With connections from Da Lat and some other localities, she quickly contacted to find sources of goods. Thanks to that, her vegetables and fruits are imported at cheap prices. Ms. Thao prioritizes choosing vegetables that can be stored for a long time such as cabbage, Chinese cabbage, carrots, potatoes, etc. In addition, she finds more sources of fruit, even pork, to sell. All of her products have food safety certificates.

After importing food sources to the store, she and her staff made combos to sell in packages. Each package includes vegetables and fruits with the lowest price starting from 100,000 VND, the high-end package is up to 500,000 VND. Ms. Thao said that after advertising on the website and social networks, many people placed orders, many of whom were regular customers who had bought flowers from her. With such orders, she gives extra flowers and a wish for customers to overcome the pandemic.

Ms. Thao shared: “The flower business is facing difficulties due to consumers tightening their spending, so opening more clean food sales is also a way for the store to have more income. Customers who buy flowers often have average and high incomes, they tend to use clean products, so I see a lot of potential”.

She receives quite a lot of orders every day. Although she has just started selling, the orders are not as many as flowers, but she is still excited because her employees have more work and income through the pandemic. If the business situation is stable, she will find more sources of vegetables to sell in parallel with flowers, her main passion.

Like Ms. Thao, Ms. Vu Ha - who has long specialized in selling fresh flowers - has now also switched to selling food. In addition to the familiar source of vegetables and fruits from Da Lat that is still shipping to Hanoi, she sells more vegetables and fruits, then Man pigs raised in Hoa Binh, Sa Pa salmon, free-range ducks, ... and also processes grilled chicken, roast birds, potato cakes ... Before, she often offered free shipping or only charged 10,000 VND per trip, but now due to the difficult travel situation, she charges 20,000 VND for shipping to pay the delivery person more.

Or Mr. Dinh Van Lam (specializing in phone repair in Linh Dam, Hanoi), when Hanoi implemented social distancing, the store had to close, he promptly changed his business model. Taking advantage of the space, Mr. Lam discussed with his wife about importing rice and dried goods to sell.

According to him, these are essential food products so they are allowed to do business. Rice and dried goods can be kept for a long time and do not require much effort to preserve.

Mr. Lam said: "Selling rice is a temporary solution because we don't know when the epidemic will end, and the whole family depends on the store. At this time, I also have to think about finding a new way to do business."

Every day, he and his wife weigh rice and deliver it to customers around Linh Dam area. Although the new job is more difficult than selling phones, Mr. Lam is happy because he has an additional source of income. In the near future, his wife will import more seafood from Quang Ninh to sell.

Quickly switching to selling essential goods in the context of the epidemic, not only small businesses like Mr. Lam or Ms. Thao, but many large enterprises have also gradually had to adapt. For example, the hotel and entertainment booking app Klook has launched a regional specialty product package.

Some Northwest specialties such as Sapa salmon, veal and Moc Chau pork with free delivery in Hanoi are priced from 168,000 VND. Or TokyoLife also sells some food on its app with prices starting from 15,000 VND. Similarly, Muji, a Japanese brand specializing in selling fashion and household goods, also has an additional vegetable, food and beverage counter.

It can be said that adapting quickly and changing to keep up with the actual situation of the epidemic to overcome difficulties is something that businesses need to pay attention to at this time.