Ben Tre coconut candy vicissitudes
Ben Tre coconut candy specialties originating from Mo Cay District, pre-1960, so then they called candy Mo Cay. Formula making candy Mo Cay simple: sugar cane, coconut milk, malt and bring to the pan, stirring until; down the pan, no mold and chopped up into small candy.
The heyday of the coconut candy
Ben Tre coconut candy specialties originating from Mo Cay District, pre-1960, so then they called candy Mo Cay. Formula making candy Mo Cay simple: Road barrel (sucrose) Air coconut milk, malt and bring to the pan, stirring until; down the pan, no mold and chopped up into small candy. Now, candy Mo Cay square, flat, to just thumb. After 1975, also with the formula, but was chopped candy larger, rectangular, collectively known as coconut candy. Speaking make coconut candy recipe sounds simple, but to make coconut candy to eat more and more and start enthusiast, also known as "candy fat", then the employer must oven candy experienced workmanship, is not "trick" in the stage of preparation. This means that the amount of coconut milk, sugar (sugar and sugar bins), barley in a pot of water to air is withdrawn producers more profitably. It also called type "horizontal candy".
Subsidy period, starting in 1982 - 1990, the coconut candy production in Ben Tre expensive like hot cakes. The province that is most concentrated in the towns and districts of Ben Tre Mo Cay, with over 300 production facilities, large and small, with 30-50 per employee basis. Most workers make them poor laborers in urban, suburban and rural areas. Traditional craft candy giving them income relative to live. Coconut candy after which occur throughout the South West Province, Central, confectionery market continues to expand into the northern provinces and are always carried that momentum into Cambodia, Laos and China in particular - a huge market with a billion people. In China, branded coconut candy Ben Tre's "Mrs. Two glasses" (Pham Thi Be, Ltd. East Asia) sell very expensive restaurant. A special honor of Ben Tre more and more Chinese are known. At home, Ltd. Dong put effort coconut candy production for the Chinese market. East Asia Co., Ltd. grew from there.
Then, Ben Tre coconut candy brands are the Chinese counterfeiting. Counterfeited, she sued two. A body alone her two sheets from Vietnam rummage around to take China to the event, everything went very tough but eventually she won the case. They know so much, "Ms. two glasses - Ben" also from case to sue to regain pioneer brands.
In Laos, the first batch of coconut candy from Ben Tre to this (1982) is also the land of elephants on your favorite candy sold very expensive restaurant. A friend of mine, who was transported to Laos coconut candy sale, said: "candy passenger cars through, unloaded, with a bag of candy buyer immediately signed half and stood beside the car, eat a circuit almost ridiculous. Are they like fat, fat from coconut thing on earth Ben Tre isle? "
However, when selling coconut candy is delicious, the momentum began to appear competitive thing without thinking about the future of the manufacturing base in Ben Tre coconut candy. When goods are placed candy made in bulk, mass production for timely delivery, many facilities have expanded to many "Satellite" (processing facilities) and fat candy turned down a "candy horizontal "! Candy fat with malt production lines, and "horizontal candy" was replaced by the Western malt (made from cassava), making hard candy candy than fat, so long candy flowing out fast so as not to sell goods returned home after such production facilities embrace! Many manufacturing base then coconut candy bankruptcy, also in debt from doing things "horizontal candy"! A home oven Candy said: "After 1997, the coconut began rushing out of crude to China, which is favorable to the Chinese produce coconut candy same as in Ben Tre. Besides, as everyone knows, formulas and manufacturing techniques where coconut candy is something mysterious, sublime ".
Start time tough competition
But with candied coconut coconut candy brands such Thanh Long, this business has no ambition to bring their products overseas conquest. Over 30 years ago, still with quality recipes and traditions are preserved, Dragon brand coconut candy strong market share in the country.
Ben Tre coconut candy brands after a long period exports to China, now turn to the domestic market, making the competition between the "giants" in Ben Tre coconut candy warmer each day. On Highway 60, the gateway to the Ben Tre town or on the highway in the province districts, ubiquitous coconut candy brands that compete for promotion, closely. The competition is heating up in the moment, the price for coconut coconut candy production is now up over VND50,000 / dozen (12 left), causing many production facilities in Ben Tre coconut candy to suspend operations because produce unprofitable or only moderately produced to retain workers. In Ben Tre town and Mo Cay District, Guangzhou City has over 100 production facilities coconut candy, but now about 80% of facilities are decommissioned. The owners said coconut candy, this is the first time that they have to face and solve the conundrum between inputs, labor and money market price of the output is acceptable for communication products this system. When asked "delicious coconut candy Price (fat) is 18,000 - 20,000 VND / kg, well why can not produce?", The oven candy Lan Huong confided: "The price of coconut VND50,000 / dozen, plus the price of sugar, malt today, can only hold production. And as prices continue to climb coconut, of course, candy sales price to rise further, which increases so sure what is market acceptance. "
The coconut candy production facility currently can not afford to produce coconut for total output in Ben Tre coconut decreased after typhoon Durian (storm No. 9 - May 12-2006). More critical when the farmer selling raw coconut fruit to China, Thailand, Cambodia in bulk, continuous and prices are higher than domestic. He Six Thinh, coconut farmer in Binh Phu Commune, Ben Tre Town, mused: "I have 3.5 of coconut land (3,500 m2). Last year at this time, I harvested over 300 coconut but now only half. Steam 9 passing, most of coconut trees in Ben Tre were "wind god" twisted neck, cotton, coconut, young coconut loss carnage! ". Price towering palm up, a master artisan candy oven just to stay, charcoal: "The coconut candy production, worker retention is very important. Because, "cross arm" how sometimes three meals can become a hairdresser candy. So, was discontinued operation, then it would be difficult to find workers to base yourself! "
