Thyda can easily detect whether a fish came from a freshwater lake or a madmade farm. She says that farm fish are fed chemicals to keep them healthy, which make them slimy. As a result, they don’t dry well.
I would pay attention when Thyda speaks about fishy quality. She’s been in the business of dried fish (and sea snakes) for over 30 years. She first learned the trade from her parents who were fishermen. When they stopped fishing, she started sourcing her seafood from distributors.
Thyda has 3 tricks for a flourishing market business.
- Beautiful & eye-catching presentation (for a first impression)
- Personalised service (to get them hooked)
- Exceptional quality products (to bring people back)
She always lets her customers try the dried fish on-the-spot, because she knows they will be more likely to buy it once they sample the exceptional quality. They’re hooked!
Further down the street, we ran into another stall selling dried fish. The generosity of the vendors was apparent when the stall owner asked if we had eaten lunch, and invited us to join her for a meal, gesturing at her rice to show that she had extra.
Shopkeeper Stories is a photo-documentary of small business owners and their trades around the world, sharing their insights, stories and views. You can see all the posts on Instagram and Facebook @ShopkeeperStories
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