The exhibition took place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, on August 19-20. The event space drew a large number of visitors of various age groups, from young people and families with children to customers who have used Vinamilk products for decades.

Rather than merely displaying historical milestones, Vinamilk designed the exhibition as a journey through various aspects of the company's operations. Visitors explored the story from farms, dairy farming, and fresh milk preservation to product research, powdered milk production, factory systems, and international market expansion.

Attendees introduce the early Dielac milk carton to their children. Photo: Vi Nam

Vinamilk organized the exhibition into seven themed zones, guiding visitors through historical milestones, farms, fresh milk quality, product research, factories, production technology, and the current scale of its ecosystem. Immediately upon entry, guests walked through a "time tunnel," which recreated memorable moments from the brand's 50 years of development. From the past, the journey expanded to show how Vinamilk controls quality from its dairy herds and raw materials to research and production.

Each zone not only displayed information but also included interactive challenges. In the first stage, customers were tasked with remembering criteria related to product safety and quality, including information about substances Vinamilk actively excludes from its processes. In another area, visitors took photos with Dielac packaging designs from different periods, learned how Vinamilk conducts tests to maintain purebred A2 cattle herds, or explored the herbal garden used in cattle care. Another challenge required guests to take "20 cow steps" to understand the distance from the milking parlor to the storage tank, before continuing with activities related to Probi, collagen, export products, or check-in areas that evoked childhood memories.

Each visitor received a journey pass containing ten challenges. After completing each station, guests received a confirmation stamp; completing at least five challenges allowed them to redeem a gift.

Older customers visit the stations at the exhibition. Photo: Vi Nam

This diversity created different experiences across generations. Young people showed more interest in technology, new products, and production processes. Families often connected their current experiences with childhood memories of using Vinamilk. For older individuals, products associated with the subsidy era or the early years of the domestic dairy industry offered a different perspective on 50 years of development.

Vo Tran Huu Dat, who works in the hospitality industry, was one of the young visitors at the event. Dat learned about the exhibition via Facebook and decided to attend because he has used Vinamilk products since childhood.

Dat recalled his first exposure to the brand was around 2007, when he was in first grade. At that time, what caught a child's attention most were the promotional programs and toys included with milk cartons. As he grew older, his reasons for choosing products shifted according to his nutritional needs.

"When I was young, I associated with Vinamilk because of the toys, but later, I became more interested in nutrition," Dat said.

Young customers receive gifts after completing the exhibition stages. Photo: Vi Nam

At the exhibition, young users spent significant time in the area showcasing production processes and standards. This space allowed young people to access information previously seen mainly through advertisements. Dat also mentioned that he regularly consumes Vinamilk oat milk.

From a young person's perspective, Dat hopes Vinamilk will continue to research products that better suit the evolving nutritional needs of Vietnamese people, especially for younger generations like Gen Alpha.

While Dat viewed Vinamilk through current needs, Phuong Hang, a resident of Binh Thanh, connected the exhibition to her family's memories. Upon entering the event space, Hang and her husband recognized many products they had used since the 1990s. Her husband shared that seeing products from his childhood made him feel young again.

For Hang, Vinamilk has been present since she was very young, from powdered milk to weaning products. One of her clearest memories is of Dielac. She recounted that when her younger sibling consumed this product, she would often take a little to eat herself, remembering its familiar taste.

Many years later, after starting her own family and having children, that choice continued in a different way. Her child now uses Vinamilk unsweetened fresh milk. "From when I was little, and now for my child's generation, our family still chooses Vinamilk," Hang said.

In the farm zone, visitors could learn how Vinamilk monitors the health of each cow using indicators such as activity levels, rumination, or heat stress. Another area simulated the journey of fresh milk from the milking parlor to the storage tanks, while also showcasing a system of 58 tanks across its farms with a total capacity of approximately one million liters.

The story of product innovation continued to expand in the display areas for Probi, nut milk, drinking yogurt, kombucha, and various powdered milk lines. Visitors could also revisit old milestones like Ong Tho condensed milk, Southern Star condensed milk, or Dielac, observing the evolution of the product portfolio through different stages.

Ms. Thu Hang (60, formerly of Binh Chanh) paused for a long time before the display of early Dielac milk cartons. She noted that the early milk carton brought back memories of when her child was young, and her family often chose Dielac for their child. "Back then, I bought this milk for my child, and I never thought I would see it again decades later right here at the exhibition. Now my child is grown with their own family, and looking at the old milk carton still brings back many memories," she said.

Customers check in to receive gifts from Vinamilk. Photo: Vi Nam

Customers pass through the time tunnel. Photo: Vi Nam

Thousands of people attend the exhibition. Photo: Vi Nam

Many customers stop at the display area for early Dielac milk cartons. Photo: Vi Nam

Young customers check in at the stations. Photo: Vi Nam

Attendees learn about Vinamilk's quality product manufacturing process. Photo: Vi Nam

Beyond product memories, the exhibition also recreated Vinamilk's production scale expansion. The company currently operates a system of 14 farms, including a Lao-Jagro farm complex, 16 dairy factories domestically and internationally, over 900 stores, and more than 350 products on the market.

Export activities were also included in the 50-year journey. Since beginning exports in 1997, Vinamilk products have reached 65 countries and territories, with a cumulative export turnover of nearly 3,9 billion USD.

These figures provide the backdrop for the 50-year story, but at the exhibition, visitors' memories made these milestones more relatable. For Dat, the journey started with a milk carton and a gift from elementary school, then shifted to nutritional needs as an adult. For Hang, products used in her childhood now continue to appear in her next generation's family.

Hoang Dan