Business group eyes double income at food fair
Business group eyes double income at food fair
The Lao Businesswomen's Association has predicted that around 400-500 million kip will be generated at this year's annual Lao Food Festival to be held in Vientiane on January 29-31.
The income will be produced mainly from selling food, handicrafts and other products coming from all over the country.
Association President Ms Chanthachone Vongsay told Vientiane Times yesterday that this year's food fair will be different from previous years in terms of an increased number of booths and the festival's location.
“We will have 120 booths this time, representing businesses from around the country with a few given over to food from other Asean countries and the festival has moved to the Mekong riverbank in front of the Vat Chan temple,” she said.
She added that the purpose of the festival was not only to mark its 10th anniversary and introduce some special Lao cuisine to residents and tourists alike, but it would also allow a number of Lao businesswomen to learn about trade and discover ways to earn income.
Last year there were 70 booths in the 9th festival which drew 200-300 visitors every day.
This time representatives from the different provinces across the country will take part in the event, allowing them to showcase their cooking skills with local and traditional food.
A KhaoPpoun Saep competition, or Lao rice cooking contest, will be a special highlight of the event as the winner will be awarded a cash prize of three million kip with a certificate while the first and second runners-up will be awarded two and one million kip respectively, according to Ms Chanthachone.
She also said that other local foods which have featured in previous years will remain unchanged, especially laap xamneua (meat salad from Huaphan province), laap nok aen ( laap with swallow meat) from Xieng Khuang province as well as other food from different provinces.
“We value this festival highly as it allows us to showcase Lao cooking skills at an event where locals and foreigners will be able to join in, tasting Lao dishes as well as the foreign dishes which will also be available there,” Ms Chanthachone added.
This festival is being designed differently to the others as it will focus on food that symbolises the cuisines of the different communities and provinces.
The food contest will also be promoting job employment opportunities for Vientiane and provincial chefs who are equipped with original food cooking skills.
Last year, chefs from Xieng Khuang and Luang Namtha provinces won the first prize of one million kip and a certificate. The Luang Namtha team cooked laap mou sai mak kok ( laap with pork and olives) while the Xieng Khuang team made laap nok aen ( laap with swallow meat).
The festival is being organised in collaboration with the Lao Women's Union and the cash prizes for the winners of the food competition are being donated by the Lao Brewery Company, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dao Heuang Group and its association members.
The rental fee for the booths will be one million kip per booth with other facilities provided by the association.
During the festival, visitors will be able to enjoy tasting their favourite dishes of original Lao food from 9am to 9pm.
