A pavilion of Thái Nguyên traditional tea products at the the first Glorious Spring Fair 2026. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — At the first Glorious Spring Fair 2026, traditional products, from confectionery and processed agricultural goods to highland tea products, were presented in refreshed designs

These products preserve cultural identity while meeting market requirements. It has raised expectations for expanded domestic consumption and gradual entry into export markets. 

Participating in the Glorious Spring Fair with many traditional products upgraded in both design and quality, Ngô Thị Tính, general director of Bảo Minh Confectionery Joint Stock Company, said they have continuously innovated in packaging and improved quality standards, while it also remains committed to preserving the original flavours.

“We focus on improving quality from the raw material stage, while investing more in design and packaging to better suit modern tastes," Tính said.

"Our goal is to gradually expand market share nationwide and also lay the groundwork for accessing overseas markets."

Vietnamese products, she added, enjoy a significant advantage thanks to their distinctive flavours closely tied to cultural traditions and consumption habits. 

Retaining this 'traditional essence' in a new appearance gives businesses greater confidence when engaging in trade promotion activities and approaching international markets. 

During this year’s Lunar New Year season, alongside the Glorious Spring Fair, the enterprises are expecting stronger purchasing power and positive revenue outcomes.

Tính also said that the Việt Nam Exhibition Centre (VEC) provided a highly favourable environment for businesses. From booth arrangements and infrastructure to organisational support, conditions were synchronised to help enterprises reduce costs and focus more on product promotion. 

Compared with previous fairs, the trade promotion effectiveness of the first Glorious Spring Fair 2026 was more clearly, not only in visitor numbers but also in opportunities connecting with partners.

Tính said: “Participating in the fair is also a positive pressure. Businesses are compelled to continuously improve quality, production processes and packaging to meet rising market expectations.

"This is where we can directly listen to feedback from consumers and partners, allowing us to adjust products towards greater standardisation and professionalism."

Bringing highland agricultural products to the first Glorious Spring Fair 2026, Sen Hồng Hưng Thịnh Cooperative, Sơn La Province aims to expand distribution channels and promote traditional products.

Bùi Đức Nghiêm, a representative of the cooperative, said it showcased a range of characteristic agricultural products, including both raw and processed items. Key products such as Séng Cù rice (three-star OCOP product), smoked buffalo meat (four-star OCOP product) and pork products (three-star OCOP item) attracted considerable attention from customers seeking traditionally processed highland foods. 

According to Nghiêm, visitor numbers were high in the early days, with many stopping to learn carefully about product origins and production processes. Initial customer feedback, particularly for traditional processed meat products, has been positive.

The first Glorious Spring Fair in 2026 runs at the VEC until February 13. VNA/VNS Photo

From a company with a strong export orientation towards Europe, Jimmy Food Co, Ltd is gradually returning its focus to the domestic market through trade fairs. 

Vũ Ngọc Cường, a representative of Jimmy Food, said the company specialises in instant food products made from rice and corn starch using a closed production process that meets international standards such as HACCP and Halal. Currently, most of its output is officially exported to Europe, with the Netherlands accounting for a large share.

Participation in the first Glorious Spring Fair 2026 is seen by Jimmy Food as an opportunity to develop the domestic market for a relatively new brand. 

Cường noted that while many customers initially had limited brand recognition, most changed their purchasing decisions after directly experiencing the products at the booth and clearly perceiving their quality.

“Compared with the first Autumn Fair in 2025, the post-fair brand recognition effect has been very evident," Cường said.

"This time, some customers have returned to the booth, sharing that they had previously purchased and used the products, and even recommended them to others. This is a positive signal that reinforces our confidence in the effectiveness of trade promotion through fairs.”

For tea cooperatives, the Glorious Spring Fair 2026 also provided an important opportunity to tell their product stories. Cao Lê Thị Bình Minh, representative of the Tà Xùa Ancient Tea Cooperative, Yên Bái Province, said the cooperative has brought various products such as white tea, black tea, tea pearls made from green tea, and yellow tea, all processed entirely by hand.

Tà Xùa Shan Tuyết tea is harvested from around 3,200 ancient tea trees at an altitude of nearly 2,800 metres above sea level, growing naturally in a misty climate. Traditional processing methods are maintained, resulting in a light sweetness and a deep, lingering aftertaste.

According to Minh, thanks to support from the organisers, the cooperative was provided with a free booth, helping reduce costs and enabling more accessible pricing for consumers, while also contributing to higher incomes for highland communities.

Sharing a similar view, Hứa Văn Thịnh, director of La Bằng Tea Cooperative, Thái Nguyên Province, said trade promotion programmes such as the Spring Fair, have helped the image and products of Thái Nguyên tea reach a wider customers. 

Currently, the cooperative’s products are mainly consumed domestically, but it is developing raw material zones, standardising processes and completing documentation for OCOP five-star certification with a view to stronger export orientation.

Thịnh added that to enhance competitiveness in the coming period, cooperatives need stronger support in digital transformation, particularly in building electronic traceability systems, investing in modern machinery and production lines, and accessing preferential capital sources for trade promotion and production development.

The first Glorious Spring Fair in 2026 is not only a venue for sales but also a space for connection and the dissemination of Vietnamese product values. VNS