Palmyra Sugar: A Story of Culture, Craft, and Community
Sweet, Subtle, and Rooted in Tradition
Once the beverage stands adorned with palmyra fruits (trái thốt nốt) start lining the roads, it’s a clear sign that you’ve arrived in Tri Tôn and Tịnh Biên, two mountainous communes of An Giang. Nestled within the Seven Mountains region (known as Bảy Núi or Thất Sơn in Vietnamese), Palmyra palms have been growing wild for centuries, thriving in the mineral-rich, sandy soil and Southern Vietnamese tropical climate. These majestic, slow-growing trees take 10 to 14 years to flower and reach full maturity at 30 years. The older they get, the more flowers and fruits they bear. These trees can live up to 100 years.
An Giang lies in southern Vietnam, precisely where the Mekong River begins to weave through the delta. With its rich history, the Vietnamese regard the area as a spiritual land full of sacred mountains, mythical tales, and notable figures. Its population mainly comprises four ethnic groups: Kinh, Hoa, Khmer, and Chăm. Specifically in Tri Tôn and Tịnh Biên, Khmer communities settled here as early as the 13th century, long before the arrival of the Kinh. Despite the twists and turns of time, the Palmyra palms have remained rooted in their native land. More than just a regional icon, these trees play an essential role in An Giang’s culinary and cultural life.
Palmyra palm trees growing along the rice fields in An Giang, Vietnam
Today, these trees grow along rice fields. While they were once more abundant, rice cultivation has replaced many palms. Much like coconut trees, every part of the Palmyra palm is valuable. The raw fruit makes a refreshing snack with its tender, juicy flesh. The ripe fruit is the star ingredient in bánh bò thốt nốt, a specialty dessert of An Giang. The peels fuel the concrete stoves used in local bakeries and sugar-making. The flower nectar is consumed as a drink. Or more importantly, it is cooked into the magnificent palm sugar. In recent years, local families have even repurposed the Palmyra palms to house and collect bat manure for fertilizer.
Left: Row of Palmyra palm trees in Tịnh Biên, An Giang
Right: Palmyra fruits display at local beverage stands
The craft of making palm sugar deeply connects to the history and development of Khmer communities in the Seven Mountains region. It forms a distinct cultural identity, passed down over generations. The Palmyra palm harvest season typically begins in November and lasts until June, right before the rain season arrives. During this time, farmers collect nectar twice daily from the flowers in a process that is both labor-intensive and dangerous. Harvesters climb the tall palms using long bamboo poles as makeshift ladders, then carefully cut the flower stalks near the base and attach bamboo or plastic containers to catch the sap.
Once collected, the nectar is quickly transferred to a nearby kitchen where the cooking process begins. The liquid is boiled for several hours until it thickens into a syrup, which is then stirred continuously until it solidifies into sugar. This entire process must happen within a few hours because palm nectar ferments quickly. Our Palmyra Sugar includes a final dehydration step, which extends its shelf life and transforms the syrup into a granulated form that’s versatile, easy to use, and easy to store.
Left: Harvester climbing the palm trees
Right: Mr. Chau Sók Phík, one of the palm sugar producers whom we work with
The resulting Palmyra Sugar has a well-rounded sweetness with delicate tang and subtle umami notes that make it perfect for baking, cooking, or sweetening drinks. Not only does it offer an unrefined, natural alternative to regular cane sugar, but it also preserves the cultural heritage of traditional Khmer craftsmanship.
To source this product, we work closely with Khmer women-led, community-based producers in An Giang. Our goal is to help preserve this traditional craft while providing artisans a stable market. In a few communities that we visited, the villages were mostly populated with the elders and young children. Many working-age adults had moved to larger cities for factory jobs and better incomes. This migration leaves the younger generation growing up in a fast-paced digital world without close parental supervision. While this exodus is not unique to An Giang, it makes the Khmer communities more vulnerable to losing their long-time crafts and trade, among other socioeconomic issues.
Left: Harvester climbing the palm trees
Right: Mr. Danh, a local palm sugar producer, harvests the fresh nectar
This Palmyra Sugar may be our most meaningful launch yet, as it carries much significance. By sourcing directly from local Khmer artisans, we not only support a disappearing craft but also offer you a distinctive, natural, unrefined sugar that is rooted in culture and care.
