Thao Hien (30, TP HCM) just finished her maternity leave and returned to her office work with the worry of how to ensure her child receives adequate nutrition. She chose to supplement her child with formula during the day and return to breastfeeding in the evening. "Because my child is young, I prioritize finding a type of milk with nutrients similar to breast milk, which boosts immunity and is good for digestion," Hien said.

Sharing Hien's concern is Le Thuong (Gia Lai). When her daughter started kindergarten, Thuong could no longer continue breastfeeding. With formula for children, Thuong was hesitant between many imported and domestic brands. "I was quite confused when looking for a nutrition source suitable for my baby's physique and meeting the needs of both physical and mental development," Thuong said.

The stories of Hien and Thuong are also the worries of most parents. 66% of readers said the biggest difficulty in choosing milk for their children is "being confused by too much information," according to the "Breastfeeding" survey conducted from 27/11/2024 to 4/12/2024 on VnExpress, with a total of 532 participants. Many mothers are also worried about the milk's ingredients, feeling uneasy when seeing sweeteners in the formula, the risk of allergies, or cases of diarrhea and constipation. In addition, the mentality that "foreign milk is number one" also makes it difficult for many people to choose a suitable brand or bear the additional cost burden, even waiting for months to have a box of milk "flown in".

A bigger problem is that there are cases where children are forced to use formula when the mother has no or insufficient milk, or the child has special health conditions. According to a 2020-2021 UNICEF report, 55% of children in Vietnam are not exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. At this point, the problem to be solved is not only about nutritional solutions but also considers the mother's psychology: how to help them overcome the invisible pressures when they cannot fully breastfeed their children?

Many obstacles prevent Vietnamese mothers from fully breastfeeding their children in the first months of life. Source: VnExpress

Inspiration from the "gold standard" in breast milk

On 15/7, at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit held in Singapore, Nguyen Quang Tri, Marketing Executive Director, recounted Vinamilk's special journey in recent years, inspired by the "gold standard" nutrients in breast milk.

Nguyen Quang Tri, Vinamilk's Marketing Executive Director, at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit. Photo: Minh Tu

Nguyen Quang Tri, Vinamilk's Marketing Executive Director, at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit. Photo: Minh Tu

In pediatric nutrition, Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) are among the most valuable nutrients. There are over 200 types of HMOs in breast milk, supporting the immune system and gut health from day one. However, in most milk products for children, only 5 types are usually added.

In Vietnam, HMO-containing milk products appeared quite early. In 2019, Vinamilk, along with another brand, introduced the first HMO-enhanced milk in Vietnam, with the now-famous 2'-FL formula. By 2021, more complex formulas containing 5 HMOs were launched, creating a new trend in the industry.

With the vision of "establishing unprecedented technologies in Vietnam," Vinamilk did not want to stop there. In 2023, the company signed strategic partnerships with 6 leading global nutrition companies to join the journey of bringing formula milk closer to breast milk. A year later, the company launched the first and only milk product in Vietnam with the 6-HMO complex under the Optimum brand. 6-HMO includes: 2'-FL, 3-FL, LNT, 3'-SL, 6'-SL, and DFL - components that make up 58% of the total HMO content in breast milk. More importantly, this composition includes all three main HMO groups - mimicking both the diversity and function of natural HMOs.

"The 6-HMO complex is not just a combination of valuable nutrients. It is also a breakthrough that sets a new standard for the dairy industry in Vietnam," Mr. Tri emphasized on stage, receiving much support from experts attending the region's largest forum on growth opportunities in the food, beverage, and nutrition industry.

Vinamilk experts research a special formula, making Optimum the first and only product in Vietnam containing the 6-HMO complex. Photo: Nguyen Hoang

Vinamilk experts research a special formula, making Optimum the first and only product in Vietnam containing the 6-HMO complex. Photo: Nguyen Hoang

This ingredient helps support gut health from the very first days because HMOs are highly selective, nourishing essential beneficial bacteria like bifidobacterium infantis (dominant in breastfed babies) and lactobacillus (supporting the intestinal lining and reducing inflammation). This combination helps establish a balanced gut microbiota – essential for immune development, especially for babies born by cesarean section.

Another special feature is that 6-HMO contains the duo DFL and 3-FL, described by Mr. Quang Tri as "rare and powerful." DFL acts as a "decoy," trapping harmful pathogens before they attach to the gut, likened to a natural biological shield. Meanwhile, 3-FL is one of the few HMOs that can enter the bloodstream, supporting both gut and systemic immune health, including the ability to defend against respiratory infections.

Impressing users and experts

When Optimum with 6-HMO was launched, the positive reaction was immediate. According to the company's survey, before the launch, only 9% of Vietnamese mothers knew about HMOs and their importance. Today, that number has more than doubled, to 21%.

Tran Thi Thu Hien (30, TP HCM) said both her children supplement their daily diet with Optimum. The baby cooperated from the first use, and after a while, she saw clear good development and steady weight gain. "Since giving my baby Optimum, I've noticed that the baby's constipation has been significantly reduced, and the tummy is also calmer," Hien said.

"Improved digestive system" is also the comment of Truong Thuy Ngan (office worker, TP HCM) after her daughter used Optimum. She said the 6-HMO milk formula is close to breast milk, so there's no need to supplement with external probiotics, yet her child still has stable digestion and gains weight according to standards. "I chose the product because of Vinamilk's long-standing and reputable brand, with product quality no less than foreign milk," Ngan said.

Thuy Ngan with her daughter at a Vinamilk store. She said both of her children use the Optimum product. Photo: Nguyen Hoang

Thuy Ngan with her daughter at a Vinamilk store. She said both of her children use the Optimum product. Photo: Nguyen Hoang

Besides the practical evidence, Vinamilk's innovative strategy and breakthrough in child nutrition have made a deep impression on many international experts at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit.

Mr. Shawn Lee, a representative of the dsm-firmenich Group in the Asia-Pacific region - one of Vinamilk's 6 international strategic partners, assessed that 6-HMO, in addition to raising nutritional standards, is also a solution to the modern-day concern of wanting to exclusively breastfeed.

"No matter the circumstances, parents can still give their children complete care and love. We completely agree with this view because when parents are happy, their children's journey of growing up is also filled with happiness," Mr. Shawn Lee stated.

Mr. Shawn Lee (center) exchanges with Vinamilk representatives at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit. Photo: Minh Tu

Mr. Shawn Lee (center) exchanges with Vinamilk representatives at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit. Photo: Minh Tu

In agreement, Mr. Gary Scattergood, Editor-in-Chief of FoodNavigator-Asia and NutraIngredients (the conference organizer), highly appreciated Vinamilk's contributions to this year's conference. Mr. Gary Scattergood commented that Vinamilk demonstrated the right direction by continuously applying in-depth research and development capabilities and actively innovating, thereby bringing "a product containing more HMOs than ever before in the Vietnamese market." Within the context of the conference, these are the "golden keys" for the brand to expand its influence in the global dairy industry landscape.

Concluding the discussion session at the 2025 Growth Asia Summit, Nguyen Quang Tri emphasized the vision of the Vietnamese dairy giant: to accompany parents on the journey of raising their children. He said that all the innovations and research the company introduces every day stem from the concerns of parents or caregivers responsible for family nutrition. More than just a nutritional solution, Vinamilk always cares and provides opportunities to make the journey of caring for children less stressful and happier.

Also, according to Mr. Tri, Vinamilk's presence at the high-level regional forum demonstrates the influence of the leading Vietnamese dairy brand in the international market, creating momentum to boost the Asian market.

Hoang Dan