Leaving behind the spotlight of television, former VTC host Hoang Phuong and her sister Minh Hong have transformed heirloom sticky corn from Lang Son into a high-value digital delicacy. Thanks to TikTok, their first livestream alone brought in nearly $4,000 in revenue, pioneering a promising new path for regional agriculture.

From studio lights to village roots

The decision by Hoang Phuong, a respected television presenter, to return to her hometown left many shocked. “I once believed I’d spend my life in television and the arts. But the pandemic offered a pause-a chance to ask myself, ‘What am I truly living for?’” she reflected. The struggles of her fellow villagers, particularly with unsold crops, became a call to action.

Her partner on this journey is her sister Minh Hong, who had already been immersed in farming and had just seen her agri-tourism business collapse due to the pandemic. When an opportunity arose to produce gluten-free corn noodles for an agricultural export company, it sparked a bold decision: “Within two weeks, I decided to return home and build a processing facility,” said Minh Hong. Hoang Phuong supported the plan wholeheartedly.

A tough road to the first product

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Hoang Phuong and Minh Hong. Photo: NVCC
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Photos provided by the characters.

Their first product, corn noodles, turned out to be more complex than it seemed. Creating noodles from non-GMO, gluten-free heirloom corn proved to be a daunting task.

“For nearly a year, the noodles kept clumping, breaking, sticking... we even ran the machines and got no noodles at all,” recalled Minh Hong. “We wasted tons of corn, filled notebooks with experiments, and kept learning the hard way.”

Eventually, they pivoted to a new product: heirloom puffed corn. Made from ancient sticky corn varieties, popped over wood fire without oil or preservatives, each puff is a nostalgic throwback to childhood memories and a tribute to the preservation of near-forgotten seeds.

How Ban Phuong Hong became a digital sensation

Their brand, Ban Phuong Hong, was born from a desire to share authentic stories of their homeland, farmers, and indigenous crops. The name combines both the word “ban” (village) and the sisters’ names.

They created all content themselves-from scripting and filming to editing and voiceovers. “We’d shoot under the noon sun, sweating as one of us filmed and the other tended the corn over the fire-but we loved every minute,” Phuong laughed.

Their TikTok and Facebook videos quickly gained traction. “Most of our sales come through e-commerce platforms, especially via TikTok and Facebook. Business boomed when we increased our video output and went live regularly,” Minh Hong explained.

Their first livestream earned nearly 100 million VND (around USD 4,000), an impressive feat for two women building a business from scratch.

Authentic storytelling helped them win a loyal audience and attract major clean-food retailers. Today, their puffed corn is stocked in supermarket chains nationwide.

Their success has inspired their local community. “At first, people were just surprised,” said Phuong. “But now they’re proud. They believe our local crops can truly reach the world.”

Today, Ban Phuong Hong provides stable employment for 14 permanent workers and seasonal jobs for 20-25 others during peak harvests. Their USDA-certified organic growing region also supports 4-5 local farmers.

Looking ahead, the sisters plan to expand their product line and establish more USDA-certified farming zones to secure quality, trust, and a consistent supply for digital platforms.

Ban Phuong Hong showcases the immense potential of Vietnamese agriculture in the digital age. Their journey is a testament to how traditional products, when paired with modern creativity and technology, can succeed in e-commerce.

USDA ORGANIC CERTIFICATION

USDA Organic, issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program, is one of the world’s strictest organic certifications. Products must contain at least 95% organic ingredients to carry the USDA seal. The standard also bans synthetic preservatives and most chemicals, while requiring practices that protect natural resources and biodiversity.

Thu Uyen