneurs. There, Ms. Luyen was introduced to the concept of online sales and brand building on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Zalo.

Although Luyen initially thought technology was something very far removed from the lives of women in the highlands, she soon realized that if they didn't adapt, the heartfelt products of her homeland would forever remain confined to local markets.

Determined to break through, Ms. Luyen began to teach herself how to shoot videos , write articles, livestream, and use a smartphone to sell products. The initial period was incredibly stressful for Ms. Luyen due to her lack of technological knowledge, inability to edit videos, misunderstanding of social media algorithms, and even mistakes in posting content at times. However, her perseverance helped her overcome these obstacles.

Ms. Luyen said: "Although I'm very clumsy, the more I do it, the more I see technology as a bridge helping Northwest specialties reach more people."

There were nights when Ms. Luyen had to sit and watch other people's videos over and over again to learn little by little, and some videos had to be filmed dozens of times before she dared to post them online.

According to Ms. Luyen, the most difficult thing wasn't the technology itself, but overcoming her own self-doubt. However, thinking about her family and her desire to bring clean food from her hometown further motivates her to continue learning.

Since implementing digital transformation, Tho Luyen Foods' business strategy has changed significantly. Instead of focusing solely on selling products, she has shifted her focus to building trust with customers through authentic stories. Ms. Luyen actively shares about her work process, the origin of her ingredients, her clean production methods, and even the challenges behind the job. This sincerity has created a deep connection between the brand and consumers.

Technological advancements not only generate revenue but also create immense social value. What makes Ms. Luyen happiest is being able to create more jobs and livelihoods for the local people, especially women.

As the number of orders increased, the production facility needed more people to help with the preliminary processing, packaging, and production stages. Many women who previously stayed at home now have a stable income to take care of their children. Ms. Luyen believes that when a woman in the highlands can develop economically , her entire family and community will also change for the better.

Based on her own experience, she affirms that digital transformation is opening up tremendous opportunities for women in mountainous regions. Nowadays, with just a smartphone and the ability to tell their authentic stories, entrepreneurs can reach customers nationwide. Women in mountainous areas are not lacking in diligence and determination; what they need most is access to new knowledge and companionship to help them boldly step outside their limitations.

In the future, the Tay ethnic businesswoman plans to continue applying technology more extensively to production management and brand building. She is learning additional skills in livestreaming sales, producing professional video content, and using QR codes so customers can easily trace the origin of products. More than just a business goal, Ms. Luyen aspires to contribute to bringing agricultural products and specialties from the Northwest region to a wider audience, so that consumers nationwide understand that the highlands not only face difficulties but also hold many genuine, clean, and heartfelt values.

"I believe that when a woman in the highlands applies digital transformation to develop her economy, it's not just the individual who changes, but the whole family and community also change in a more positive direction."