At the ninth edition of the "Vietnamese Goods Vitality" program, themed "Dien Bien Pho," the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is not only helping Dien Bien bring Northwest specialties closer to consumers in Hanoi but also creating fresh momentum for enterprises and cooperatives to expand markets, accelerate digital transformation and strengthen the Vietnamese Goods brand.

From experiential spaces to digital platforms

From July 16 to 19, at the "Vietnamese Goods Vitality" space at No.62 Trang Tien Street, Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi, 14 outstanding enterprises, cooperatives and household producers from Dien Bien are showcasing hundreds of signature products together with the unique cultural values of Vietnam's Northwestern region at the ninth edition of the "Vietnamese Goods Vitality" program under the theme "Dien Bien Pho."

Organised by the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development under the MoIT in coordination with the Dien Bien Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, the program continues to demonstrate an innovative approach to trade promotion by combining an immersive in-person exhibition space with promotional activities on digital platforms. Beyond giving consumers in the capital easier access to Dien Bien's renowned specialties, the event also contributes to the effective implementation of the Government's Resolution No. 88/NQ-CP on developing the domestic market and stimulating consumer demand, while expanding opportunities for producers to connect with distribution systems and consumers.

The uniqueness of "Dien Bien Pho" lies not in the number of products on display but in the stories conveyed through each one. From smoked buffalo meat, smoked pork, Chinese-style sausages, traditional spices, brown rice noodles, dong vermicelli, honeycomb honey and macadamia nuts to outstanding OCOP products, every item reflects the region's natural conditions, raw material areas, production practices and the rich cultural identity of Dien Bien's ethnic communities.

In addition to food products, the program also introduces a wide range of health care products, including cordyceps, honey and macadamia nuts, together with many OCOP products that have been upgraded in quality and traceability to meet increasingly demanding market requirements.

A highlight of the event is the exhibition of handmade brocade products, offering visitors a closer look at the cultural life of Dien Bien's ethnic communities. Scarves, handbags and traditional garments adorned with distinctive patterns are not merely handicrafts but also the embodiment of craftsmanship, creativity and generations of dedication to preserving traditional weaving techniques.

For enterprises and cooperatives from Dien Bien, participating in the event in Hanoi is more than simply joining a trade fair or product promotion program. It is an opportunity to gradually access a larger market, build brand recognition and seek distribution partners.

To Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Dien Bien Cooperative Alliance, said the program is particularly meaningful for a locality located far from the capital such as Dien Bien. It provides cooperatives and enterprises with an opportunity to introduce the province's key and signature products to a wide range of consumers. As these products gain greater exposure in Hanoi, their brand recognition will improve, creating new prospects for expanding production and business activities.

In addition to expanding markets through conventional sales channels, cooperatives in Dien Bien are also gradually adapting to the trend of digital transformation.

To Van Tuan said that, as the organization representing and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of cooperatives, the Dien Bien Cooperative Alliance has consistently supported its members in creating a favourable business environment while improving their capacity to participate in e-commerce.

According to him, relying solely on traditional sales channels offers limited opportunities for market expansion under current conditions. Therefore, equipping cooperatives with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct business on e-commerce platforms has become an urgent requirement.

The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance has established an e-commerce platform and has supported cooperatives in bringing their products onto digital platforms. However, due to practical constraints and the limited technological capacity of many cooperatives in Dien Bien, effectively utilising online sales channels remains a considerable challenge.

"We hope ministries and agencies, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Trade, provincial Departments of Industry and Trade, Departments of Agriculture and Environment, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the Dien Bien Cooperative Alliance, will continue to provide training programs and technical support so that cooperatives can better access and make effective use of e-commerce," To Van Tuan said.

The program also demonstrates that the demand to transform sales methods stems not only from market requirements but also from the aspirations of producers themselves. For many enterprises and cooperatives, bringing products onto digital platforms is regarded as an important step towards expanding beyond local markets and introducing products that embody the unique identity of Dien Bien to consumers nationwide.

Every product tells a story, every producer aspires to go further

The "Dien Bien Pho" exhibition space is more than a venue for showcasing products. It is also a place where producers personally share the stories of their homeland, its people and their efforts to preserve traditional values. Behind every OCOP product and local specialty lies years of dedication to traditional occupations, the effective use of indigenous resources and persistent efforts to meet increasingly demanding market requirements.

At the program, the Dien Bien Honey Cooperative introduced two three-star OCOP products, honeycomb honey and ban flower honey. For Do Xuan Doan, who has devoted nearly half a century to beekeeping, product quality begins with nature itself.

According to Do Xuan Doan, the quality of honey depends first and foremost on the raw material area. Vietnam's tropical climate provides flowering plants throughout almost the entire year, enabling bees to collect nectar continuously. In Dien Bien, honey is mainly produced from natural forest flowers, longan blossoms and acacia flowers, allowing beekeepers to harvest honey in almost every season.

