The Kinh Giao rice cracker craft village is one of two traditional villages producing Vietnamese rice crackers. These rice crackers help create banh da cua, one of Hai Phong’s signature dishes.
According to local residents, Kinh Giao rice crackers are a traditional craft which passed down from generation to generation. Compared with rice crackers produced elsewhere, Kinh Giao products have established a distinctive brand of their own.
Mr. Nguyen Van Truong is a resident of Kinh Giao residential group 2. With more than 40 years of experience in rice cracker making, he said that producing a batch of rice crackers for consumers requires many meticulous steps.
First, the rice must consist of large, uniform grains with good expansion and a natural aroma. Then, villagers sort the rice carefully, wash, and soak in cold water until it becomes white and soft. After that, they drain and grind it into smooth batter. Finally, they pour the batter for steaming.
The red rice crackers—commonly used in banh da cua—are colored using caramelized syrup made from cane sugar. Villagers simmer this syrup for about 2.5 hours before mixing into the batter prior to steaming.
Next comes the stage of spreading the batter onto bamboo racks, after which the crackers are sun-dried. The crackers are dried for about two hours before being fed into a cutting machine to be sliced into thin strands. For dried rice crackers, after cutting, the strands are arranged back onto bamboo racks. They are then dried for another two to three hours until fully dry.
Nowadays, some households use ovens to dry the crackers. However, many still choose the traditional method of drying them on bamboo racks under natural sunlight, despite the extra effort required to monitor weather conditions. In return, the rice crackers develop a richer aroma.
Thanks to these meticulous production steps, Kinh Giao rice crackers are favored by many consumers. They are made without chemicals, have chewy and resilient strands, do not crumble, and do not develop a sour taste.
Like many other traditional craft villages, although Kinh Giao rice crackers have established their own brand, the village still faces numerous challenges in both production and market access. Therefore, to preserve and further develop the craft village’s brand, local producers have focused on improving production processes. At the same time, they have ensured food safety and hygiene standards.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hinh, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Tan Tien Agricultural Cooperative, shared that in the past, cooperative member households relied solely on manual production methods. As a result, they did not meet the requirements for obtaining food safety certification.
It was not until 2015 that Kinh Giao rice crackers were officially granted a collective trademark owned by Tan Tien Agricultural Cooperative. This marked an important milestone in protecting and developing the brand of this traditional craft village.
From June 2016, after passing food safety and hygiene inspections, Kinh Giao rice crackers gained increased credibility in the market. As a result, they attracted a larger customer base.
Currently, the Kinh Giao rice cracker craft village has 30 production facilities employing around 200 workers. Many of these facilities have invested in machinery to modernize production stages, particularly rice-steaming and cutting machines. Some households have invested in fully modern production lines using 100% modern technology. They have also transitioned from household-based production to small business enterprises.
Investment in machinery has not diminished the distinctive flavor of Kinh Giao rice crackers. Instead, it has helped producers improve productivity, maintain consistent quality, and better meet market demand. According to statistics, the village’s average daily output is currently about 20 tons.
In addition to production activities, the Kinh Giao rice cracker craft village has attracted many visitors. These visitors come to experience and witness the production process firsthand. This is considered a new development direction for the village in the future.
In recent years, local authorities and relevant departments and agencies have paid close attention to addressing difficulties faced by production households. Support has included facilitating access to preferential loans for investment in machinery to boost production and improve product quality. It has also involved guiding producers to ensure food safety, hygiene, and environmental standards, as well as organizing trade promotion events to publicize and promote craft village products.
Notably, since November 2024, the Hai Phong Department of Science and Technology, in coordination with relevant units, has supported the management, exploitation, and development of the Kinh Giao rice cracker collective trademark. This support is provided under the Hai Phong City Intellectual Property Development Support Program for the 2021–2030 period. Through this initiative, five rice cracker production households that are members of Tan Tien Agricultural Cooperative have received effective support. The support has focused on standardizing production processes, improving product quality and value, building a sustainable brand, and enhancing competitiveness in the context of digital transformation.
To enable the craft village to develop more strongly and sustainably and to allow its products to be exported abroad, Kinh Giao rice cracker producers hope to continue receiving attention and support from city- and local-level authorities. Such support would help the Kinh Giao rice cracker brand gain wider recognition and expand its market reach.
Vietnames source: https://baohaiphong.vn/nang-tam-thuong-hieu-banh-da-kinh-giao-531002.html