Tin du lịch The crab tray of Aunt Ba once made it to international news, selling hundreds of kilograms in just a few minutes, how is it now?

Having caused a storm on social media and praised by international media for selling over a hundred kilograms of crabs in just a few minutes, now Aunt Ba finds herself in a state of poor sales and emptiness.​

Do you remember, a few years ago, "Aunt Ba's crab platter" became a trending phenomenon on social media for a long time. It was simply a platter displaying crabs at the roadside, yet the honesty of the seller and the excellent quality of the crabs helped Mrs. Huỳnh Ngọc Dung (75 years old, commonly known as Aunt Ba) gain fame.
At that time, Aunt Ba was always pursued by dozens of YouTubers every day, and customers had to stand in long lines to buy crabs, with 100 kilograms of crabs selling out in just a few minutes.
In particular, her fame also attracted attention from various news outlets and international reviewers. Among them, a Chinese newspaper titled, "A 70-year-old woman becomes famous for selling 50 crabs a day."
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Aunt Ba's roadside crab platter once caused a storm on social media (Photo: Đình Thảo).

However, the phenomenon of "Aunt Ba's crab platter" only lasted a few months. Soon after, a series of unfortunate events occurred as Aunt Ba was constantly slandered and criticized for selling spoiled crabs and not fulfilling orders... In particular, the Covid-19 pandemic forced her business to halt, and the crab platter faded into obscurity.
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At one point, hundreds of people competed to buy crabs from Aunt Ba (Photo: Đình Thảo).

One afternoon in October, the reporter decided to return to alley 565 Nguyễn Trãi (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) to meet Aunt Ba. Contrary to the bustling scene, Aunt Ba was quietly seated at the corner of the street. Although she had been there since 10 AM, by 4 PM there were still more than 1 kg of crabs on the platter.
Two years ago, Aunt Ba underwent surgery to remove a goiter. Due to its impact on her vocal cords, she has been unable to speak naturally since then. Seeing the reporter, Aunt Ba pointed to her scar, trying to clearly convey her words, but listeners found it very difficult to understand.
Feeling compassion for her situation, sister Quyên (60 years old, a resident in alley 565 Nguyễn Trãi) comes out daily to help Aunt Ba talk and handle the cash for customers.
According to Quyên, five years ago, thanks to her internet fame, Aunt Ba earned enough money to pay off debts, renovate her house, and cover medical expenses. Consequently, Aunt Ba’s life became more comfortable and happy.
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Now Aunt Ba sells in a state of poor sales every day, sitting for many consecutive hours (Photo: Loan Tô).

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Aunt Ba has consistently faced poor sales. Even sitting for several hours, she still cannot sell more than ten kilograms of crabs, having to take them home to the fridge and reheat them for sale at a cheaper price the next day.
"Many times we advise her to stay home and rest, but since there's no income, she continues to come here to sell," Quyên said.
According to Quyên, Aunt Ba's crabs are naturally sourced from Cà Mau. Previously, the selling price was a few hundred thousand VND per kilogram, but due to price increases, Aunt Ba currently sells them for 1 million to 1.2 million VND per kilogram to make a profit.
"To thank everyone for their support, on festive days and the full moon, Aunt Ba goes to the temple and gives away rice to help the poor. We just hope Aunt Ba stays healthy and has a few customers supporting her so she can enjoy her old age," Quyên said.
Fifty years ago, to earn a living, Aunt Ba decided to buy crabs from Cà Mau to steam and sell. Fortunately, with the community's help in alley 565 Nguyễn Trãi, Aunt Ba set up a roadside crab platter for sale.
The opportunity to appear on social media helped Aunt Ba transform her life in a short period. Although now there's no "golden era," Aunt Ba remains satisfied with her life.
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Aunt Ba says she's still satisfied with her life because she has paid off her debts and covered medical expenses thanks to her time of fame (Photo: Loan Tô).

At 79 years old, she still has to fend for herself to make a living. Occasionally, regular customers come to support and help her.
"Aunt Ba is kind, has been selling here for decades, so everyone loves her. Given her age, I help with heavy tasks and buying food; I just hope everyone helps so she can have a little extra money to manage,” said Hà (45 years old, a resident in alley 656 Nguyễn Trãi).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/mam-c...ong-vai-phut-gio-ra-sao-20231027010822115.htm