Tran Bao Minh, Vice Chairman of Nutifood As Nutifood continues to strengthen its position as a science-driven nutrition company, the recent approval of its proprietary Foundation of Digestion & Immunity…

Tran Bao Minh, Vice Chairman of Nutifood

As Nutifood continues to strengthen its position as a science-driven nutrition company, the recent approval of its proprietary Foundation of Digestion & Immunity (FDI) Formula patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) marks a significant milestone not only for the company but also for Vietnam’s growing presence in global nutritional innovation.

The patent recognition validates years of investment in nutritional science, clinical research, and intellectual property development, reinforcing Nutifood’s commitment to creating evidence-based nutrition solutions tailored to the needs of children and families. It also underscores the company’s transition from traditional manufacturing toward research-led innovation and proprietary nutritional technologies with international relevance.

In this exclusive interview with NUFFOODS Spectrum, Tran Bao Minh, Vice Chairman of Nutifood, discusses the significance of the USPTO patent, the scientific foundation behind the FDI Formula, the evolving role of digestion and immunity in pediatric nutrition, and how Nutifood’s expanding global research partnerships and international initiatives are shaping the company’s next phase of growth and innovation.

What does the USPTO patent approval for the FDI Formula represent for Nutifood and for Vietnam’s dairy and nutritional science industry on the global stage?

The USPTO patent represents an important milestone not only for Nutifood but also for Vietnam’s dairy and nutritional science industry. USPTO is widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential intellectual property systems, where global corporations protect their core technologies and innovations.

For Nutifood, the patent validates the company’s long-term investment in nutritional science, clinical research, and intellectual property development. It demonstrates that a nutrition solution developed by a Vietnamese company can meet the scientific and technical standards required by a highly rigorous international patent system.

More broadly, the milestone reflects a shift in the Vietnamese nutrition industry from product manufacturing toward research-driven innovation and proprietary nutritional science with global relevance.

Could you elaborate on the scientific innovation behind the FDI Formula and how its combination of 2’-FL HMO and FOS differentiates it from conventional child nutrition formulations?

According to the USPTO patent documentation, the innovation of the FDI Formula lies in its proprietary nutritional structure designed to support both digestion and immunity in young children.

The formula combines 2’-FL HMO – a functional nutrient structurally similar to one of the key oligosaccharides naturally found in breast milk – with FOS/Inulin, a soluble fibre that supports beneficial gut microbiota.

Nutifood stated that the uniqueness of the formula is not simply the presence of these ingredients individually, but the specific formulation structure, ingredient interaction, and clinical evaluation demonstrating synergistic support for both digestive and immune health in children.

The formula was developed with a focus on digestion and immunity rather than individual nutrient supplementation. How is this “foundational nutrition” approach shaping the future of pediatric nutrition products?

Nutifood believes pediatric nutrition is evolving beyond simply adding individual nutrients into formulas. Increasingly, scientific research highlights the close relationship between gut health, immunity, nutrient absorption, and long-term child development.

The “Foundation of Digestion & Immunity” approach reflects this direction by focusing on building a strong physiological foundation early in life, particularly through digestive health and immune resilience.

How important was the clinical evaluation conducted by Vietnam’s National Institute of Nutrition in validating the effectiveness and credibility of the FDI Formula for international recognition?

The clinical evaluation conducted by Vietnam’s National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) played a significant role in strengthening the scientific credibility of the FDI Formula. As Vietnam’s leading public institution in nutrition research and policy, NIN has long been responsible for national nutrition studies and scientific assessments related to child health and nutrition.

According to Nutifood, the 2021 clinical evaluation was conducted on Vietnamese children, reflecting the company’s direction of developing nutrition solutions tailored to the physiological conditions and nutritional needs of local children.

