A solid nutritional foundation for Vietnam’s future strength and stature

Nutifood Nutrition Research Institute in Sweden (NNRIS).

Building on 45 years of nutritional manufacturing heritage in Bjuv - the historical cradle of Northern Europe’s food industry - and Nutifood’s extensive experience in nutritional research and care for Vietnamese consumers, this integrated model opens a new pathway for Vietnam’s nutrition sector: integrating through science, advancing through technology, and serving through an understanding of local physiology.

The convergence of these complementary value systems has yielded a distinctive cooperation model: applying Nordic standards to enhance Vietnam’s nutritional value chain, targeting products that meet international benchmarks while aligning with the needs, physical characteristics, and market realities of Vietnam.

Established in 2019, Nutifood Sweden AB marks a significant milestone in Nutifood’s internationalisation strategy. The decision to locate the factory in Bjuv enables direct access to a production ecosystem that has been developed and optimised over decades for global food brands. Through this foundation, Nutifood Sweden meets stringent international requirements, including FSSC 22000, HACCP, EU Organic, and U.S. FDA approvals. From Sweden, Nutifood’s products not only serve the Vietnamese market but are also positioned to compete in Europe, the United States, and many Asian economies, expanding the company’s presence into higher-value segments.

If the Swedish plant represents Nutifood’s “European-standard manufacturing engine,” the Nutifood Nutrition Research Institute in Sweden (NNRIS) serves as the “scientific pillar” of its long-term strategy. Founded in 2020, NNRIS brings together leading nutrition experts from Sweden and abroad, collaborating with renowned institutions such as the Swedish Food Federation, the Skåne Food Innovation Network, and RISE. It is among the few Vietnamese enterprises to operate an R&D centre within the Nordic scientific environment - known for its rigorous research discipline, strong data infrastructure, and deep-rooted commitment to sustainable development.

For many years, GrowPLUS+ has been the leading infant formula brand in Vietnam, a trusted choice for children's development.

A defining feature of NNRIS is its ability to translate international scientific knowledge into solutions suited to Vietnamese consumers. In collaboration with the Nutifood Nutrition Research Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, nutritional formulations are developed through a two-way cycle of research, testing, refinement, and commercialisation. This ensures that products uphold Nordic scientific standards while remaining compatible with the needs, preferences, and physical attributes of both Vietnamese children and adults.

In practice, operating within the Nordic system requires Vietnamese enterprises to meet highly demanding quality, process, and transparency criteria. For Nutifood, these challenges served as an impetus for comprehensive transformation, spanning quality management, production technology, and research capacity. The outcome is an internationally benchmarked ecosystem, where each product embodies the integration of Swedish scientific insight and local Vietnamese expertise - a rare advantage not easily replicated.

With this scientific foundation and deep understanding of Vietnamese consumers, Nutifood Sweden continues to advance strategic product lines for the domestic market, most notably GrowPLUS+ and Värna - two specialised nutritional platforms. GrowPLUS+, which has led Vietnam’s dairy formula segment for many consecutive years, is optimised based on growth data of Vietnamese children, focusing on healthy weight gain, height development, digestive health for optimal nutrient absorption, and immune support. Meanwhile, the Värna line caters to adults with diverse nutritional needs, including calcium supplementation, support for bone and muscle health, immune system strengthening, cardiovascular support, and products specifically designed for individuals with diabetes. All formulations are developed in close collaboration between NNRIS in Sweden and Nutifood’s Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring internationally aligned science while responding closely to Vietnamese nutritional needs.

With formulas tailored to meet specific nutritional needs, Värna products are gaining increasing trust among Vietnamese adults.

Anchored on its scientific base in Sweden, Nutifood is expanding international cooperation, including a joint venture with ViPlus in Australia to develop the GippsNature brand, as well as participation in the supplementary nutrition segment through Cawells. These initiatives reflect a comprehensive development strategy that combines international-standard manufacturing capability with Sweden’s research ecosystem, while building a product portfolio that addresses the rapidly growing health and nutrition demands of Asia, a market forecasted to expand faster than any other in the industry.

At a sectoral level, the Nutifood–Sweden cooperation model illustrates the broader trend of Vietnamese enterprises moving into higher-value positions within global supply chains: transitioning from basic contract manufacturing to advanced formulation research, innovation, and technology-based ecosystems. As Vietnam prioritises improvements in national physical strength and stature, the expansion of internationally recognised R&D centres such as NNRIS, alongside EU-standardised production chains, will help bring the domestic nutrition sector closer to global benchmarks.

While the longstanding industrial heritage of Bjuv remains an essential foundation, the core value of Nutifood’s strategy lies in its capability to leverage Nordic scientific resources in service of Vietnam’s needs. This model of international cooperation is increasingly sought after by companies in the food and health sectors, as it demonstrates that an emerging economy can build global competitiveness through science, technology, and an informed understanding of the local context.

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