The 50-Year-Old Instant Noodle Brand Behind Saigon’s “Billionaire of Billionaires”: Where Is It Now?

Portrait of Saigon’s “Billionaire of Billionaires” in the Past

Mr. Trần Thành was born into poverty in China and moved to Vietnam with his family during the tumultuous period before World War II. In his early years in Saigon-Cholon, he struggled to find work to make ends meet. His opportunity came when he was hired at a vegetable oil production facility owned by a Chinese businessman surnamed Trịnh. Initially, his job was to clean oil barrels, a low-wage, unskilled labor position.

Through hard work and dedication, Trần Thành quickly earned the trust of his employer and colleagues. He was assigned additional responsibilities, including sourcing raw materials from the Mekong Delta. He adhered to a principle of honesty in business: never underpaying farmers, avoiding price gouging, and always keeping his promises. This approach helped him build a reliable supply network and earned him generous rewards from his employer.

After starting a family and accumulating capital, Mr. Trịnh allowed Trần Thành to establish his own business. He transitioned to supplying raw materials for oil mills and became a major supplier in the South.

Recognizing the high demand for monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the reliance on imports from Japan and Taiwan, Trần Thành decided to invest in a domestic MSG factory. In 1960, he founded the Vị Hương Tố MSG Factory, equipped with state-of-the-art machinery imported from Japan, the most advanced in Southeast Asia at the time. The product quickly dominated the market due to its affordability and quality. Strategic marketing campaigns resonated with Saigon consumers, making Vị Hương Tố a household name, with the famous slogan: “No need for Japanese products when you have Vị Hương Tố.”

In 1963, he established Thiên Hương Company on Hải Thượng Lãn Ông Street in Cholon. The success of his MSG business paved the way for expansion into instant noodles, soy sauce, yeast extract, and other sectors such as hotels, cereals, education, and healthcare.

Throughout the 1960s, he was regarded as one of the wealthiest and most influential businessmen in the Chinese community, even becoming the leader of the Teochew association. Fellow merchants dubbed him the “Billionaire of Billionaires.”

However, in his later years, he lost his edge due to indulging in lavish parties and entertainment. Lax management led to the decline of his vast fortune. Despite attempts to revive his empire, Trần Thành’s once-great career ultimately crumbled. Today, his legacy lives on primarily through memories and the enduring mark of the Vị Hương Tố brand.

Thiên Hương Food Joint Stock Company Today

By 1972, Thiên Hương had become one of Vietnam’s largest food companies and the first to produce instant noodles, under the Mì Vị Hương brand.

In 2000, Thiên Hương Food was officially incorporated as Thiên Hương Food Joint Stock Company (TFC).

Initially, the company focused solely on Vị Hương Tố MSG, followed by Mì Vị Hương instant noodles, Thiên Hương soy sauce and seasoning powder (1979), and later diversified into chicken porridge, shrimp porridge, mixed porridge, chili sauce, coconut-coated peanuts (1994).

Today, the company offers a wide range of products, including instant noodles and seasonings under brands like Vị Hương, Life Cup, Yes Mom, Potato, Như Ý, Hương Bếp, Sao Việt, Bí Đỏ Alpha, and Thiên Hương.

The company operates two facilities: one in Hưng Yên in the North and another in Ho Chi Minh City in the South.

Thiên Hương’s products are exported to over 10 countries, including the United States, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Japan, South Korea, China, and Malaysia.

In March 2024, Thiên Hương Food increased its chartered capital to 108 billion VND. The Chairman of the Board is Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hà (born in 1958).