Former Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmad Badawi (third left), Graeme Clegg (centre) and other members of the group cut a red ribbon to open a representative office of New Image, which sells supplements made from bovine foremilk. VNS Photo Van Dat.

HCM CITY (Biz Hub)– New Zealand's New Image Group, which sells nutritional supplements made from bovine colostrum, says its plan to penetrate the Southeast Asian market by starting a representative office in Viet Nam.

Colostrsum, also called foremilk, is a thin, yellowish fluid secreted by the mammary glands at the time of parturition that is rich in antibodies and minerals, and precedes the production of true milk.

The opening ceremony of New Image Viet Nam was attended by several dignitaries including former Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmad Badawi.

NH Chua, the group's vice president for the Asia Pacific region, said that Viet Nam, with a population of 90 million, was a great potential market for nutritional supplements made from bovine colostrum.

Currently, New Image does not have plans to open a factory in Viet Nam due to the shortage of raw materials. However, in the future, it will build packaging factory in Viet Nam where its nutritional supplements will be exported to ASEAN member countries, he added.

The company announced on Saturday (June 15) that it expected monthly revenues of US$1 million in a short period of time.

The products sold in Viet Nam will be imported from New Zealand. -- VNS