Vinamilk presents breakthroughs at Growth Asia Summit 2025

Vinamilk and its breakthrough 6-HMO formula drew significant attention at the Summit for its contributions to setting a new nutritional standard for children, while also offering a new direction for the regional dairy industry in addressing the modern challenge of “breastfeeding through formula.”

A nutritional breakthrough from Vietnam at a regional forum

The Growth Asia Summit is the largest forum for exploring growth opportunities in the food, beverage, and nutrition sectors across Asia. It gathers representatives from over 20 countries, including research institutes, government and non-government organizations, and multinational corporations. The conference focuses on identifying breakthrough scientific solutions to improve nutritional quality across the region, particularly for mothers and children.

Vinamilk, recognised as the 6th most valuable dairy brand globally in 2024, was invited to this year’s Growth Asia Summit as the first and only representative from Vietnam to deliver a keynote on the 6-HMO breakthrough, an infant formula innovation that sets a new international nutritional standard for powdered milk.

Vinamilk Optimum’s 6-HMO breakthrough is a scientific simulation of rare nutrients found only in breast milk. These nutrients play a key role in nurturing beneficial gut bacteria in children and thereby strengthening their natural defense system. This product is among the few that simultaneously contains both DFL and 3-FL, two types of HMOs that are typically found individually in other formulas. This unique combination left a strong impression on experts attending the summit.

Previously, the 6-HMO breakthrough also received significant attention at the 2025 Global Dairy Congress in the Netherlands, as a standout result of Vinamilk’s strategy to “invest in science and technology to maximize the natural nutritional value of milk.” Vinamilk continues to affirm its position as the 6th most valuable dairy brand in the world.

Science elevates nutritional standards through deep understanding

HMOs are known as precious nutrients found only in breast milk, playing a vital role in supporting children’s digestive and immune health. Although there have been ongoing innovations in HMO research, for many years, the Vietnamese market remained at the 5-HMO formulation, meaning the full potential of these nutrients had not yet been fully realized. “With a mindset of constantly challenging limits, Vinamilk has taken a step forward in raising nutritional standards by launching Optimum—the first milk product in Vietnam to contain a 6-HMO formula, accounting for up to 58% of the total HMO content in breast milk,” shared Mr. Nguyen Quang Tri, Chief Marketing Officer of Vinamilk, on the context behind this breakthrough product.

In reality, 55% of children in Vietnam are not exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life (UNICEF, 2021), which may prevent them from fully benefiting from breast milk’s digestive and immune-supporting properties. Additionally, about 60% of Vietnamese mothers have to juggle childcare with work. Physical and lifestyle challenges make exclusive breastfeeding an unfulfilled aspiration for many modern mothers.

As such, a nutritional solution inspired by the key nutrients in breast milk—to support and accompany mothers in confidently and happily raising their children—has become both a significant and inevitable need today.

With a desire to provide equal opportunities for consumers to access the best nutrition, Mr. Shawn Lee, representing dsm-firmenich Asia-Pacific - one of Vinamilk’s six strategic global partners—shared at the summit: “The 6-HMO breakthrough not only elevates nutritional standards to meet the needs of children, but also offers a solution to the modern dilemma of wanting to breastfeed exclusively. Regardless of circumstances, parents can still provide complete care and love. We fully align with this philosophy because when parents are happy, the journey of a child growing up is filled with happiness.”

Pioneering a new direction, setting international nutrition standards

Over nearly 50 years of development, Vinamilk has invested in research and successfully produced Vietnam’s first can of infant formula. Today, it owns one of Asia’s most advanced powdered milk mega-factories and has been exporting to many countries around the world since 1997.

From a post-war country without a powdered milk industry, thanks to its strategic investments in science, technology, and international collaboration, Vinamilk has made significant strides in infant formula development, on par with regional standards, with the 6-HMO innovation standing as a prime example.