Golden Tower Pastes: Myanmar Flavour Exclusively for Macao

Nam Va Trading Company was founded in 1974 by Ho Veng Ian, a Burmese of Chinese origin. What started as a grocery store distributing goods from South East Asia has grown to a trading company with an in-house standardised food production line at its Golden Tower Food Factory. Pastes and food products from Nam Va’s own brand “Golden Tower Brand” are available in various supermarkets in Macao.

Ho Veng Ian, founder of Nam Va Trading Company, in the store at Three Lamps Square (Rotunda de Carlos da Maia)

(Photo courtesy by the company)

Pak Kei Ho, the second generation successor of Nam Va Trading Company

Creating a taste of Myanmar catering to Macao palates

Nam Va’s signature product, Myanmar Scallop Belachan (Spicy Dried Scallop Chili Paste) is made with dried sea shrimp, dried scallop, chili, fried scallion and soybean oil. In order to cater to the local flavour, the recipes of “Golden Tower Brand” products have been adapted to localise the Myanmar flavours over the years, launching Myanmar Scallop Belachan and curry paste products of 4 pungency levels. Nam Va also presents its Belachan product sets with hand-mixed noodles and Myanmar-style fish soup packs. Customers can mix Belachan paste into the hand-mixed noodle and improve the whole texture and flavour. The Myanmar-style fish soup pack contains a stock cube which is made from fresh fish and kway teow. One can simply boil the kway teow in the stock and then enjoy it.

Five “Golden Tower Brand” pastes

(Photo provided by the company)

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手工乾拌麵加醬料套裝

Belachan mixed noodle

Product set: Myanmar-style Fish Soup Pack and kway teow

Inheritance plus innovation: promotion through MICE events

Mr. Pak Kei Ho is the second generation of the family business. After he took over Nam Va Trading Company, he stepped up the marketing effort in addition to store promotion and maintaining business in the neighbourhood, by joining “Macao Ideas” under the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) to promote their brand through online and offline platforms. He also takes an active part in IPIM’s MICE events such as the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF), the Guangdong and Macao Branded Products Fair and business inspection visits, so as to increase the exposure of “Golden Tower Brand” to more business clients and consumers.

Nam Va’s participation in the China International Import Expo

(Photo provided by the company)

Striving for certifications to enter the Mainland market

Ho reveals that he has always hoped to expand the market to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Therefore, the factory of Nam Va has obtained the ISO22000 food safety management system standard certification and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification many years ago. It is also preparing for the export procedures such as customs filing, to gradually achieve the development goal of entering the Mainland market.