Building a brand from unique products

In recent times, the selection of key, local products to promote production, business and brand building has been given special attention by cooperatives in the province. Thereby, gradually building brands from typical products.

For a long time, when mentioning Ninh Binh cuisine, many people have known about goat meat. Ninh Binh goat meat is famous for its delicious taste thanks to the unique conditions of the geographical area. Ninh Binh goats are raised in a natural grazing method, freely finding food from plants growing on hills and pastures. However, the raising is still small, fragmented, spontaneous, and everyone does it their own way, so it has not yet created a brand or formed a closed chain.

In response to the objective requirements and demands of reality, in February 2022, the Ninh Binh Goat Cooperative Union was established to join forces to develop the scale of goat herd production; promote the application of science and technology in breeding, processing, preserving and diversifying high-quality products; build and develop a large national consumption market and serve exports. The Ninh Binh Goat Cooperative Union is a gathering place for individuals and organizations dedicated to breeding, processing, producing and trading goat meat products.

Five years ago, when choosing goats to raise, Mr. Dinh Van Phong's family in Duc Long commune (Nho Quan) followed a spontaneous, self-sufficient approach. Mr. Dinh Van Phong said: Since joining the Ninh Binh Goat Cooperative Union, my family has received attention, support and facilitation from authorities at all levels, as well as the provincial Cooperative Union, supporting the family with breeding animals, guiding the process and techniques for raising organic and herbal goats. In particular, the Goat Cooperative Union has guaranteed the output of products, helping people feel secure in investing in raising and developing production. Although the Ninh Binh Goat Cooperative Union has just started operating, it has attracted 10 members to participate with a scale of thousands of goats.

Ms. Le Minh Trang, Chairwoman of Ninh Binh Goat Cooperative Union, said: Implementing the policy of the provincial Cooperative Union on developing local specialty products, the Cooperative Union has supported people with breeds, production processes, and herbal farming. Currently, the Union has many participating members and some small cooperatives are supported in goat farming processes. Not only stopping at raising goats, in the coming time, the Cooperative Union will aim to build a chain of deeply processed products from goat meat, especially products that meet OCOP standards. To make Ninh Binh's goat meat products become typical products, carrying the local brand.

Mentioning Bo Bat pottery village today, everyone must know Meritorious Artisan Pham Van Vang, Director of Bo Bat pottery cooperative - the person who contributed to "reviving" Bo Bat pottery village which had been "lost" and is becoming a popular pottery brand not only in Vietnam but also exported to many countries around the world. With the care and help of dedicated artisans, in 2003, Mr. Vang learned the profession and returned to his hometown to build a career.

In 2004, Mr. Vang recruited 10 workers who had a love for pottery to go to Bat Trang to learn the craft and started to produce pottery in his hometown. In 2011, after preparing well the conditions for production such as factories, workers, machinery, raw materials, Mr. Pham Van Vang established a cooperative, expanded the production scale, built 300m2 of factory, purchased more kilns, soil crushers..., creating jobs for nearly 20 local workers. Under the talented hands of young artisan Pham Van Vang, Bo Bat pottery has gradually been restored and created a foothold in the market.

In particular, in 2014, after Ninh Binh province granted a certificate recognizing the ancient pottery village of Bo Bat as a traditional craft, it created more favorable conditions for Mr. Vang to expand production and trade of pottery products and attract a large number of local people to participate in learning and practicing the craft. Therefore, this time, the pottery village of Bo Bat became more active again.

Currently, for the finished product drying stage, to take advantage of the heat, the cooperative has installed additional heat collection equipment, the temperature released into the environment will be reduced, thereby reducing the energy wasted into the environment, the utilized heat is used to heat the drying process. This not only saves fuel but also reduces toxic emissions into the environment. The application of scientific and technical advances in production has helped the unit reduce production costs, creating many high-quality products, meeting current market requirements.

Nowadays, Bo Bat pottery is not only famous throughout the country but also reaches out to world markets such as the US, Japan, etc. The revival and vitality of the pottery village contributes significantly to the preservation of village cultural values and the development of the local economy, affirming the brand of Ninh Binh ancient pottery village. Bo Bat pottery products have been recognized as 4-star OCOP products.

As a representative agency protecting the interests of cooperative members, the Provincial Cooperative Union has always accompanied cooperatives in providing consulting support, business orientation, and building a closed production chain. In particular, the implementation of the "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) Program has been actively participated in by cooperatives, with many products achieving 3-star and 4-star OCOP. The recognition of OCOP products has helped expand the consumption market, increase revenue, and affirm the brand in the market such as: Cuc Phuong honey, Phu Long custard apple, Xich Tho burnt rice, Lai Thanh and Kim Son wine.

Comrade Le Thi Tam, Chairwoman of the Provincial Cooperative Union, shared: Reality shows that focusing on building a unique brand is a direction that brings clear results. Not only does it help localities exploit their potential and advantages, but it also affirms their position in the domestic and foreign markets.

Therefore, in the coming time, the Provincial Cooperative Union will continue to accompany cooperatives in orienting the development of key products, OCOP products, contributing to creating unique products with local characteristics, so that when mentioning each product, people will remember that it is a product of Ninh Binh.

With dynamism and sensitivity, the collective economic sector and cooperatives in the province are increasingly affirming their position and role in the market economy by building brands from typical local products.

Article and photos: Tien Dat

Source