Creating space for OCOP products.

To create outlets for OCOP (One Commune One Product) products, domestic retailers have been dedicating display areas with eye-catching shelves and organizing various promotional activities appropriate to each period.

OCOP products participate in the shopping stimulus program.

Some brands still struggle to find a market.

Thien Nhien Viet Import-Export Co., Ltd. currently has a portfolio of products including centella powder, perilla powder, houttuynia cordata powder, moringa powder, etc., that have received OCOP certification. However, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Huong, co-founder and Deputy Director of the company, shared that achieving OCOP certification is difficult, but establishing these products in the market is even more challenging. “Before 2024, the company produced an average of over 10 tons of vegetable powder (centella, perilla) per month, creating over 200,000 products to serve domestic and international consumers. However, in the first few months of 2025, due to slowing global market demand and decreased domestic consumption, business has become more difficult,” Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Huong stated.

To attract consumers to buy products, novelty and a strong local character must be prioritized. To achieve this, businesses must invest in new technologies to develop new products. However, setting up a moderately advanced production line requires at least 5 billion VND – a significant amount of capital for startups like Thien Nhien Viet. Furthermore, bringing products to consumers requires a marketing strategy (promotion, trade promotion, etc.), but this also incurs considerable costs. “For agricultural businesses like ours, we need more decisive, less protracted, and more practical policies,” Ms. Huong expressed. Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, Business Director of Tan Nhien Co., Ltd., stated that after 6 years in the market, Tan Nhien's OCOP-certified rice paper products have established a certain foothold, but expanding their scale and reaching more customers remains challenging.

In reality, difficulties in accessing the market are a problem for many businesses with OCOP products, especially startups and small-scale companies, in the context of the current unpredictable global market. “We are still in the startup phase, with limited capital. If we have to invest in production lines, product development, and marketing all at once, we won't have enough resources. Meanwhile, for our products to reach consumers, besides quality and novelty, we need a promotional strategy with significant funding and consistent, continuous efforts to be effective,” said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son.

Supporting consumer access

Understanding the difficulties faced by these businesses, many large distribution systems in Ho Chi Minh City have been implementing various support activities such as facilitating the placement of goods on shelves, organizing large-scale promotional campaigns, etc. The Ho Chi Minh City Commercial Cooperative Union ( Saigon Co.op ) is one of the typical examples.

According to reports, many businesses with OCOP (One Commune One Product) products are being given priority in terms of display space on the shelves of this supermarket system. For example, in June 2023, Tan Nhien Co., Ltd. – through the connection of the Department of Industry and Trade of Tay Ninh province – successfully brought its products onto the shelves of Saigon Co.op supermarkets. Speaking to a reporter from SGGP newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son said that to date, Tan Nhien rice paper products have expanded their market share to many localities where Co.opmart and Co.op Food supermarkets are located. The biggest benefit the company has seen is that, through Saigon Co.op supermarkets, the product has become more widely known to consumers. As a result, Tan Nhien's revenue has increased significantly compared to before.

Similarly, regarding Thien Nhien Viet, Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Huong stated that all of the company's OCOP-certified products are available on the shelves of Saigon Co.op and participate in the supermarket's joint promotional programs. This greatly supports the business in the current context of difficulties in international market access.

According to Mr. Vo Tran Ngoc, Business Director of Saigon Co.op, Saigon Co.op is a pioneering unit striving to implement and realize the OCOP product program for the 2021-2025 period, which has been approved by the Government. The program focuses on developing the rural economy by leveraging local resources and increasing value, contributing to rural economic development and improving farmers' incomes.

Mr. Vo Tran Ngoc stated that Saigon Co.op, with its nationwide network of retail outlets, is currently selling over 500 OCOP products from cooperatives across the country, including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Dak Nong, Kien Giang, Hanoi, and Thai Nguyen. Notably, the OCOP products sold at Saigon Co.op supermarkets are diverse, regionally distinctive, and have geographical indications, such as Phu Quoc fish sauce, Tay Ninh rice paper, Can Gio pineapple fish, Khanh Hoa bird's nest, and Dak Lak avocado. In particular, OCOP products sold at Saigon Co.op's retail system meet 3-4 star standards. Some OCOP products have even been selected and developed into private label products under the Co.op brand. Furthermore, Co.opmart and Co.opXtra always support and prioritize prime locations within their supermarkets for OCOP products, with clear signage and attractive promotional programs to ensure easy access for consumers.

Over 1,000 OCOP products stimulate shopping demand.

In celebration of Vietnam Cooperative Day (April 11th), from now until April 23rd, Co.opmart and Co.opXtra are showcasing over 1,000 products with geographical indications from Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Phu Quoc (Kien Giang), Thanh Hoa, Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, and other provinces. The product range extends from tea, coffee, rice, fish sauce, bird's nest, eel vermicelli, snakehead fish porridge, black garlic vermicelli, to centella powder and turmeric starch, with discounts ranging from 30-50%. Additionally, many premium fresh fruits meeting OCOP 4-star standards, such as Can Gio mangoes, Tay Ninh custard apples, and Da Lat vegetables, are discounted by up to 20%.

In addition, Co.opmart and Co.opXtra prioritize allocating resources to goods from cooperatives, traditional craft villages, and OCOP products. Some Co.opmart supermarkets collaborate with the provinces and cities where they are located to organize OCOP product festivals to introduce local specialties to consumers nationwide. Many Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarkets organize on-site product sampling activities, and Co.opmart members receive a 10,000 VND refund on purchases over 150,000 VND when buying OCOP products according to the program's rules.

https://www.sggp.org.vn/tao-khong-gian-cho-san-pham-ocop-post791015.html