Nutifood–ViPlus Dairy Partnership Gains Victorian Government Support in Vietnam Visit
The first GippsNature product signals a new chapter in Vietnam - Australia dairy ties.
A New Cross-Border Dairy Initiative
Economic ties between Vietnam and Australia continue to advance, with agriculture, food technology, and nutrition becoming increasingly prominent in bilateral cooperation. According to Nguyen Duc Hien, Deputy Head of the Vietnam Central Economic Commission’s Policy and Strategy Division, Australia remains one of Vietnam’s largest trading partners, while Vietnam has also gained stronger significance in Australia’s trade structure.
Within this evolving context, Nutifood and ViPlus Dairy took a significant step by partnering to build a premium global nutrition brand, developed in Gippsland, Australia’s long-established dairy stronghold.
As Tran Bao Minh, Vice President of Nutifood, explained in a press release: “The upcoming GippsNature brand is the result of a long-term strategic partnership between ViPlus Dairy, with its proud 130-year-old legacy, and Nutifood, bringing creativity and deep market insight into Vietnam.”
This joint effort received further validation during an official visit to Vietnam by the Victorian Government. Praising the Nutifood - ViPlus model, The Hon. Danny Pearson MP, Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, and Minister for Finance, of the Victorian Government (Australia) highlighted the joint venture’s long-term contribution to economic cooperation.
The Victorian Government delegation joined discussions during the visit.
“The future plans for the joint venture and GippsNature, as outlined by Nutifood and Viplus Dairy’s executives, only reinforces its purpose and potential, particularly as it has innovation at its core. When businesses collaborate like this, the economic dividends are long-term and widespread across trade and exports, and local economic growth,” he stated.
GippsNature Organic A2 Launches, Marking First Output of the Joint Venture
In October 2025, the Nutifood - ViPlus Dairy collaboration reached a turning point with the official rollout of GippsNature Organic A2. The product brings Australian Certified Organic (ACO) A2 protein from Gippsland directly to Vietnam, marking the joint venture’s first commercial milestone.
The introduction is also the starting point for a broader product strategy. Both companies intend to scale GippsNature into a complete international portfolio that covers multiple life stages and segments within the premium nutrition category.
Financial commitments underscore the ambition behind this initiative. In addition to the establishment of ViPlus Nutritional Australia, with an initial investment of over USD 3 million, Nutifood has invested an additional USD 230 million to expand its farms and factories in Gia Lai, Vietnam.
Revenue projections reflect this expanded scope. The joint venture aims to achieve revenues exceeding USD 33 million by 2026 and growing to USD 130 million by 2028.
Laying the Groundwork for Global Expansion
The launch of GippsNature Organic A2 coincided with strategic discussions between Nutifood, ViPlus Dairy, and officials from the Victorian Government on the brand’s international trajectory. The three-year roadmap focuses on expanding production capacity, diversifying product lines, including ready-to-drink items based on Australian-standard formulations. It also outlines plans for portfolio expansion across Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand, as well as key Middle Eastern markets.
Representatives from both companies also expressed confidence in the joint venture’s global blueprint and its long-term potential for broader market impact.
Jon McNaught, CEO of ViPlus Dairy, noted that: “Alongside sustainable business aspects, Nutifood and ViPlus Dairy are committed to contributing meaningful economic and social value to local communities. The international joint venture is expected to create numerous employment opportunities for the Gippsland region, as well as foster research and development cooperation for nutritional formulas with leading universities in Melbourne.”
Both parties signaled high expectations for the global roadmap.
Tran Bao Minh echoed that perspective, adding that the collaboration not only strengthens bilateral economic ties but also advances a shared commitment to sustainable nutrition.
“We highly appreciate the pioneering role of Victoria in global agriculture and nutrition. Through this joint venture, Nutifood aims to collaborate with Victoria to promote bilateral economic cooperation, while co-creating sustainable nutritional values, contributing to elevating both Vietnam and Australia on the global map of food and nutrition.”, Minh emphasized.
Taken together, these efforts signal more than the debut of a new product. They mark a shared Vietnam - Australia ambition to shape a cross-border nutrition brand with regional impact.
