Building brands through product quality
Many agricultural products from Hai Phong have steadily increased in value and strengthened their market position through brand development and participation in the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program.
While shopping for "Banh da Lo Cuong", a traditional dried rice noodle product, Tran Thi Thu from Bac Ninh Province carefully checked the producer's information, packaging date and QR code before deciding to buy it.
"I usually choose products with clear labels and traceable origins. Knowing who produced the product gives me greater confidence when using it," Thu said.
Changing consumer preferences are encouraging farmers, cooperatives and businesses in Hai Phong to shift from simply producing goods to building brands. In addition to improving product quality, producers are investing in packaging, branding and product traceability to increase the value of their agricultural products and expand market access.
The "Banh da Lo Cuong" Cooperative in Tu Minh Ward has developed 20 product lines of dried rice noodle products in a variety of packaging formats to meet increasingly diverse market demand.
By focusing on quality and brand development, the cooperative's products are now sold in many provinces and cities, supplying more than 80 tons of dried rice noodle product each month. Its dried rice noodles have been certified as four-star OCOP products and are eligible for export. The cooperative has also invested in modern packaging, labeling and product traceability.
The Lo Cuong Banh Da Cooperative illustrates how branding can add value to a traditional product. Likewise, many Hai Phong farmers are investing in branding to strengthen the market position of fresh agricultural produce.
After years of farming, Cu Van Long of Viet Hoa Ward recognized the area's abundant rice straw resources as an ideal foundation for mushroom cultivation. In 2021, he invested about VND 2 billion to build a 3,000-square-meter production facility with 11 mushroom houses. After overcoming initial challenges, he gradually established the Van Long Clean Straw Mushrooms brand.
In 2023, Van Long Straw Mushrooms was certified as a three-star OCOP product. The recognition not only affirmed the quality of the product but also encouraged the business to further improve its production process, expand its market and strengthen its reputation.
Alongside straw mushrooms, many high-tech farming models are also pursuing brand development.
.jpg)
Branding opens new market opportunities
Hai Phong now has nearly 650 OCOP products, including eight nationally recognized five-star OCOP products, with the remainder rated three or four stars. From fresh produce to processed foods, an increasing number of products are being upgraded through improvements in quality, packaging and branding, helping strengthen the reputation of the city's agricultural products.
According to Doan Van Vien, Chairman of the Ha Bac Commune Farmers' Association, building strong brands is not only the responsibility of individual producers but also requires support from government agencies and farmers' organizations.
In recent years, the association has helped its members gain access to financing, adopt new technologies, apply safe production standards, improve packaging and branding, participate in the OCOP program and expand market access.
"Brands are not built overnight. They are built on product quality and the credibility of producers. When farmers change their mindset, produce high-quality products with clear traceability and protect their brands, the value of agricultural products will increase and market opportunities will continue to expand," Doan Van Vien, chairman of the Ha Bac Commune Farmers' Association, said.
Brand development is becoming a key strategy for Hai Phong's agricultural sector. As product quality continues to improve, local agricultural products will have greater opportunities to expand into new markets, increase added value and achieve sustainable growth.
Hai Phong News