The taste of home goes out into the world.

According to Mr. Huynh Anh Khoa, representative of Huynh Khoa Phu Quoc fish sauce factory, his family's fish sauce making tradition spans over 100 years, passed down through three generations. Initially, his grandparents owned just a few small fish vats, but this expanded during his parents' generation, forming the Huynh Khoa private enterprise with 50 vats. In 2016, Mr. Khoa took over the factory, expanding it to 210 fermentation vats; dedicating 30% of the production to bottling, building a more professional brand for traditional Huynh Khoa Phu Quoc fish sauce.

Mr. Huynh Anh Khoa (second from the right) and his Huynh Khoa fish sauce product during a trade promotion event in Rach Gia ward. Photo: PHAM HIEU

“To this day, we still use bời lời wood barrels to ferment fresh anchovies with white coarse salt. Fresh anchovies caught offshore are carefully selected by workers before being placed in the fermentation barrels. This process takes 12-18 months to produce the renowned traditional fish sauce products of Phu Quoc Island. To ensure quality, the factory applies international standards: HACCP, ISO, HALAL, and strictly controls the production process from raw materials to finished products,” Mr. Khoa said.

Simultaneously, Mr. Khoa also focused on building brand image through label and packaging design, online communication, and participation in trade fairs and exhibitions to increase recognition. As a result, in 2020, Huynh Khoa fish sauce achieved OCOP 4-star certification with 4 products. Furthermore, the National OCOP Product Evaluation Council announced that Huynh Khoa fish sauce had 3 products achieving OCOP 5-star certification: Huynh Khoa Phu Quoc fish sauce with 40%, 43%, and 45% protein content.

This is a significant milestone affirming the quality and opening up greater opportunities for Huynh Khoa traditional fish sauce to reach more consumers. “In the future, we will strengthen communication, digital marketing, and e-commerce to reach consumers. At the same time, we will expand the market, introducing our products into domestic distribution systems and retail chains, as well as for export,” Mr. Khoa said.

Furthermore, Huynh Khoa fish sauce continues to improve product quality, refine packaging and preservation technologies according to international standards; and focus on developing a wider range of products such as high-protein fish sauce, seasoned fish sauce, and specialty gift items. In addition, they are building a story about the fish sauce making profession and Huynh Khoa's journey to create differentiation, linking traditional fish sauce making with tourism through factory tours and introductions to the fish sauce production process.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Huong, a tourist from Can Tho City, said: “My family often uses Huynh Khoa fish sauce because we have relatives in Phu Quoc who send it to us. Everyone in my family loves this fish sauce, especially the high-protein variety. Every drop is delicious and flavorful. I think that if the traditional fish sauce makers of Phu Quoc didn't have an boundless love for the island and their craft, it would be difficult to create such a wonderful product.”

PHAM HIEU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/vi-que-ra-the-gioi-a461847.html