Traditional Lamppost Pate Unfairly Tarnished, Small Traders Suffer in Wake of Halong Canned Food Scandal

Originating as a renowned street food in Hai Phong, Pate Cot Den unexpectedly became a hot topic on social media. This sudden fame has led to a significant decline in visitors to the Pate Cot Den business district in Chua Hang (Le Chan, Hai Phong), leaving many local vendors struggling with plummeting sales.

The name “Pate Cot Den” originates from Cot Den Market (Chua Hang), once the most bustling hub for pate trading in Hai Phong.

However, following reports that thousands of cans of pate produced by Ha Long Canned Food Joint Stock Company were destroyed due to using pork infected with African swine fever, the once-vibrant market atmosphere has turned unusually quiet.

Ms. Do Thi Lan, owner of a 40-year-old pate brand in Chua Hang, shared that her shop used to sell hundreds of kilograms of pate daily. Her customers were primarily locals from Hai Phong and tourists from other provinces.

“Since then, sales have halved. Local customers still trust us, but out-of-town buyers and tourists have almost disappeared. Weekends used to be bustling, with traffic jams, but now it’s eerily quiet,”

Ms. Lan lamented.

According to Ms. Lan, her shop offers fresh pate, made and sold daily, using trusted ingredients without preservatives.

Sharing a similar plight, Ms. Dieu, owner of a heritage pate shop, mentioned that her store previously sold hundreds of kilograms daily, producing two batches in the morning and afternoon, which sold out the same day. Now, even 40 kilograms remain unsold.

“The Ha Long Canned Food Company incident has severely impacted us. Weekends used to be crowded, but now only a few customers visit. Wholesale clients keep calling with concerns, and their sales have slowed too. Food tour tourists, who were once frequent, are now nowhere to be seen,”

Ms. Dieu explained.

Many vendors are frustrated by the damage to the Pate Cot Den brand. Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, a 30-year pate brand owner, believes labeling the canned product as “Cot Den” has caused serious confusion, harming the reputation of Hai Phong’s traditional dish.

Each shop here boasts its unique flavor. While sales have dropped significantly, they remain hopeful that out-of-town customers will return in time.

On social media, consumers express confusion and distrust after purchasing and consuming Ha Long Canned Food Company products. Many call for strict penalties against those involved to protect public health and local culinary reputation.

Nguyen Thu Huyen expressed her disappointment:

“I not only bought it for my family but also for relatives during storms and even sent it abroad… It’s heartbreaking to realize we’ve consumed contaminated food from a trusted long-standing brand.”

Meanwhile, many defend traditional fresh Pate Cot Den, emphasizing its independence from the canned food company’s scandal.

Ta Duc Huyen commented:

“Traditional fresh Pate Cot Den is delicious and unrelated to Ha Long Canned Food Company. I hope this scandal doesn’t tarnish Hai Phong’s famous culinary delight.”

As reported by VTC News, on January 10, the Hai Phong City Police Investigation Agency issued an emergency arrest warrant for Truong Sy Toan (born 1969, CEO of Ha Long Canned Food Company), in connection with over 130 tons of African swine fever-infected pork supplied to the company’s production facility.

Also arrested were Pham Thi Thuy Lan (born 1980, Deputy Head of Quality Management), Bui Thi Thoan (born 1979, responsible for raw material quality checks), and Lai Thi Thanh Huong (born 1974, in charge of fresh pork quality inspection).

Earlier, on January 7, the Hai Phong City Police Investigation Agency initiated legal proceedings against nine individuals for “Violating food safety regulations.”