Embarking on this new chapter, Opella Vietnam is redefining self-care through trusted, science-backed brands, deep market expertise, and agile innovation – guided by a strong commitment to sustainability and community well-being.

Valentina Belcheva, General Manager of Opella Vietnam & Cambodia, shares insights into the company’s new journey, long-term strategies in Vietnam, and commitment to sustainable health.

Valentina Belcheva, General Manager of Opella Vietnam & Cambodia.

Question: Over its 70-year journey, how has Opella Vietnam established its leadership in the over-the-counter market and contributed to the well-being of Vietnamese families?

Valentina Belcheva: Our leadership in the OTC market is rooted in a deep commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare solutions that meet the needs of Vietnamese consumers.

Opella’s achievement of becoming the No. 1 OTC brand in Vietnam is the result of a legacy built and nurtured over more than 70 years. We are committed to transforming consumer healthcare through a self-care approach. Everyone should understand that healthcare begins with ourselves, and self-care is a practice everyone can adopt daily to take charge of their health.

This vision is supported by our trusted portfolio of proven brands, spanning categories such as allergy, digestive health, pain relief, mental and physical well-being, and personal care. In Vietnam, we are particularly strong in digestive health, with leading brands like Enterogermina and Phosphalugel, and in personal care with Lactacyd. Several of our products have received prestigious accolades, including the Ministry of Health’s Vietnamese Drug Star award.

Our investment in local infrastructure further demonstrates our commitment. We have built a factory certified to GMP-WHO, Australia’s TGA, and Korea’s MFDS standards, along with a regional R&D centre.

We also prioritise community well-being. Our School Hygiene Project, recognised with AmCham CSR Awards, and our continued efforts to provide advanced healthcare knowledge to professionals and consumers alike, reflect our dedication to meaningful CSR initiatives.

Question: How will becoming an independent entity allow Opella Vietnam to enhance its focus on consumer health and innovation? What key priorities will you focus on to 'do even better' in fulfilling your commitments to the community?

Valentina Belcheva: Thank you for emphasising the importance of doing better. As a long-standing leader in consumer healthcare in Vietnam, this new chapter allows us to become faster, more agile, and more accessible to even more consumers.

Independence empowers us to accelerate innovation tailored to the unique needs of the Vietnamese people and to fulfil our mission: Health in Your Hands – making self-care as simple as it should be.

Under this mission, and with a vision to lead the way in fast-moving consumer healthcare (FMCH) in and for Vietnam, we aim to go beyond products, becoming a trusted health partner in daily life, grounded in scientific expertise and consumer understanding.

Some mistakenly believe that consumer healthcare is not part of the pharmaceutical industry. In reality, much of our portfolio includes OTC medicines backed by clinical trials. Our supplements and personal care products also meet the highest safety and scientific standards under the Opella brand.

We are also adopting a more agile model. Unlike the traditional prescription model, where time to market for innovations can take up to 10 years, we are targeting a reduction to as little as six months.

We are embedding AI and digital tools across our operations – from R&D to e-commerce – to deliver more personalised healthcare experiences.

At Opella, we do science for people. We listen – truly listen – to what patients and consumers need, and we turn those insights into product development. This is the heart of a consumer-centric approach. It’s not just a strategy; it’s our commitment. And it’s the future we’re building – where science serves people, guided by their voices.

Question: How important is the Vietnamese market to Opella’s global strategy? What strategies will help maintain your leadership in sustainable healthcare?

Valentina Belcheva: With a population of 100 million and rising demand for self-care, Vietnam holds tremendous potential and is a key market in Opella’s global roadmap. It is one of only four countries worldwide where we have commercial operations, a manufacturing site, and an R&D centre. This places Vietnam among our top 10 global markets and underscores our long-term commitment.

We reaffirm our goal to lead the FMCH market in and for Vietnam, driving better health for individuals, families, and communities.

Our manufacturing site at the Saigon High-Tech Park not only serves Vietnam but also exports to 13 countries across Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Republic of Korea. This positions Vietnam as our regional manufacturing hub.

Opella’s factory is certified GMP-WHO, Australia’s TGA and Korea’s MFDS standards.

The R&D centre plays a regional role by conducting key research, including ingredient selection, clinical trials, manufacturing optimisation, and formulation enhancement.

We operate through offices in Hồ Chí Minh City and Hà Nội to stay closely aligned with the market and regulatory partners.

Looking ahead, our goal is not just to maintain, but to grow our leadership position. With Vietnam being one of the fastest-growing economies globally, we aim to grow at par with – or faster than – the country’s pace by leveraging our brand portfolio, expanding our innovation pipeline, and further tapping into self-care opportunities.

Question: How do you think Opella’s sustainability roadmap will impact the healthcare ecosystem?

Valentina Belcheva: Sustainability is at the core of every initiative we undertake at Opella Vietnam. Our roadmap spans environmental and social dimensions, aiming to shape a more resilient and healthy healthcare ecosystem.

In 2023, we achieved landfill-free operations and now run entirely on renewable energy. In 2024, we eliminated 4.4 tonnes of plastic by switching from stretch wrap to reusable covers. By 2025, we aim to phase out non-sustainable plastics entirely, transitioning to post-consumer recycled bottles.

Our ongoing environmental projects include adopting solar energy, rainwater harvesting, and replacing fossil-fuel boilers with electric and biomass alternatives. We are targeting net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2027.

Social impact is also central to our mission. In partnership with the Hope Foundation, our School Hygiene Project has improved clean water and hygiene conditions for nearly 40,000 students and teachers, and there are plans to support 20 more schools in 2025.

We will continue to use edutainment to provide access to learning facilities and long-term training for healthcare professionals and consumers alike.

School Hygiene Project – Opella annual CSR initiative.

Question: What is Opella Vietnam’s vision for empowering the next generation of healthcare professionals?

Valentina Belcheva: We believe the next generation is essential to the future of healthcare. At Opella Vietnam, we are committed to empowering young professionals through education, innovation, and access to reliable health information.

Pharmacists – often the first point of contact in healthcare – play a vital role in promoting self-care. Through our Pharmacist Academy, we provide regular, expert-led training sessions to support their role in the community. For doctors, we offer continuous learning opportunities via platforms like Docquity, keeping them informed and engaged in preventive care.

We also invest in technology to promote accessibility and innovation. Vietnam is a priority market for launching new self-care solutions. All our products are backed by rigorous clinical evidence – what we call ‘hard science’ – that fosters public trust.

To enhance accessibility, we have introduced QR codes on our packaging, allowing consumers to instantly access product information via mobile devices. This promotes safety, transparency, and ease of use.

Our long-term vision is to build a portfolio of trusted, loved brands that meet the evolving needs of Vietnamese consumers.

We will continue to prioritise our commitment to society through our corporate social responsibility initiatives. For us, CSR is not separate from business – it’s fully integrated. We do not view our work as divided between sales and something else; it is all connected. We cannot promote self-care and champion Health in Your Hands as our tagline without genuinely caring for the lives and health of the communities.