Thach An black jelly is made from the leaves of black jelly plants grown in forest.

In Dong Khe town, Thach An district, Cao Bang province, there are many shops selling jelly made from the leaves of black jelly plants. The stalls are always crowded with customers. 

Years ago black jelly was eaten by the locals only on hot summer days, because it’s cool and aids digestion. Nong Thi Le Thuy, the owner of the Le Thuy black jelly production facility, told VOV that people in Thach An used to use wood stoves to cook the jelly and preserved it in water-soaked boxes because they had no refrigerators. As demand increased, the Thach An black jelly brand became widely known.

Workshop owner Le Thuy said she is engaged in a craft that was handed down by her ancestors. “In the past, there were no gas or electric stoves, so I had to use wood stoves. After cooking 1-2 kilos of leaves, which produces 20-30 kilos of jelly, we pour it into a large pot and soak it in water to preserve it. Nowadays we use electric stoves, which saves us time and effort and makes the jelly smoother and more beautiful. But the quality remains the same,” Thuy recalled.

At the peak summer season, Thuy's workshop produces and sells 3,000 boxes of black jelly – nearly 3 tons – mainly to shops in Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh and to tourists who buy it as a gift.

Although early April isn’t yet the peak season, dozens of workers at the Le Thuy workshop were busy all day. Luong Thu Lanh, a worker there, talked to VOV while packing jelly containers into shipping cartons.

“It’s convenient for me to work in the Le Thuy workshop because it's near my home and family. I earn about 20 USD a day. I want to work here for a long time because the boss is kind and motivates me to work,” said Lanh.

Workshops to produce Thach An black jelly work all year round, generating stable jobs for dozens of local people.

In 2015, the Thach An black jelly brand was introduced to the market and quickly earned a good reputation. In 2022, it was honored as a "Vietnam Agricultural Golden Brand" and recognized as a 3-star OCOP item.

Nguyen Van Bao of Luc Ngan district said Thach An has become a trusted brand, and confessed that he’s addicted to it. “I often go on business trips to Cao Bang, about 10 times a year. Since 2019, whenever I come to Thach An, I buy a few dozen boxes of black jelly as gifts for my relatives, friends, and colleagues. It’s so delicious that every time I come to Cao Bang, they remind me to buy some jelly,” said Bao.

The 400-hectare cultivation area of black jelly plants spearheads local economic development, and making the jelly gives many families a stable income. Cao Bang's black jelly is delicious, aromatic, and chewy. Thach An black jelly is now distributed to supermarkets nationwide and sold on e-commerce platforms.