The red pink with yellow star bread, representing Viet Nam's national flag, has been offered free of charge by a group of young people from Quang Nam Province’s Hoi An City, to such low-income earners as 'xe om' (motorbike taxi) drivers, lottery ticket sellers, waste pickers and street vendors in Da Nang, over the past two months. These Quang Nam natives call it "patriotic bread".

A group member giving free 'patriotic bread’ to a low-income earner

The Quang Nam natives used to work for a restaurant in Hoi An City. However, since early 2020, they have lost their jobs due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

During the unemployed days, these young people came up with the idea of creating an innovative product to serve the community, and promote the patriotic spirit of Vietnamese people.

As a result, bread with a red crust with a yellow star representing Viet Nam's national flag was made.

In addition to non-profit sales, they offer daily up to 40 loaves of breads stuffed with meat free of charge on average to low earners across Da Nang in a bid to help them have delicious and nutritious meals to overcome their current financial difficulties.

Mr Nguyen Van Hoa at his ‘patriotic bread’ stall

Nguyen Van Hoa, 33, a group member, said it took him and his friends several months for the bread to reach a satisfactory standard. Hoa also said that the red pink colour of bread crust is created with beet and red dragon fruit juice, and the yellow star with turmeric powder.

Popular fillings include fried eggs with pate, sausage, crispy pork belly, crispy fried fat with sauce, and fried fish cake.

A loaf of bread with filling costs between 15,000 VND and 20,000 VND, and one without filling 4,000 VND.

Bread is made from a bread oven in Hoi An City, then they are transported to Da Nang at 5am every day for sales.

“The sales of such kind of bread aims to uplift the spirits of Vietnamese people amid Covid-19 crisis and natural disasters, but also encourage them to increasingly use ‘made-in-Viet Nam’ products”, Hoa emphasised.

The ‘patriotic bread’ is now available at 35 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh

Being one of regular customers of ‘patriotic bread’ stall, 60-year-old Nguyen Van Quy, a 'xe om' (motorbike taxi) driver, said he often gets free breads for his lunches, which help him save small amounts of money for his family.

Similarly, 64-year-old Luong Thi Thu, a lottery ticket seller, often takes free ‘patriotic bread’ for her breakfasts.

“I am very grateful to kind-hearted young people for supporting me and other poor labourers have nutritious meals and save money on food” Mrs Thu said.

The ‘patriotic bread’ stall located on 35 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh in Da Nang’s Hai Chau District opens daily from 6.30am - 12am, and 4pm - 7pm. For take-away customers, the bread is wrapped in paper and tied with rope to protect the environment.

By LAM PHUONG - Translated by M.D