Tran Kim Thanh
Chairman of KIDO Group — co-founder of Kinh Do who led the historic $370-490M Mondelez M&A
Who is Tran Kim Thanh?
Tran Kim Thanh (born 1959) is Chairman of KIDO Group and co-founded Kinh Do in 1993 with his younger brother Tran Le Nguyen. In 1992 he mortgaged the family home to raise startup capital, and in 2014 he led the sale of 80% of Kinh Do's confectionery business to Mondelez for approximately $370-490M — the largest consumer M&A in Vietnam at the time. He then pivoted KIDO into ice cream (Merino, Celano — 47% market share) and cooking oil (Tuong An, Vocarimex — #2 in Vietnam).
Notable Quotes
“My brother mortgaged our home so we could have startup capital. It was the most daring decision of my life.”
Advice
Bold when needed, patient when hard
From mortgaging the home in 1992 to the 2014 Mondelez M&A — every step is a calculated bet.
Pivot when the timing is right
Selling the crown-jewel confectionery to buy Wall's and Tuong An — moving from pastries to ice cream and cooking oil.
Build a sustainable family business
The Tran Kim Thanh / Tran Le Nguyen partnership has lasted 30+ years — rare in Vietnamese business.
Key Highlights
- ✓Co-founder of Kinh Do (1993) → sold confectionery to Mondelez for ~$370-490M (2014)
- ✓Chairman of KIDO Group — Merino/Celano ice cream (47% share), Tuong An/Vocarimex cooking oil (#2 VN)
- ✓Mortgaged the family home in 1992 to raise Kinh Do's startup capital
- ✓Older brother of Tran Le Nguyen — together running a trillion-VND F&B family business
Biography
Tran Kim Thanh (born 1959) comes from a Chinese-Vietnamese family in Ho Chi Minh City. In 1992, he mortgaged the family home to raise startup capital — a move his brother Tran Le Nguyen later called "the most daring decision of my life". In 1993 the brothers co-founded Kinh Do with 1.5B VND and 70 employees. Kinh Do quickly became Vietnam's leading confectionery brand. In 2014 he led the landmark deal: selling 80% of the confectionery business to Mondelez for approximately $370-490M — the largest consumer M&A in Vietnam at that time. He then pivoted KIDO into ice cream (acquiring Wall's → Merino, Celano — 47% market share) and cooking oil (Tuong An, Vocarimex — #2 in Vietnam).
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Articles & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
›Who is Tran Kim Thanh?
Tran Kim Thanh (born 1959) is Chairman of KIDO Group and co-founder of Kinh Do in 1993 with his younger brother Tran Le Nguyen. He led the sale of 80% of Kinh Do's confectionery business to Mondelez for approximately $370-490M in 2014.
›Who owns KIDO Group?
KIDO Group is co-founded and led by the two brothers Tran Kim Thanh (Chairman) and Tran Le Nguyen (Vice Chairman & CEO). KIDO leads Vietnam's ice cream market with 47% share (Merino, Celano) and ranks #2 in cooking oil (Tuong An, Vocarimex).
›Why did Tran Kim Thanh mortgage the family home in 1992?
In 1992, to raise startup capital for Kinh Do, Tran Kim Thanh mortgaged the family home — a move his brother Tran Le Nguyen called "the most daring decision of my life". A year later, Kinh Do was founded with 1.5B VND and 70 employees.
›Why did KIDO sell its confectionery business to Mondelez?
In 2014, KIDO sold 80% of Kinh Do's confectionery business to Mondelez for approximately $370-490M — Vietnam's largest consumer M&A at the time — in order to raise capital to enter new markets. KIDO used the proceeds to buy Wall's (→ Merino, Celano) and Tuong An, Vocarimex (→ cooking oil).
›How does Tran Kim Thanh differ from his brother Tran Le Nguyen?
Tran Kim Thanh serves as Chairman (strategic direction) while Tran Le Nguyen is CEO (day-to-day operations). Together they have led KIDO for 30+ years — a rare example of a sustainable family business in Vietnam.
Other Experts
Trần Lệ Nguyên
Vice Chairman & CEO of KIDO Group — from confectionery empire to ice cream, cooking oil, and F&B chains
Đào Thế Vinh
Chairman & CEO of Golden Gate — Vietnam's largest restaurant group with 40+ brands and 500+ locations
Danny Le
CEO of Masan Group — architect of the $455M Phuc Long deal and "Point of Life" consumer ecosystem
Phạm Cao Vinh
Chairman of Goldsun Group — built an empire from Samsung packaging to 16 F&B brands and 200+ restaurants
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