PHNOM PENH: Several Cambodian manufacturers are replacing foreign names and lettering with Khmer branding on goods they have long made in the country, making it easier for shoppers to recognise locally produced goods, according to Te Taing Por, president of the Federation of Associations for Small and Medium Enterprises of Cambodia (FASMEC).
Por explained that the growing number of Khmer-branded products on store shelves partly reflected changes in how existing goods were marketed. Some manufacturers, he said, had been reluctant to sell under their own brands and had used foreign names or lettering on their packaging.
“Some of us were already producing in large quantities, but we didn’t dare put our own brands on the products,” he said. Despite the foreign lettering, he highlighted, “they were actually Cambodian products”.
Por cited goods that had carried Thai- or Vietnamese-style labels or used English lettering. As manufacturers switch to Khmer labels, shoppers can more readily identify the goods as Cambodian-made. He said that shift helped explain why the range of Cambodian products appeared to have grown so quickly.
“Cambodian products have been around for a long time,” Por said.
“In the past, producers used Thai, Vietnamese or English labels. Now they’re switching to Khmer labels,” he added.
Por estimated that locally made goods accounted for about 30 per cent of the domestic market. He separately put the share of Cambodian-made goods at an upcoming product exhibition at about 95 per cent.
Por said building their own brands could help manufacturers gain recognition among customers. He pointed to traditional Khmer desserts as one example, saying producers could draw on the wide variety of desserts already made in Cambodia to develop their own brands and reach more buyers.
He said businesses would need to maintain quality and keep prices affordable to retain customers. Manufacturers seeking to sell through supermarkets or export would also need to supply sufficient quantities consistently and meet the standards of their target markets, he added.
His remarks came ahead of the fourth Cambodian product exhibition, scheduled for November 20–22 at Koh Pich in Phnom Penh. Por said the event would feature more than 300 booths and over 100 types of products, giving manufacturers a chance to introduce their brands to consumers and meet potential distribution partners.
FASMEC secretary-general Chhin Ket said organisers would give greater weight to quality and standards when selecting products for the exhibition.
Some businesses were already making goods but still struggled to find buyers, he said. Meeting wholesalers and distributors in person could help them reach more customers. - The Phnom PenhPost/ ANN
