Ceremonial OCOP opening in Ben Tre: A celebration of culture and enjoyment!

Ceremonial OCOP opening in Ben Tre: A celebration of culture and enjoyment!

On June 1, 2025, the opening ceremony of OCOP Ben Tre products was held, attracting numerous delegates and customers. This event was part of the “Journey of Happiness” campaign launched to mark the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day. During the campaign, which ran from April 24 to May 31, Saigon Co.op celebrated the 29th anniversary of the Co.opmart supermarket system and placed a focus on spreading positive values ​​in the community.

Hundreds of customers participated in various cultural and artistic activities, including interactions with amateur musicians and tasting of coconut products. Free gifts of high-quality Vietnamese goods were also distributed. What is particularly noteworthy is that a record was set during this time: the “Online Vietnam Map of 50,000 Happy Smiles” was created, with Saigon Co.op donating VND 5,000 for each happy photo to support social projects.

Strengthen cultural and economic connections

The “Journey of Happiness” campaign featured a 50-stop bus tour in Vietnam, with Ben Tre as the final stop. This trip was not only to promote Vietnamese goods, but also to support OCOP products that the Ministry of Industry and Trade promotes internationally. The aim of this initiative is to increase demand for high-quality and sustainable products to strengthen Vietnam's rural economy.

The OCOP products are now available in international retail chains such as Mega Market, Aeon, Amazon, Lotte and Walmart. The program aims to promote local products and has mobilized over 7,400 participants, including cooperatives and companies. These products are rated on a scale of one to five stars; More than 13,000 OCOP products have already received three stars or more, while only about 50 products have achieved the maximum rating of five stars. The representative of the ministry, Cao Phuong Lan, emphasizes that the quality must be greatly increased for export to demanding markets such as Europe and America.

International trade promotion

The free trade agreements with Europe and America provide OCOP products with a competitive advantage. At the same time, however, the government faces challenges from inflation and geopolitical tensions. To address these challenges, the government is improving support for export logistics, regulatory compliance and improving product quality.

Trade promotion activities have therefore been initiated in key markets such as France, Japan and Thailand to facilitate connections between Vietnamese OCOP suppliers and international distributors. These measures underline Vietnam's commitment to promoting its unique products and strengthening its presence in global markets. The Saigon Co.op has been supporting the people of Ben Tre since 2008 and has created new purchasing incentives with discounted prices of up to 50% and special offers.

For more information about the activities promoting OCOP products in Vietnam's international markets and the cultural events in Ben Tre, please refer to the respective reports vietnam.vn and english.thesaigontimes.vn can be viewed.