Vinataba's history of establishment and development can be divided into the following stages:

1975-1985:

In 1975, upon unification of the country, there were altogether six tobacco factories in the country, of which:
United Tobacco Enterprises I with two factories Thang Long and Bac Son.

United Tobacco Enterprises II with two factories Saigon (formerly MIC) and Vinh Hoi (formerly Bastos).

Beside the above cigarette production factories, there were trading and material processing enterprises: Midland, Western, Eastern and Ha Nam Ninh material processing enterprises and cigarette fermenting enterprise.

1985-1995:

In 1985, the Council of Ministers (now is the Government) issued Decree N#108/HDBT to establish Union of Vietnam Tobacco Enterprises on basis of merging United Tobacco Enterprises I and II and other provincial-run tobacco factories , with the head office in Ho Chi Minh City . The original make-up consisted of four cigarette factories : Saigon, Vinh Hoi, Thang Long and Ha Bac (now Bac Son) and four leaf companies: Central, Eastern, Western and Ha Nam Ninh and one tobacco fermentation factory.

Union of Vietnam Tobacco Industry Enterprises was set up and structured as a closed-circuit organization from leaf growing to manufacture of tobacco products and also incremental activities to support all industry operations. This is a high water mark for the then management and has become the first model of management approach of tobacco industry in Vietnam.

In 1986, Vietnam adopted the renovation policy creating a more favorable environment for all business elements in the whole country. Starting from this point of time until 1992, there gradually occurred a transitional period to a market economy system for Vinataba.

On 31 October, 1992, Minister of Light Industry issued Decision N#1007/CNn-TCLD transferring the operation and organization of Union of Vietnam Tobacco Industry Enterprises to Vietnam National Tobacco Corporation.

1995 to date:

In view of the policy to establish business groups as a pilot model of economic companies in accordance with Decision 91/TTg of the Prime Minister, on 29 April , 1995, the Prime Minister signed Decision 254/TTg to establish Vietnam National Tobacco Corporation as a business group with a head office in Ha Noi and a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City.