The taste of home in Tet gifts.
In the rural areas of Mien Thu, the pace of life in the final days of the year seems to quicken. From dawn, many small kitchens are already ablaze with activity. Women are busy simmering jams, drying food, and making candies and cakes... to ensure they can deliver to customers for Tet (Lunar New Year). At the Nhat Hao banana candy factory in Vinh Thuan commune, Mr. Nguyen Van Minh's family is almost constantly busy. Batches of fragrant banana candy continuously come out of the oven, then are carefully cut, packaged, and labeled for delivery to customers. According to Mr. Minh, although there is machinery to help, many steps still retain traditional methods to ensure the flavor. "It's hard work, but it's very enjoyable. Local specialties are more popular now; we sell everything we make," Mr. Minh said.
Dried shrimp and dried fish originating from the rice-shrimp farming areas of the Miệt Thứ region are popular choices among consumers. Photo: PHAM HIEU
At BiBo Rice Cake Company Limited in Vinh Phong commune, the atmosphere is bustling with activity as workers continuously pack thousands of rice cakes to serve the Tet market. Mr. Truong Kim Bi, Director of BiBo Rice Cake Company Limited, said that the company has many product lines such as: Purple rice cakes with bird's nest sauce; black glutinous rice cakes; red rice cakes; ST specialty rice cakes; ST specialty brown rice cakes… “After being popped, the rice cakes are mixed with malt sugar, brown sugar, cashews, roasted sesame seeds with their shells, and U Minh ginger, making them very fragrant and delicious. Especially, the rice used to pop the rice cakes is clean ST25 rice, grown on local shrimp farming land. This is not only a meaningful gift from the countryside during Tet, but also evokes beautiful childhood memories,” Mr. Bi shared.
Mr. Pham Van Nho, Director of Thanh Thanh Cooperative in Vinh Binh commune, said: "Although we have proactively secured a supply of fresh shrimp, our facility is still short about 1 ton of dried shrimp to deliver to customers on time. Our dried shrimp products are available almost nationwide, so the consumption volume this Tet holiday is quite large."
Ms. Nguyen Thuy An, a resident of Rach Gia ward, shared: “Gifts from the countryside are not only for giving and receiving, but also a way to remember our roots, of simple yet warm and meaningful Tet holidays. Instead of choosing imported cakes and wines as gifts like before, this year I prioritize handcrafted products with natural origins from the countryside. These gifts are not only practical but also carry childhood memories, simple yet rich in emotion.”
Simple yet popular.
Unlike before, local produce is no longer considered a common commodity. Many products have become preferred choices in Tet gift baskets. According to Mr. Pham Van Nho, the number of orders this year has increased by about 20-30% compared to last year. "Consumers prefer local products because they are familiar with the taste and feel safe. The products are mostly sun-dried naturally, with few preservatives, so they retain their characteristic sweetness," Mr. Nho shared.
Ms. Le Thi Kim Thoa, Director of Hieu Phat Agricultural Service Cooperative in Vinh Phong commune, said: “We supply 2-3 tons of dried snakehead fish, striped catfish, and shrimp paste to the Tet market. The ingredients are purchased directly from farmers' shrimp farms, ensuring freshness and quality without the use of preservatives, making them popular with customers.”
Besides selling retail to local customers, many establishments also package gifts into combos for city dwellers, migrant workers, or as gifts for relatives. These gift baskets, though simple, are carefully wrapped and accompanied by heartfelt New Year's greetings. According to the producers, the appeal of these traditional gifts also lies in the story behind each product, the diligent hands of the farmers, and the traditional crafts preserved through generations.
Small business owners in the Rach Gia Commercial Center, Rach Gia Ward, affirm that overall purchasing power this year is somewhat quieter than last year due to the economic impact. However, the dried goods sector still maintains a stable customer base thanks to meeting many criteria such as flexible pricing, ease of transportation, long shelf life, and suitability as Tet gifts in the context of people tightening their spending.
PHAM HIEU
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/thi-truong-tet-hang-que-len-ngoi-a476521.html
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