The revival of Ma Hong’s herbal yeast

Amid growing concerns over the decline of traditional herbal yeast-making on Vietnam’s Dong Van Karst Plateau, a young couple, Ta Thao Nhi and Nguyen Tuan Thanh, have embarked on a mission to preserve and promote this centuries-old craft in Ma Hong Village, Quan Ba Commune.

Driven by their passion for indigenous culture and heritage conservation, the couple devoted themselves to learning the art of herbal yeast production from the late artisan Min, the last local craftsman who possessed the complete knowledge of making yeast from 36 species of medicinal plants and forest herbs. The process requires meticulous attention, from gathering ingredients and blending them in precise proportions to nurturing and preserving the yeast to maintain its distinctive aroma and quality.

Herbal yeast cakes are carefully dried and monitored to ensure product quality.

In 2022, the Thanh Van Community Tourism and Agricultural Cooperative was established with nine members, led by Nhi as director. The cooperative’s first batches of herbal yeast marked not only the launch of a new business venture but also the continuation of a valuable cultural legacy that was at risk of disappearing.

The journey, however, was far from easy. In the early stages, numerous batches failed to meet quality standards, resulting in significant losses of raw materials and production costs. Learning from these setbacks, Thanh applied his pharmaceutical expertise to study microbial characteristics and fermentation processes, gradually improving production methods while preserving the authenticity of the traditional recipe.

To modernize production, the cooperative invested nearly VND 3 billion in workshops, fermentation rooms, drying facilities, steam systems, filtration equipment and other machinery. By combining traditional knowledge with scientific approaches, Ma Hong herbal yeast has steadily built a reputation in the market.

In 2024, the product received a three-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) certification, becoming the first traditional yeast product in the province to achieve this recognition. Today, tens of thousands of yeast cakes are distributed each month to distilleries and customers across Vietnam through both traditional networks and e-commerce platforms.

The Thanh Van Community Tourism and Agricultural Cooperative received a Certificate of Merit from the provincial People’s Committee in 2024.

Beyond product development, the cooperative has created stable employment opportunities for local people and established an experiential tourism space where visitors can learn about herbal yeast-making, explore native medicinal plants and discover the cultural stories behind the craft. Through their dedication, a traditional profession once facing extinction is finding new life, ensuring that the distinctive aroma of Ma Hong herbal yeast continues to thrive in the modern era.

Quynh Chau