He explained that honey is entirely a gift of nature. Beekeepers do not produce honey; they simply care for the bee colonies while the bees gather nectar from seasonal flowers. The most distinctive harvest comes in spring, when ban flowers bloom across the mountains and forests of the Northwest. Although marketed as "ban flower honey," the product actually derives its flavour from the nectar of many different flowers blooming simultaneously in early spring. This rich biodiversity gives Dien Bien honey its distinctive taste.

The colour of the honey varies from season to season and from year to year depending on the available floral sources. However, these differences in colour do not affect product quality. To meet increasingly stringent market requirements, the cooperative has gradually shifted from conventional centrifugal extraction to producing comb honey, which is better suited to international standards.

Although the cooperative has fulfilled several small gift orders for overseas partners and has previously attracted purchase inquiries from partners in the Republic of Korea, expanding into larger markets remains a challenge. Do Xuan Doan therefore expressed his hope that the "Vietnamese Goods Vitality" program will help cooperatives establish stronger market connections while creating opportunities to learn how to sell products through digital platforms and gradually expand market access.

If honey tells the story of nature's generosity, the products of Loan Nhe Trading and Services Company reflect a philosophy of producing clean food directly by those who make it. At this year's program, the company introduced a wide range of products, including fresh cordyceps, cordyceps infused with honey, dried cordyceps, cordyceps soaked in liquor, smoked buffalo meat, dried beef and wild honey.

According to Nguyen Thi Loan, the defining feature of the company's products is that they contain no preservatives. For dried meat products, the company also avoids using monosodium glutamate, relying instead on traditional seasonings such as mac khen pepper, black pepper, chilli and carefully balanced spices to create their distinctive flavour.

Nguyen Thi Loan said all products are manufactured directly by the company. "I only bring to customers the products that I have personally made," she said. Currently, the company's dried cordyceps and cordyceps soaked in liquor have both been certified as three-star OCOP products, while its smoked buffalo meat is completing the necessary procedures for OCOP evaluation.

According to Nguyen Thi Loan, Hanoi is currently the company's largest consumer market. Its products have been available in Hanoi for around 11 years, while smoked buffalo meat and dried beef have been sold for approximately 30 years.

However, sales are still largely dependent on traditional distribution channels and traders. By participating in this program, the company hopes not only to introduce its products to more consumers but also to access e-commerce platforms in order to expand its market in the coming years.

Elsewhere within the "Dien Bien Pho" exhibition space, colourful traditional brocade fabrics attracted considerable attention from visitors. These products were brought to the program by the Pa Thom Brocade Weaving Cooperative, represented by Lo Thi Nhung, a member of the Lao ethnic group. The brocade scarves, handbags and other handwoven products not only serve practical purposes but also reflect the cultural identity of the Lao community in Dien Bien.

According to Lo Thi Nhung, the cooperative currently has nine members, all of whom are women from the village. Whenever new orders or designs are received, members work together to weave products based on the cooperative's patterns. The cooperative flexibly combines different materials in its production. Some products are woven from cotton grown and hand-spun by local residents, while others use industrial yarn. Because every item is entirely handmade, each product possesses its own unique characteristics. Two scarves may feature identical patterns, yet their colours are rarely exactly the same. This also presents one of the challenges of selling handmade products through online platforms.

Nevertheless, Lo Thi Nhung said the cooperative's greatest aspiration in participating in the program is not merely to increase sales but also to introduce the traditional weaving craft of the Lao ethnic community to a wider audience, thereby contributing to the preservation of cultural identity and bringing traditional handicrafts closer to the market.

To help enterprises and cooperatives adopt modern trade promotion methods, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on July 17, the program will host a livestream session on the TikTok channel "Cuc Quan ly va Phat trien TTTN," featuring runner-up Thuy Van, representatives of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development, the Dien Bien Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, and participating enterprises. Through the livestream, consumers will have an opportunity to gain deeper insights into the stories behind each product, as well as the culture and people of Dien Bien, while shopping directly on digital platforms.

The combination of an immersive exhibition space and livestream activities further demonstrates a new approach to trade promotion, helping local enterprises gradually adapt to digital transformation, expand customer outreach and enhance the effectiveness of product promotion.

More than simply a trade promotion event, "Dien Bien Pho" also serves as a bridge connecting consumers with the cultural, historical and traditional values of Vietnam's Northwestern region. By linking products, enterprises and cooperatives with distribution networks and digital platforms, the program continues to reaffirm the role of the Agency for Domestic Market Surveillance and Development in developing the domestic market, promoting Vietnamese goods, supporting localities in building stronger brands and enhancing product value in the context of digital transformation.