The 19/5 Agricultural Development Services Cooperative, based in Van Son ward, specialises in producing and processing dried fruit and fruit preserves using the province's abundant agricultural resources. It currently has six products certified under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme, rated three to four stars. To meet rising demand towards the end of the year, the cooperative has drawn up production plans and prepared raw materials and goods well in advance.

Mai Duc Thinh, Director of the cooperative, said it is focusing on improving product quality and packaging this year. It has invested in additional machinery and adopted modern vacuum-drying technology to preserve the products' natural colours, flavours and nutritional value.

The cooperative expects to supply more than 20 tonnes of various products to the market during the year-end period, including 10 key product lines of dried fruit, fruit juice and fruit wine, he said.

The cooperative is also completing an application for its “Original-flavour Dried Plum” to be recognised as a national five-star OCOP product. It is developing a wider range of gift sets for different customer segments while stepping up promotion and listing its products on e-commerce platforms.

At the Binh Thuan Production, Business and General Services Cooperative in Binh Thuan commune, efforts to keep pace with consumer preferences have focused on improving product quality and refreshing designs and packaging.

Notably, the cooperative uses bilingual Vietnamese-English packaging to provide information on product ingredients, origins and stories. This helps consumers better understand the value of local agricultural products while promoting Son La's image, culture and flavours.

Nguyen Thi Binh, Deputy Director of the cooperative, said Trong Nguyen tea is one of its flagship OCOP products. This year, the cooperative has focused on upgrading product quality and introducing more attractive packaging to meet consumer preferences.

The tea is made from carefully selected fresh, high-quality buds and processed under strict procedures. These improvements have increased the product's value from 300,000 VND to 1 million VND (12-39 USD) per kilogram, targeting the premium market segment, she said.

Alongside fulfilling large-volume orders for business partners, the cooperative has developed distinctive gift sets featuring local agricultural products.

Its premium gift set, priced at 800,000 VND per box, includes a 200-gram box of Trong Nguyen tea in paper packaging, a 200-gram bamboo tube of Trong Nguyen tea and a 200-gram box of heat-dried, shelled macadamia nuts.

To cater to different customer segments, the cooperative also offers more affordable gift sets priced at 250,000 VND and 350,000 VND, making local products more accessible during the year-end shopping season.

Son La currently has nearly 260 OCOP-certified products, offering a diverse range of flavours characteristic of the northwestern region. These include processed products such as smoked meat, fermented pork sausages and sausages, as well as fruit preserves, dried plums, freeze-dried strawberries, Shan Tuyet and Oolong tea products, and coffee.

Many products feature elegant, premium packaging, while producers have developed gift combinations across different price ranges, accompanied by transparent information on origins and OCOP certification.

Alongside traditional distribution channels, businesses are stepping up promotion on digital platforms, listing agricultural products on e-commerce marketplaces and selling through livestreams.

As one of the channels connecting local producers with consumers and promoting agricultural product sales, the Son La area for displaying outstanding rural industrial products and OCOP products under the provincial Centre for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion is ready to serve customers.

Do Thi Nga, an employee in charge of the display area, said it has been operational since April 2024, serving as a bridge to introduce, promote and connect local speciality products with consumers.

During the year-end shopping season, the area displays and supplies a wide range of products and certified OCOP gift sets from businesses and cooperatives across the province, helping bring Son La's agricultural brands closer to residents and visitors, she said.

Innovations in production, packaging and promotion are helping increase the value and competitiveness of Son La's OCOP products while meeting demand for year-end shopping and gift-giving.

Each product and gift basket carries not only commercial value but also the distinctive flavours and cultural identity of the northwestern region, helping promote the province and support rural economic development./.