Northwest specialties suddenly "heat up" online market, prices "escalate"

Bamboo shoots from the Northwest suddenly changed from a common dish to a hot specialty, with prices skyrocketing thanks to the mukbang trend and scarce supply, making buyers hunt for them.

From cheap goods suddenly become hot goods

Not long ago, bamboo shoots were still a common food, appearing in many highland markets at cheap prices. People in the Northwest considered this a familiar dish in their daily meals, while small traders considered it a side item, not very valuable. However, recently, bamboo shoots suddenly became a specialty sought after everywhere, from traditional markets to online markets.

According to the reporter of Cong Thuong Newspaper, at the people's markets in Hanoi such as Nghia Tan market, Linh Nam market, Hoe Nhai market,... bamboo shoots are sought after, many people have to order in advance or pay higher prices.

Ms. Nguyen Xuan Anh, a trader at Nghia Tan market (Cau Giay district, Hanoi) shared: "Previously, bamboo shoots were not a popular item. I only imported them for fun, and sold them to anyone who wanted to buy them, at a very cheap price. But since the beginning of this year, the number of customers ordering has doubled, and there were days when I sold up to a ton of bamboo shoots but still could not keep up with the demand."

Ms. Anh revealed that not only retail customers, but also large restaurants are rushing to buy bamboo shoots to put on their restaurant menus.

Mr. Hoang Van Tuan, head chef of Dong Doi restaurant (Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi) said: "Customers now really like rustic dishes, especially those of natural origin, without chemicals. Bamboo shoots meet this criteria, and have a unique flavor, so our restaurant constantly imports them for processing."

Bamboo shoots are not only found in traditional markets, but also in online markets. On online market groups, it is not difficult to find posts selling bamboo shoots, advertised at various prices and packaging forms, from fresh bamboo shoots with skin on, peeled bamboo shoots to pickled bamboo shoots and dried bamboo shoots.

Peeled and cleaned bamboo shoots are popular. Photo: NVCC

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, a vendor specializing in selling Northwest specialties on the Cau Giay market group (Facebook platform), said: "Previously, I only sold popular specialties such as buffalo jerky, mac khen, and doi seeds. But since bamboo shoots became popular, customers have ordered a lot. Customers often prefer pre-peeled and cleaned bamboo shoots, so I also focus on selling this type more."

Bamboo shoot prices have the opportunity to "climb"

The sudden increase in demand has led to a sharp increase in the price of bamboo shoots. Previously, bamboo shoots were only priced at 5,000-10,000 VND/kg when purchased at highland markets. But now, the price has increased 4-7 times, with some places selling them for up to 70,000 VND/kg, or even higher when they reach big cities.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, the price of bamboo shoots at this time has increased partly due to reduced supply.

“This year, the amount of bamboo shoots is much less than previous years. Partly because of the prolonged cold weather, which causes the bamboo shoots to grow slowly, and partly because the natural forest area has shrunk,” Ms. Mai revealed.

Sharing with reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper, Mr. Vang A Pao, a resident of Tuan Giao district, Dien Bien, shared: "Before, every day I went into the forest and could pick a few baskets of bamboo shoots, but this year I went all day and only got a little. Bamboo shoots grow more sparsely, perhaps because the forest has been exploited more, the climate has also changed so the bamboo shoots do not grow as strongly as before."

Bamboo shoots are sought after in all markets. Photo: NVCC

In addition, the participation of traders also contributed to pushing up prices. When bamboo shoots became a hot commodity, many traders bought large quantities to create artificial scarcity in the market, causing prices to skyrocket.

Ms. Nguyen Xuan Anh shared: "At the beginning of the season, the price of bamboo shoots was only about 20,000 VND/kg, but because traders competed to buy, the price kept increasing. Up to now, sometimes I sell for 50,000-60,000 VND/kg but still can't have enough goods. Bamboo shoot pickers are happy because they sell at a high price, but buyers find it too expensive."

Sharing the same opinion, Ms. Tran Hoang Lan (Cau Giay district, Hanoi) confided: " Last year I bought bamboo shoots for only about 25,000-30,000 VND/kg, this year when I ordered online, I saw 60,000-70,000 VND/kg, the price really increased too much. But because I like the mild sour taste of bamboo shoots, I still buy them to pickle and eat gradually."

Another reason for the increase in the price of sweet bamboo shoots is the mukbang trend (online eating trend) among young people on social networks. It is not difficult to come across mukbang videos, introducing the specialty of sweet bamboo shoots of the Northwest on platforms such as Facebook, Tiktok,....

Tiktokers compete to mukbang Northwestern bamboo shoots. Screenshot.

In these videos, many Tiktokers from North to South constantly praise the crunchy, sweet taste of bamboo shoots when dipped in cham cheo – a typical spice of the mountains and forests. In addition, many people share humorous stories about their journey to hunt for bamboo shoots, from the difficulty of ordering to the feeling of surprise when enjoying them for the first time.

Notably, with each video attracting hundreds of thousands to millions of views, bamboo shoots quickly became a "phenomenon" on social networks. Curiosity and the desire to experience the highland specialty made this type of bamboo shoot sought after, pushing purchasing power skyrocketing.

The season of bamboo shoots in the Northwest lasts from January to the end of March every year. From the beginning of the season to the middle of the season, boiled bamboo shoots will be crispy and sweet. By the end of March, bamboo shoots will be slightly bitter and no longer sweet. Therefore, these days, people are busy digging bamboo shoots to sell.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/dac-san-tay-bac-bong-nong-cho-mang-gia-leo-thang-379048.html