Strategy to create sustainable output for OCOP products

In the journey of taking OCOP products from Can Tho City far away, OCOP entities and the agriculture sector will have different directions based on the strengths and potential of the locality. Among them, Kim Nhien Agricultural Product Processing Co., Ltd., with the “Kim Nhien custard apple tea” brand, has developed private strategies to create sustainable output and build a brand for its OCOP products.

The Kim Nhien custard apple tea brand was born at the right time when the National Program—One Commune One Product (OCOP) was deployed. Kim Nhien Agricultural Product Processing Co., Ltd. now produces about 5 tons of custard apple tea each month to supply the domestic market and serve exports. The company's custard apple tea products achieving 4-star OCOP certification basically have a consumption market, are favored by consumers, and are currently being consumed in many domestic provinces and exported.

The company’s current export markets include Laos, the US, South Korea, and Cambodia. In order for the company's products to go far and sustainably as of today, Kim Nhien set the criteria that products must be safe and of good quality.

“As we know, customers previously focused on the product’s flavor. However, when economic demand is increasingly high, consumers place an emphasis on health. Products, especially those used directly and put into the human body via eating or drinking, must be safe and good for consumers’ health. We have hit that customer sentiment to create a strategy and launch products that have been accepted by consumers in recent times and go far in the export market,” said Ms. Nguyen Kim Nhien, Director of Kim Nhien Agricultural Product Processing Co., Ltd.

Arriving at today’s journey to create sustainable output for OCOP products, the Kim Nhien company has focused on the following strategies:

First, the product quality must be stable. That means good products must initially be produced for customers to accept them, and then they need to continue to be maintained and developed so that consumers stick with them for a long time.

Ms. Kim Nhiên shared that “as far as I know, when using many products on the market, in the initial stage, sellers will provide a good product, but after a period of use, the quality gradually decreases, and then consumers will replace it with another product. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain stable product quality.”

Second, focus on stable raw material sources. Kim Nhien Company has local farmers’ raw material sources that are ensured for consumption. At the same time, the company also links with farmers and implements contract signing to maintain a stable source of raw materials, so there will be no worries about output or input.

Third, focus on diverse packaging designs and customer care. It is mandatory to train a team of customer care staff. Especially customers must be protected when using the company's tea products so that they will feel secure.

In addition to the proactivity of OCOP subjects in promoting products, in recent times, the Can Tho city’s agriculture sector has also accompanied subjects in developing OCOP products in the area and oriented and supported them in focusing on output.

Mr. Tran Thai Nghiem, Deputy Director of the Can Tho Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the agriculture sector joined hands at the input stage. That means the agriculture sector worked together with entities, supported entities in coordinating with localities to have favorable conditions for building stable raw material areas, and closely linked contracts with local communities. With local raw materials, entities can proactively control the raw materials, ensure quality, and, most importantly, create products of stable and even quality to penetrate the market.

Besides, the agriculture sector also focuses on solutions with the industry and trade sectors and the culture sector to promote and connect OCOP products to supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels. This is an extremely regular activity to support products reaching the domestic market.

Currently, for the custard apple tea commodity, many businesses in other localities neighboring Can Tho city have also exploited this product, including large businesses with enough potential to develop this product further. However, Kim Nhien custard apple tea is still present in 50 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta and the whole country. That is thanks to the company’s strategy to create a difference for its products.

The first is the low cost and suitable price for consumers. The second is the source of raw materials. Kim Nhien Company has a closed production process, ensuring output consumption for gardeners. It provides technology to farmers and then uses organic technical methods without the use of synthetic chemicals. All must be organic to create clean and green agricultural products. Thereby, products created for consumers ensure health and safety and retain the essence of the soursop fruit when it is turned into tea.

“Another factor is that we must diversify product packaging designs so that consumers can choose. Besides, our products are 100% made from soursop fruit without using chemicals or colorings, so after a long time of use, consumers will feel the pure taste that is good for health. And an experience as well as a secret of our company is the method of brewing tea to create a line of tea that is different in product aroma, color, and quality,” shared the Director of Kim Nhien Agricultural Product Processing Company.