On November 23, Vladislav Valerievich Shapsha, Governor of Kaluga province, toured TH Group’s advanced dairy farm complex in Nghe An while in Vietnam to receive the Friendship Medal from the President. Earlier that day, he and his delegation met with provincial leaders and were briefed on TH Group’s contributions to local development over the past 15 years.

During his tour of TH’s high-tech closed-loop production facilities, Shapsha expressed deep admiration for the rapid growth and international achievements of the modern dairy farming model built in Nghia Dan under the leadership of Labour Heroine Thai Huong.

He noted that TH had not only effectively tapped into local economic potential but had also transformed traditional production methods, engaged local communities, and improved income and living standards for residents.

Governor Shapsha (centre, white shirt) and his delegation were welcomed at TH Group’s dairy farm complex in Nghe An

The governor said he believed that TH Group’s success in Vietnam was being replicated in Kaluga, a province in central Russia about 190km from Moscow, and consistently ranked among the country’s top investment destinations. TH’s high-tech dairy farm and fresh milk processing plant in Kaluga, part of the group’s agricultural investment complex in Russia, has become one of the most prominent highlights in recent Vietnam–Russia economic cooperation.

Two years after his first official visit to Vietnam in 2023, Shapsha returned with a detailed working agenda. His priority this time was to observe firsthand the original model of TH’s large-scale, high-tech, closed-loop dairy farm in Nghe An - now being replicated in Kaluga as well as in TH’s projects in Moscow, the Far East Region, and the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Governor Shapsha (middle) visits the milking area of TH Group's Farm No.3

Welcoming the delegation, Thai Huong, founder and chairwoman of TH Group’s Strategic Council, said, “We are deeply moved to welcome you back. The deputy governor once told me that the road we are travelling today looks different from the past. He was right – this used to be one of Nghe An’s poorest regions. We have helped transform the area, bringing local people into the value chain, empowering them to improve their lives and prosper right on their homeland.”

Huong noted that tens of thousands of households have stable employment thanks to the project, their children have better schooling opportunities, and many young people have returned to work at the very farms and factories where they were born – a testament to TH’s social value.

In response, Shapsha congratulated Huong on receiving the Friendship Medal from President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin days earlier. “Thanks to your professionalism and talent,” he said, “Kaluga now has modern dairy production and processing facilities. TH’s projects in Kaluga are not just about job creation – they symbolise the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperation.”

He also shared that Kaluga aims to reach a dairy output of one million litres per day within the next five years, adding, “We are delighted to walk this path with you. The provincial government will provide every possible support for TH’s investment activities.”

The TH true MILK brand officially appeared in Russia after TH Groups inaugurated its milk processing in Kaluga province in May 2025

TH’s dairy herd in Kaluga currently achieves one of the highest productivity levels in Russia, producing over 40 litres per cow per day. On May 11, the company inaugurated its fresh milk processing plant in Kaluga, with a total capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day (Phase 1: 500 tonnes/day), in a ceremony attended by Vietnamese General Secretary To Lam and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. The facility is among the largest milk processing plants in Russia.

The Kaluga delegation visited the milking area of Farm No.3, home to about 7,000 of the nearly 70,000 high-yield dairy cows imported from New Zealand and the United States. The farm features some of Vietnam’s most advanced milking systems, ensuring a completely sealed process from milking to packaging – preventing any air exposure and preserving the freshness, purity, and nutritional value of TH true MILK products.

Data plays a central role in ensuring milk quality and herd health. TH uses Afifarm, one of the world’s leading farm management technologies developed by Afimilk from Israel.

Each cow is fitted with an electronic chip on its leg or neck, acting as a 'digital guardian' that tracks and transmits real-time health and activity data to the central control centre. The milk-metering devices in the milking system record milk volume and quality indicators, helping detect and predict mastitis at an early stage.

The delegation next visited TH’s IVF laboratory, where the company has mastered in-vitro fertilisation technology, enabling the creation of high-quality purebred dairy cows with productivity comparable to America’s best breeds – right in Vietnam.

At TH’s feed mill – an essential link in the international-standard dairy farming chain – the delegation learned about the daily production and mixing of roughly 2,000 tonnes of feed for the 70,000-cow herd. The facility is equipped with advanced machinery and an ISO 17025-certified laboratory using near-infrared spectroscopy for raw material quality control.

The Kaluga delegation also toured the Nui Tien pure water, herbal, and fruit beverage factory. With an investment of $47 million, the plant is equipped with 100 per cent automated, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly production lines for purified water, natural juices, rice beverages, and herbal teas.