The study showed that nutritional products containing the FDI Formula supported improvements in digestive disorders such as poor appetite, constipation, and diarrhoea, while also helping reduce respiratory infections in children. Nutifood believes the inclusion of clinical evaluation data contributed important scientific evidence supporting both the effectiveness and practical applicability of the formula.

Nutifood recently announced the establishment of Nutifood America-Nutrition Science and partnerships linked to A2 Organic dairy production in the United States. How does this align with the company’s broader international growth and innovation strategy?

The establishment of Nutifood America-Nutrition Science reflects Nutifood’s broader strategy to strengthen its global nutritional science ecosystem and deepen its international innovation capabilities.

Nutifood recently announced a strategic partnership with a U.S.-based organic dairy company specialising in A2 milk, alongside plans. The company is also developing an advanced spray-drying production line to process fresh A2 organic milk into powder for export to Vietnam, where it will be used in Nutifood America’s proprietary dairy product portfolio.

According to Nutifood, these initiatives are part of a long-term direction to gain deeper access to premium ingredient systems, advanced dairy technologies, and internationally standardised production models.

In parallel, Nutifood currently sources ingredients from more than 20 U.S.-based manufacturers, with an estimated annual volume exceeding 5,200 tons. These ingredients are widely used across Nutifood’s nutritional portfolio, particularly in specialised formulas for infants, children, and adults. Key partners include major U.S. dairy and ingredient suppliers such as Dairy America, Valley Milk, and Hilmar.

Together with its research collaborations in Sweden and Australia, Nutifood believes these international partnerships will help strengthen the company’s R&D capabilities, accelerate innovation, and support its ambition to develop globally competitive nutrition solutions tailored for Asian consumers.

With increasing global demand for evidence-based and specialised nutrition solutions, what opportunities do you see for Nutifood to expand internationally following the USPTO patent milestone?

The growing demand for evidence-based and specialised nutrition creates opportunities for companies that can combine scientific validation, clinical evaluation, and differentiated nutritional solutions.

For Nutifood, the USPTO patent enhances the company’s credibility when engaging with international partners, consumers, and markets that increasingly value intellectual property and science-backed innovation.

How do collaborations with international research institutes and partners such as BASF, DSM-Firmenich, and ViPlus Dairy contribute to Nutifood’s nutritional science and product development capabilities?

Nutifood sees international collaboration not simply as ingredient sourcing, but as part of a long-term strategy to build a globally connected nutritional science ecosystem.

Through partnerships with organisations such as the Nutifood Nutrition Research Institute in Sweden (NNRIS), the Australian Nutrition Research Institute (ANS), BASF, DSM-Firmenich, and ViPlus Dairy, the company gains access to advanced nutritional science, global research expertise, next-generation ingredient technologies, and internationally standardised development systems.

According to Nutifood, these collaborations allow the company to move beyond conventional product manufacturing toward developing proprietary nutritional platforms grounded in scientific research, clinical validation, and intellectual property.

What are the company’s next priorities in nutritional science research and intellectual property development after securing this USPTO patent?

Following the USPTO patent milestone, Nutifood stated that the company’s next priority is to continue strengthening its long-term nutritional science and intellectual property capabilities while expanding internationally through research-driven innovation.

As previously announced, the establishment of Nutifood America-Nutrition Science is considered one of the company’s first strategic steps in this direction. According to Nutifood, the brand will be developed based on the patented Nutifood FDI Formula combined with advanced U.S. nutritional science and premium A2 protein ingredients.

Nutifood also revealed that the first product under Nutifood America-Nutrition Science will be A2 GrowPLUS+, developed to support the comprehensive developmental needs of children.

Beyond this launch, the company said it is accelerating collaborations with major U.S. partners and international nutrition experts to develop a broader portfolio of specialised nutrition solutions. 

According to Nutifood, these initiatives reflect the company’s long-term direction of building proprietary nutrition platforms grounded in scientific research, clinical validation, advanced ingredient systems, and international collaboration.

Shraddha Warde

shraddha.warde@mmactiv.com