Cordoban cheeses in Vietnam: Villa María's dairy industry continues to grow

A delegation from Hanoi University of Science and Technology visited Villa María to learn about companies, universities, and laboratories connected to the dairy sector. The tour aimed to generate productive and scientific ties with the region. The Asian delegation showed interest in innovations and in the quality of Córdoba's cheeses.

The dean of the UNVM Institute of Basic Sciences, Carolina Morgante, welcomed the representatives from Vietnam along with her research team. The visit was part of an international cooperation program promoted by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The specialists highlighted the possibility of researcher exchanges and technology transfer.

Academics Nguyen Chinh Nghia and Vu Thu Trang emphasized similarities between both academic systems and took away concrete proposals. They underlined the importance of advancing in functional dairy products and biotechnology applied to milk.

Interest in innovation and local production

During the visit, the researchers toured Grupo ASIPAL, which works on digitalizing the salting of cheeses together with UNER and the company Lácteos Las Tres. The project seeks to optimize processes and produce healthier, higher-quality cheeses. Through sensors and computer simulation, indicators are monitored in real time.

The group's director, Alejandro Lespinard, explained that innovation enables greater efficiency in cheese production. He stated that the goal is to strengthen the sector's competitiveness and respond to markets demanding high value-added foods. The initiative has academic and business support.

From the company Lácteos Capilla del Señor, its manager Álvaro Ugartemendía highlighted the specific interest in a local blue cheese. According to his explanation, Vietnam could begin importing it and later produce it in its own territory. Alternatives for exporting milk intended for that development are also being considered.

Villa María, strategic hub for Vietnam

The representative of the Escuela Superior Integral de Lechería (ESIL), Fabián Habbegger, stated that the visit opens doors to the Asian market. He considered it an opportunity to place regional products in Vietnam and provide international training. He highlighted the strength of Córdoba's dairy culture.

The Vietnamese delegation expressed its intention to promote student exchanges and grant scholarships in the dairy field. With this, they seek to strengthen scientific cooperation and bilateral technological development. The visit confirms Villa María's role as a center of innovation and production in the cheese industry.

In recent years, Villa María's dairy basin has consolidated its leadership in the country. Thanks to the synergy between universities, laboratories, and companies, the region is positioned as a strategic partner for Vietnam and other international markets.