The festival marked a start of a series of activities to promote Son La specialties at Saigon Co.op's 800 points of sale nationwide from May 24 to June 1.

Saigon Co.op is expected to sell 100 tonnes of Son La plum grown in Moc Chau and Yen Chau districts during the festival.

The plum, which meets food hygiene and safety and VietGAP standards, and has origin certification, is being discounted to only 29,900 VND (1.17 USD) per kilogramme at Co.opmart and Co.opXtra supermarkets.

On the first day of the programme on May 24, Co.opmart, Co.opXtra, and Co.op Food sold more than 10 tonnes of the fruit. Customers appreciate the plum for its sweetness, crunchiness, and flavour, and eye-catching bright red colour.

On this occasion, Co.opmart and Co.opXtra offered a chance for customers to try products made from plum like jam, dried plum and syrup. Besides, a range of Son La agricultural products and items made under the national “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme such as longan, yellow passion fruit, coffee, tea, dried longan, black garlic, arrowroot vermicelli, smoked buffalo meat and pork, dried bamboo shoots, lingzhi mushrooms and cham cheo (a special salt made by the Thai people) are on display and available for sale at the supermarkets.

Currently, more than 90% of commodities being sold at Saigon Co.op's distribution systems are Vietnamese goods, including more than 1,000 OCOP items from businesses and cooperatives nationwide.

Bringing Sơn La plum into Saigon Co.op’s distribution system nationwide is a result of a close cooperation between distributors, manufacturers and local authorities.

The retailer will continue to organise similar festivals to promote consumption of Vietnamese agricultural products, and increase the customer experience when visiting and shopping at Co.opmart and Co.opXtra.