Collective marks - a type of protection – allow association, rather than individuals to register a mark. They are useful for communities in which individuals produce similar products, such as me xung (sesame candy), which is renowned in Thua Thien-Hue. 

Recently, Vietnam's record book named several Hue dishes among the nation’s best foods: bun bo (beef noodles), com hen (rice with mussels), banhbeo (rice cake with grilled shrimp), banh bot loc (dumplings with shrimp), banh khoai (fried rice crepes), ruoc (shrimp paste), me xung (sesame candy), che hat sen (sweet lotus seed pudding), tom chua (pickled shrimp), and thanh tra (a grapefruit variety that was served to the king). 

Of the products, bun bo (beef noodles) and me xung (sesame candy) will be supported to register abroad. 
 

Sweet lotus seed pudding

Phan Ngoc Tho, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said apart from mirroring cultural identities of Hue and Vietnam in general, the targeted products are expected to contribute to the development of services and tourism in the locality. 

Several owners of household-based production workshops in Hue agreed that the strategy is necessary, creating protection opportunities for small-scale individual producers and associations as well as their products. 

The strategy also encourages businesses to take an active part in building their own brands while protecting other well-established names in the province. 

The province has recently decided to establish the Hue sesame candy association in an effort to protect and further promote the brand name of the candy, a favorite gift of each visitor to the imperial city. 

Besides collective marks, certification marks and geographical indication are other useful alternatives for protection, experts advised.