Specialty "Chieng Sung soy sauce"

With rich flavor, bearing the unique culinary identity of the Thai ethnic group, through skillful hands and traditional secrets preserved through many generations, the product "Chieng Sung soy sauce" of Organic Agriculture Cooperative 86, Buc village, Chieng Sung commune, was recognized as meeting 3-star OCOP standards in early 2025, and is favored and trusted by consumers inside and outside the province.

Booth introducing the product "Chieng Sung soy sauce" of Agricultural Cooperative 86, Chieng Sung commune.

The Black Thai people in Chieng Sung have a saying: "Sticky rice, grilled fish, and sour sauce" to refer to the main dishes on the local people's dinner tables. Soy sauce is made from soybeans, naturally fermented for 10-15 days. The best time to preserve the soy sauce is 6 months. The longer it is kept, the thicker the soy sauce becomes, with a shiny brown color, and a rich, fatty aroma of beans mixed with a mild salty taste. Unlike the ban soy sauce of the plains, Chieng Sung sour sauce has a light, wild yeast aroma, creating a unique taste. Local people often use soy sauce to dip vegetables, eat with sticky rice, or marinate grilled fish and smoked buffalo meat. During Tet or village festivals, a bowl of soy sauce is always an indispensable dish on the dinner table.

"Chieng Sung soy sauce" product of Agricultural Cooperative 86, Chieng Sung commune.

Previously, soy sauce was only made for family consumption or as gifts. Since 2022, Chieng Sung commune has mobilized the establishment of Organic Agriculture Cooperative 86 to produce soy sauce in a commodity-oriented manner. The product has standardized processes, from raw material selection, fermentation to bottling, and labeling for traceability. As a result, in early 2025, "Chieng Sung Soy Sauce" was recognized as meeting standards. OCOP 3 stars. This is an important turning point, helping Thai specialties appear at many fairs and supermarkets and gradually affirm their brand in the market.

Ms. Lo Thi Thanh, Director of the Cooperative, shared: The Cooperative currently has 10 members, producing 700 - 1,000 kg of soy sauce each year; after deducting expenses, the total income reaches nearly 100 million VND. Since receiving OCOP certification, product consumption has been more stable, creating jobs for 12 seasonal workers with an income of 100,000 - 150,000 VND/day.

Not only does it bring economic value, soy sauce is also a "cultural ambassador" of the Thai people in Son La. To have a batch of delicious soy sauce, the maker must master the secret of choosing the local glutinous soybean variety, which is round, plump, and free of worms, simmering for about 10-12 hours, adding water when boiling and keeping the heat steady; to fermenting in a ceramic jar in a cool place, then stirring regularly. Mr. Quang Van Cho, a household participating in the production, confided: In the past, my family made soy sauce just for family consumption, but now it has become a profession. We still keep the traditional recipe, absolutely no chemicals are used. Making soy sauce is both a way of life and a way for our children and grandchildren to remember the taste of their homeland.

Currently, the product is packaged in bottles with capacities of 250 ml, 500 ml, with labels and QR codes for traceability. The cooperative is expanding the market to Hanoi , Lao Cai, Dien Bien... and testing through online sales channels.

As a customer who trusts the Cooperative's soy sauce products, Ms. Hoang Ngoc Ha, Cua Nam Ward, Hanoi City, shared: Introduced by a friend, I bought the product "Chieng Sung soy sauce" to try. The first time I enjoyed it, I found the rich, aromatic flavor, combined with the characteristic fatty taste, very suitable for my family's taste. The product packaging is beautiful, eye-catching, with clear labels and production address. In particular, this is a certified OCOP product, so I am completely assured and have now become a regular customer of the Cooperative.

Promoting its specialty products, Chieng Sung commune aims to combine soy sauce production with experiential tourism. Visitors can come to see the soy sauce brewing process and enjoy traditional dishes dipped in soy sauce. The commune aims to upgrade soy sauce to 4-star OCOP by 2026, while also building a sustainable native soybean material area on an area of ​​20 hectares, associated with community tourism development and creating livelihoods for the people.

Members of Agricultural Cooperative 86, Chieng Sung commune, discuss the product "Chieng Sung soy sauce".

Among the myriad of regional specialties, "Chieng Sung soy sauce" brings a different flavor, simple but sophisticated, rustic but rich. From a small bowl of soy sauce in the village kitchen, the product has now entered the market, contributing to promoting Son La culinary culture to friends near and far.

With the support of the government, the efforts of the cooperative and the trust of consumers, we believe that Chieng Sung soy sauce will continue to spread its fragrance, becoming a typical brand product of Son La.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/dac-san-tuong-thua-o-chieng-sung-1bFIRTqHg.html