Innovative breakthrough - how Ong Tho condensed milk has maintained its market appeal for nearly fifty years

DNHN - As one of the national brands closely associated with the lives of Vietnamese consumers for nearly half a century, Ong Tho milk from Vinamilk continues to appeal to consumers of all ages due to its premium quality and constant innovation.

Almost 50 years – One flavour: Premium flavour and consistent excellence

Since its introduction in the 1970s, Ong Tho condensed milk has been a staple in the kitchens of many Vietnamese families. This is a conduit for many individuals to express affection and love. People give it to each other as a sweet gift when life is difficult or they are ill, both literally and figuratively.

Ong Tho's milk, a "legendary" milk-dipped bread dish loved by generations of Vietnamese people, is more than just food and drink. It is a witness for parents to tell their children about the old days when there was widespread poverty and a cup of fragrant hot milk full of nutrients for children. This is one of the foods that has maintained its vitality despite the country's transformations.

The flavour of Ong Tho milk not only dominates the domestic market but also leaves a lasting impression on international consumers, as evidenced by the product's prestigious international awards for quality. Mr. Tho, along with Vinamilk Super Nut 9-nut milk, was one of the first two dairy products in Vietnam to be rated when he persuaded the world's foremost experts of this fact in June of last year. Three stars represent the highest level of the Superior Taste Award. In the food and beverage industry, the Superior Taste Award is regarded as a guarantee of product quality and flavour, comparable to the Michelin Star.

Creativity follows trends and dominates the market.

Mr. Tho, who is known as a "many years old" national product, approaches consumers with constant creativity and innovation to stay abreast of current trends while maintaining his youthfulness and vitality. This brand has recently introduced a condensed milk product line with two entirely new flavours: chocolate and strawberry.

The product's formula combines smooth, fragrant milk with a rich chocolate or sweet strawberry flavour, making it suitable for use in drinks such as blended ice, smoothies, or as a side dish. Products include flan, fruit salad, bread, and pancakes... The product offers users a distinct, novel, tasty, and alluring experience. Specifically, the product is packaged in a tube that makes its use and storage more convenient.

Recently introduced to the market, Vinamilk's two new products have received positive feedback from consumers, particularly young people. This demonstrates that the company has invested heavily in research and product development with the intent of converting Generation Z into its next loyal customer base.

"In the span of a single human life, 50 years have passed to middle age. But with a brand, Mr. Tho always strives to create and continuously improve from design, taste, and how to convey the brand's message and story to meet the ever-changing and increasingly diverse needs of Vietnamese consumers over the years", Mr.

In addition to flavours that keep up with new consumer trends, Ong Tho condensed milk demonstrates the spirit of innovation and creativity to "rejuvenate" the brand image to reach out to young people. Earlier this year, the brand's "Museum of Youth (Poetry)" media campaign caused a "fever" in the online community by recreating a region of the 6x-9x generation's childhood memories in youthful, contemporary language. Consequently, the campaign "touched" the "hearts" of Gen Z and 9x.

At the most recent YouTube Works Awards, the campaign was recognised as one of the Top 3 "Best of Vietnam" and was awarded the Gold Award for Media campaign employing multiple transmission formats. Silver Award - Media campaign featuring the most effective collaboration between a brand and an influencer (Collaborator). Previously, this campaign won the Silver Award for "Most Creative Media Campaign of the Year" at the BSI Awards, which were organised by Buzzmetrics - a subsidiary of YouNet Group and a leader in social media measurement and research (Social listening).

Mr Tho is one of the leading brands and has contributed to Vina Milk's dominance of the domestic condensed milk market for many years in a row. Production of condensed milk reaches nearly 15,000 tonnes per month (equivalent to 1,300,000 cans of milk per day). According to the Kantar Brand Foot Print 2023 report, Ong Tho maintains its position as one of Vietnam's top five most popular dairy and dairy product brands.

In addition, since 2003, Vinamilk's exports of Ong Tho condensed milk products have increased significantly. The product is currently available in 35 countries and territories, including markets renowned for their stringent quality standards, such as Japan and Korea, with a total export turnover of approximately 243 million USD.

PV