A supplier-buyer connection programme between Central Retail Việt Nam and 42 businesses being held in Ninh Thuận Province last week. — Photo courtesy of Central Retail

Central Retail Vietnam’s sourcing team has met with 42 businesses in Ninh Thuận Province at a local supply-demand connection programme.

They are producers and distributors of over 100 One Commune, One Product (OCOP) items of various kinds.

The retailer’s fast-moving consumer goods and fresh food sourcing divisions had the opportunity to learn more about the supply capacity of businesses in the province and apprise them about its quality, packaging and labelling requirements, thereby making it easier for the businesses to bring local specialities and OCOP products that meet three-star criteria and above into Central Retail's GO!, Big C and Tops Market supermarket chains.

Organised by the province Department of Industry and Trade and Investment and Tourism Promotion Centre, the programme sought to help OCOP producers expand their market and enhance their product value and quality to meet the high requirements of modern retail channels.

According to a Central Retail spokesperson, the programme is an important premise for its sourcing team to soon negotiate contracts with potential partners to bring Ninh Thuận's specialities such as apples, grapes, aloe vera, sterculia foetida latex, and lamb and goat meat distributed into its supermarket systems.

According to the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ninh Thuận has 152 three-star and 30 four-star OCOP products.

Under a programme for 2024 it aims to have another 20-30 products certified, including two to five meeting four-star criteria and one to two livestock products meeting three- to four-star criteria, the department added. — VNS