Representatives from 25 kindergartens in Hanoi unanimously shared that they had an eye-opening experience during their visit to the production facility. They were introduced to a closed pork product production chain, spanning from the breeding process to slaughtering, pre-processing, and the final product. Additionally, they received updated knowledge about food safety and hygiene from leading managers and experts in food safety.
On November 11, 2023, within the framework of the SAFEGRO project funded by Global Affairs Canada, Hoang Long cooperative organized a customer connection conference for the A-Z food chain.
The cooperative has a large pig farm scale, of 500 sows and 5,000 commercial pigs. A team of qualified veterinarians and technicians oversees the whole breeding process. The cooperative produces about 2 tons of pork daily and processes nearly half of it into various products such as sausages, smoked meat, spring rolls, etc. under the brand name “Food chain A-Z”. The cooperative has 9 4-star OCOP products certified by Hanoi city since 2020. The products are sold at safe food stores and supermarkets in the city, as well as supplied to kindergartens in Thanh Oai district
The topic of choosing food of guaranteed origin was brought up for lively discussion. The principal of Kim Bai Town Kindergarten, Ms Phuong, said that the kindergarten pays special attention to food safety issues for kids. The kindergarten has purchased A-Z pork products from Hoang Long Cooperative and is always satisfied with the quality, as well as the packaging, labels, and daily delivery method.
Ms Phuong, the principal of Kim Bai Town Kindergarten
Mr. Nguyen Van Thuan, Head of Quality and Organic Agriculture Department, Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also emphasized the importance of products with transparent origins and complete information on the product label. ‘Kids are like leaf buds’, he said. ‘We choose the best products for kids, choose products with origins like those of Hoang Long Cooperative, but customers also need to regularly give feedback to increase product quality, as well as improve any problems to make the product better’.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thuan, Head of Quality and Organic Agriculture Department, Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development
The conference was attended by principals, vice principals in charge of nutrition, chefs and parent representatives of 25 kindergartens, according to Mr. Doan Viet Dung, head of Thanh Oai district’s education department, is a happy thing.
After listening to SAFEGRO share information about integrating gender-responsive food safety into the current educational program of kindergarten in Van Duc commune, Gia Lam district, he proposed that SAFEGRO and the education department need to ’cooperate to enable Thanh Oai district to also learn and apply to all kindergartens in the district’. He concluded.
Mr. Doan Viet Dung, head of Thanh Oai district’s education department
Mr. Do Thanh Lam, director of the SAFEGRO project, affirmed his commitment to closely coordinate with Thanh Oai district. He aims to implement activities to support the Hoang Long Cooperative pork chain, to raise food safety awareness, and to promote behavioral change for producing and trading safe food, according to the Plan signed between the SAFEGRO Project, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine, and the Economic Department of Gia Lam District. “In particular, SAFEGRO also wants to jointly build a food safety culture, for the long-term health of the community,” He said.
Mr. Do Thanh Lam, director of the SAFEGRO project
